I've got a 2 color job going on Lycra. According to Union, you can print stretch directly over top of an image instead of mixing 25% for each color. Anyone use this method ? If so, how'd it turn out?

Tape is one of those things you need but don't necessarily get a return on your investment. Use of tape also comes with experience, the better you get at controlling the ink on the screen, the less tape you'll need, for the most part. On large runs (more than 100 or so), or wide prints, i'll tape al...

How about your screen tension ?

Did the sharp edges of the letters get blown out while washing out the screen ?

How are you printing the red ? Maybe too heavy handed on the flood and print. Could be too soft of a squeegee allowing too much ink through. An underbase (with a stroke removed) should make the red nice and bright with only one pass. Are you having the same problem on the light colored shirts ? Is t...

Apologies for the sweeping generalization of curable reducers, as i'm sure not all are created equal. I almost exclusively use Union Inks and have found the need for reducer to be slim to none. Union offers "Ultrasoft" inks for wet-on-wet, light garments etc. I've too often seen reducer mi...

Reducer claims come from Roger Jennings, in regard to Union Inks. Ink picking up on screen could be a result of impatience, I suppose. Whether it be not enough time under the flash or not enough cooling time. Just trying to keep the machine moving because time is money. The WD-40 trick combats this ...

Print smallest area of color to larger areas. Subsequent squeegee passes shouldn't run through the previous ink laid down. This could result in lines running through the print and uneven ink picking up on the backs of the next screens, which could then smear onto the next shirt. Consistency is key. ...

Verdict is in. Printed on said garments with one hit of white through a 110. Print looked bright and still sublimation free 72 hours later. I'm not necessarily a believer but cautiously optimistic. I'll still prefer printing on 100% cotton over polyester any day of the week.

Had a rep come to my shop selling a new spin on polyester t's by Sport-Tek called "Posicharge". The claim is that one pass of white will cure and stay bright white, with no dye migration. One pass, no flashing, no preheating, no polyester ink, no dye migration. This sounds too good to be t...

Could be caused by ink separating in the bucket and this is the plasticizer smearing through the screen. I have this problem with high opacity plastisol inks time to time. It's easily remedied by giving your ink a stir before loading it on the screen and then knead it for a bit before printing.