water based inks

Here you can discuss any issues related to working with water based screen printing inks. This would include curing, heat setting, mixing colors, additives, brands, usages and much more.

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melano
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2013 12:12 pm

water based inks

Post by melano »

hi,

I am still relatively new to screen printing and I am not getting the hang of using pigment based inks (waterbased fabric paint system, requiringes a neutral BASE and colour concentrated pigments. The pigment colours are added to the base)

I do not work on a press and am a very simple small home printer working on t-shirts....

I am using an emulsion screen, but am running into issues like uneven printing, I guess maybe even ink drying on screen... I was wondering if you had a video that talks about this and goes thru the process for someone who has the most basic and simple setup.

Unf, I am a person who needs to see something done rather than reading about it.

much appreciated
emilie
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Catspit Productions
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:47 am
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Re: water based inks

Post by Catspit Productions »

The problem here is most likely the set up on which you are printing. Uneven ink layers printed on the garment is likely due to uneven off contact. See this video for more on off contact:



The ink drying in the screen is simply due to the water based ink having time to dry. You have to work very fast with air dry inks and back flood between prints:



I am unable to make video answers to YouTube or Forum questions. If I tried to do that I would be making videos 24/7. The videos above should help you but there are also articles about some of this on the website that would really help out if you only took the time to read them.

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/sc ... chive.html

I hope that helps out some. Good luck and feel free to ask specific questions if you have any after watching the videos.
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatspitProductions
melano
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2013 12:12 pm

Re: water based inks

Post by melano »

just a few things, if you notice the ink start to get a bit "tacky" do you then just wash the screen when it starts to do so, or can you still go on printing for a bit?
Also if for whatever reason the (emulsion) screen had started to fill in a few places, is there any way to work around that or it basically is a write off and needs to be totally stripped?

I now understand how back-flooding really helps with these inks

thanks very much for your help and all your great videos and info

emilie
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Catspit Productions
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Posts: 1995
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:47 am
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Re: water based inks

Post by Catspit Productions »

Yes, that’s good; back flooding keeps the ink in the mesh wet and moist so it does not dry and clog the stencil. That’s what it sounds like when you say,

“for whatever reason the (emulsion) screen had started to fill in a few places”

If the water based ink dries in the mesh then the screen is most often ruined. If the ink gets too tacky and starts stringing like cotton candy then you should remove the ink, clean the screen and continue with fresh ink. Discard the ink you remove unless you have some thinner you could use to refresh it.

There also may be a “retarder” for the ink which is an additive that slows the drying time.

You're very welcome. Thanks for joining the forum and posting. And thanks for watching my videos ;)
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatspitProductions
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