This is the section concerning all things that relate to printing on press. Topics may include but are not limited to loading the pallets, screen set up, registration problems, squeegee durometer, how to screen print using an automatic, manual rotary press or fixed station presses and general trouble shooting on any print job.
I have just entered the world of screen printing here in the UK and id firstly like to say i have been watching your videos like a screen printing bible!
I have got myself a manual 4 colour single station press hoping to produce my own shirts but i am having some troubles.
The biggest problem i cannot seem to understand is when i put the ink down onto the shirt and lift up the screen the ink is very thick and spiked up and bled over the design and there is loads of ink on the underside of the screen. i hope that makes sense!
here are some images i am on about :
the tee:
and the screen:
i keep playing with it all and some come out better than others but there dose not seem to be a pattern to it!
I forgot to mension that the other thing i have been finding odd is that when flooding the screen i can never cover the whole image like jonathan does in the vids and i have to keep flooding the screen till i can get it as coverd as i can get it. Would that maybe part of the issue with the issue above? Also my ink seems to be loads thicker :/
Yeah, first you're over flooding the screen. Is your screen new or still has good screen tension? Need good tension to allow the mesh to snap off the shirt. Before you even put the ink on the screen give it a good stirring. That helps a lot. White ink is the worst to start with, lol. Make sure you have no more than 1/8" off contact. But no less than 1/16". you need enough for the screen to snap off the ink but not too much too allow ink to stick to the underside of the screen where emulsion is. Practice flooding before you even print. Then make sure you wipe off any ink on the substrate side of the screen before you do it for real. Flooding doesn't have to be perfect as the general idea is to just load the stencil with ink before you print. Laying more ink down. You can even print without flooding but you will have to print,flash, print most likely more than once.
Greg
If you're not going to go all the way then why bother going at all.
ApeShirt Apparel Printing, LLC
Yeah I’d second that. Be careful not to over flood by working the ink too much and hold the screen off the shirt while flooding. Either mix, thin or switch inks and lower the off contact. It has to be way too high to be doing that.
Awesome post Greg, thanks for helping out as unusual. I always appreciate it.
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!
I have lowered the off contact and watched some of your videos on techniqe and the prints have come out far far better! Still not perfect but improvement
Its nice to know i have somewhere to come to if i am having troubles!
Anytime Josh! We've all been there at some point. This forum is my go-to place for any questions. Sure, there may be larger forums but I enjoy the personalization here. Hope you stick around.
Greg
If you're not going to go all the way then why bother going at all.
ApeShirt Apparel Printing, LLC
