pigment streaks

[ericheartsu]

We are in the middle of a large run of Waterbased prints, and we keep having to stop like every 10 prints to clean stupid pigment streaks in the ink.

What can we do to avoid this? We already mixed it, strained it, and mixed it some more.

We are using the Matsui pigments in Green Galaxy Opaque base, through 200s and 225s screens

[Admiral]

Make sure the squeegee isn't the culprit to putting in a line of a different color into the screen.  Not sure what else it could be.  Emulsion is holding up fine right?

[ebscreen]

What are you straining through?

Single or double stroke?

[ericheartsu]

It's def. the pigments used to make the ink. Emulsion is fine.

It's being strained through a mesh strainer, and being mixed by hand and with a power drill mixer
Double stroke on everything.

[mimosatexas]

i've had this issue with the matsui pigments as well.  No quick fix for you unfortunately...

[ebscreen]

I suppose I meant what mesh, we've never had anything get past a 110, but you never know.

[ericheartsu]

I suppose I meant what mesh, we've never had anything get past a 110, but you never know.

it's a 3 color job. the black is fine, that's on a 225. Then there is a coral and a green, those are both on 200s

[ericheartsu]

i've had this issue with the matsui pigments as well.  No quick fix for you unfortunately...

I wonder if Rutland pigments have this issue?

[ebscreen]

And I suppose I meant what mesh you were filtering through. I'll get it straight one of these posts...


Rutland pigs do have this problem. Any concentrated pigment will.

[ericheartsu]

And I suppose I meant what mesh you were filtering through. I'll get it straight one of these posts...


Rutland pigs do have this problem. Any concentrated pigment will.

oh sorry, we aren't using any mesh, just though the strainer it self

[ebscreen]

Give a scrap piece of 110 or so a try.

Also look and see if the ink is climbing up the squeegee a bit and drying out. We've had that
happen with a ton of ink in the screen. Obnoxious.

[ericheartsu]

no climbing, but i'm gonna try that mesh in the strainer!

thanks!!

[ZooCity]

Yep, strain it.  You need the right micron opening of the mesh to catch the chunks without inhibiting the flow too much.  We put a piece of mesh between the cap and the bottle/spout of the pig containers.  In rare cases we still have to pull an ink and strain it again.  Experimenting now with ss mesh discs from MMC, I just matched the micron opening to one of our mesh counts to determine which tpi to get.  Seems to be going well so far. 

[ol man]

ZooCity - great idea

[tonypep]

We never strain. Its all in how to contain and dispense the PCs. Hint: Its not in the manufacturers containers