White Poly Inks

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

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Staind29
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White Poly Inks

Post by Staind29 »

I've been printing a few years now and, believe it or not, am still struggling with printing on 100% poly garments. I've recently switched everything over to Union Max Opake with decent results, but the poly whites are sooo gooey that I'm having fibrilation problems now. I'm having to thin the white inks down quite a bit, and even causing me to lay down no less than 2 coats, sometimes 3 to achieve opacity, killing my production time.

I've seen prints that look so creamy, smooth, not shiny, not chalky, and absolutely opaque and can't help but wonder what ink they could possibly be using. I'm starting to think this is top secret info.

I used to use IC's poly white, but it's so tacky it would literally glue itself to the next color/screen after printing white, lifting the garment. Which is totally unacceptable, and a real pain. I tried the silicone trick on the other screens to prevent the sticking, but what a pain. I just quit using it all together, yet people have told me it's a good ink and recommended. Maybe as a stand alone white print, not when printing another color after it.

Can someone, Jonathan, or anybody, once and for all, tell me what a GREAT poly white ink is that's not tacky, and not gooey as hell?


Thanks anyone for any advice you can lend. I've got a huge poly job coming up and I'm stressing on these issues.
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Catspit Productions
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Catspit Productions »

Well. I'm not sure what is happening there. Without knowing exactly what you are doing on press makes suggesting another ink mute until we can determine it is actually the ink. Did you try calling Union ink for technical support?

If you like please describe exactly what steps you are taking to make the print with full details of everything. Also post an image of the resulting print. Then I can take a more educated guess as to what the problem may be and if it is indeed the ink.
Jonathan Monaco
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http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
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Staind29
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Staind29 »

I'm really not having fibrilation issues with 100% polyester garments, just 50/50 and up. Trying to find a good 50/50 poly white I guess is what I'm trying to say. Although I am having to thin down the poly whites I'm using from Union, but atleast they don't stick to the next screen like IC does.

I really can't show a pic that would be clear enough to show this fibrilation. Was just curious what your thoughts were on a good/great 50/50 poly white?
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Catspit Productions
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Catspit Productions »

Well I sell a poly white that I use in house here:

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/eco ... nk-gallon/

But when you thin out a white ink with reducer you ruin the opacity and ink flow characteristics. Especially high opacity or poly white inks which cost more due to their formulation normally. Try storing it in the office or house and pre-mix it with a drill and paint mixer attachment. Plastisol ink is thixotropic. It gets thinner and creamier as you work and use it. try doing that instead of adding reducer and print with it. it will probably cover much better.
Jonathan Monaco
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http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
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Staind29
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Staind29 »

How is this "economy" ink you sell as far as tackiness? Will it try and stick to the next screen when applying your next color? That's one of my biggest issues with IC Poly White, it sticks like mad to the next screen creating all kinds of obvious problems.

How is the final print, glossy, plastic looking, or more of a smooth creamy matte, etc..?
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Catspit Productions
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Catspit Productions »

It's actually a low pick up line of ink but that is not the case with any white ink. White inks are made for opacity so it is very difficult to impossible to make a white ink that does not pick up. If that is an issue then the poly white should be flashed and then the subsequent colors go down wet. I NEVER print onto or next to wet white ink. White is always flashed to retain the opacity and print surface. Only a white highlight printer might be printed in sequence wet.

When printed normally it should be pretty smooth, depending on the mesh count and your print methods. The more you heat it the more it will gloss. Otherwise it should be pretty matte to semi gloss. Also fibrillation can be a direct result of a cheap garment. Sometimes it's not the ink. Just as is the case with scorching.
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
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Staind29
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Staind29 »

Thanks for the help, but I don't ever print over white wet either. When using IC's Poly White, after flashing it, when I print the next color, which has been flash cured, it's sticky as heck. It adheres to the next screen, trying to then lift the shirt off the platen. I've tried flashing it longer, shorter, etc.. Sometimes even Union's MaxOpaque are tacky like this after flashing. I've been told to rub a little silicone on the subsequent screens but that's not the answer I want. I want an ink that's not tacky after flashing.

As far as the fibrilation, I tried moving the inks into a warmer area and that seems to be helping. So all the info I've gotten in the past from other printers about printing straight out of the bucket, no mixing, is not something I would NOT advise to anyone. It obviously needs to be kept room temp, atleast, or mixed to warm it up.

I love the bleed resistance of the MaxOpaque inks, it's better then IC. Their 50/50 White even holds up better then IC's 100% Poly White. I can cure MaxOpaque at 350, even though it only calls for 280, and it still doesn't bleed. The stuff is just really thick and requires a lot of mixing.

In then end, I'm just trying to find another white that's not tacky after flashing, not thick as hell, and truly resists dye migration.
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Catspit Productions
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Catspit Productions »

Okay I see..... but the ink should be tacky after flashing ONLY when it is hot. Once it cools down it should not be tacky or sticky in any way. That would be an ink issue. Or is your emulsion under exposed? Underexposed emulsion can absorb humidity and other chemicals leading to screen lock. Moist emulsion is also tacky.

Yes, you need to mix plastisol inks thoroughly if they have not been mixed in some time. That also makes them thinner and more creamy while ensuring the plastisiser is well mixed into the batch of ink.

Now I won't promise you the world but my line of inks tends to be a bit thinner than most others. However, white is always the thickest and the garment you print on can have a lot to do with the finished print surface. So if you're desperate then maybe you should give it a try and if you're terribly unhappy with it just send it back to me in Phoenix and I'll give you a refund for your initial purchase amount.
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
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Staind29
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Staind29 »

Thanks for your time and help.

I'm just frustrated at this point with most of my inks and prints. It is more than likely me I suppose, my method. I was looking at my competitors prints and they look great. They have a matte kind of thin rubber look, where as mine seem to come out with a shine, a bit crusty appearance. I'm scared to death of over flashing, so I'm sure than can't be it. I've worked with me conveyor dryer quite a bit trying to get to know it's true temp as not to over cure either. Just got to thinking it's my inks, or lack of additives. Seems like there's some secret additive out there I'm unaware of, lol.

Quick question. If you're printing on black, and there's white in the design with other colors that need to pop. Do you create an underbase screen then a screen for the actual white part of the design? I ask this because every time I underbase when there's white in the design, I end up with the thickest print for the colors, because by then I have 3-4 coats of ink down. Seems like I'm really over doing things, killin myself.

I know that is off topic, sorry, just venting a bit.
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Catspit Productions
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Re: White Poly Inks

Post by Catspit Productions »

There is no secret additive other than a matte additive you may use to get rid of the gloss. The print surface likely has to do with the way you are printing. Unless you are using some very horrible inks ;)

Yes, we create an under base screen which we print on the thinner side. Then if you need white in he finished print we create a white "highlight" screen to do the second coat of white ONLY in the areas that will end up showing in the design. Does that make sense?
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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