# problems screen printing hoodies



## Fortyz40 (Nov 12, 2010)

i been having problems screen printing hoodies. The screen image is perfect; then once i print the first coat then flash' the screen seems to be covered with dried ink and I have to clean out before I want to use it again... why?


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## bomber315 (Jun 18, 2010)

?? are you using water based or plastiol?... are you letting your platen get so hot that it is curing the ink when you bring the screen down?


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## Fortyz40 (Nov 12, 2010)

plastisol, its even before heat is involved. ill ink then go to lift up the screen and the ink will dry up and stick to the screen, could be the hoodie material because tee havent had a problem.


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## afgsigns (Sep 25, 2009)

OK, First I would check your off contact, Make sure you have good clearance so the screen lifts away without having to be lifted, otherwise the ink is staying in your mesh.. Room could be too warm, I know with my conveyor dryer running and flash unit the room easily gets above 90.. even in the dead of winter.. Let us know how it works out for you.. I have an issue a couple weeks ago where I had a scout crew in printing there own shirts and this same thing happened.. but it was after the inital flash before the second color was applied.. Hope you figure it out


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

sounded like water based ink at first, but if you're sure it's platisol it could be that the hoodies are retaining too much heat after flashing and you need to let them cool a bit first. You can also place a fan at an empty station after the flash to help cool it down faster.


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## 23putts (Nov 15, 2007)

After flashing the first layer wait about 10 seconds before lowering your screen for the second coat. You have to let first coat cool or it will cure the ink in your screen mesh. Hoodies retain heat longer than tees when flashing.


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## foot print (Jun 2, 2010)

sounds like your off contact is to low and you may not be clearing the ink from the screen..Also when you are flashing and you have a 6/6 or 4/4 place the flash directly across from you. that way by the time the print come back around it will have had time to cool off.


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## Greatzky (Jan 28, 2009)

The OP hasn't flashed yet... So any recommendations pertaining to waiting for the platen to cool down is meaningless in this scenario.

He is talking about printing and getting a bad print where the ink also stays in the screen.

I've had this issue as well and sometimes even more off contact doesn't help. This is why I have avoided hoodies for the most part unless they are 1 color prints.


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

interesting, could be sweat material is absorbing the water out of the ink causing it to dry in the screen?


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## foot print (Jun 2, 2010)

Greatzky said:


> The OP hasn't flashed yet... So any recommendations pertaining to waiting for the platen to cool down is meaningless in this scenario.
> 
> He is talking about printing and getting a bad print where the ink also stays in the screen.
> 
> I've had this issue as well and sometimes even more off contact doesn't help. This is why I have avoided hoodies for the most part unless they are 1 color prints.


Hey Greatzky, O.P. does claim to have flashed that is why several of us who have replied offered the advice/ input we did.


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## cornpopps (Jan 8, 2010)

Greatzky said:


> This is why I have avoided hoodies for the most part unless they are 1 color prints.


Another fellow hoodie hater. I have 50 hoodies looking at me and laughing because they know they will make my life hell this morning. 
Not to hijack the post, it sounds like off contact. I place a piece of cardboard on top of my hoodie and then set the off contact. I also tape a quarter or two on the top of my screen so when I lower my screen the quarters keep the screen from dipping down when pressure is applied keeping the screen straight at the top.


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

Fortyz40 said:


> plastisol, its even before heat is involved. ill ink then go to lift up the screen and the ink will dry up and stick to the screen, could be the hoodie material because tee havent had a problem.


really doesn't make sense if it's plastisol ink and you're not flashing before. plastisol should never dry in the screen on it's own with out heat to gel it.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

Yeah hoodies are no fun! Agree with most others... make sure that you are allowing the hoodie to cool after flashing, so that the ink is not starting to cure in the screen (I flash at station 2...with fan on station 3). I normally have to make multiple passes to clear the screen on hoodies. Also go through a lot of tack to keep the hoodies down on the platen.


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## foot print (Jun 2, 2010)

I love printing hoodies..!!! I will print pretty much any location the customer ask for.. hood, pocket and sleeves ALL DAY..!!!


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## Greatzky (Jan 28, 2009)

footprint: sorry I see now that in his first post he mentions flashing. I guess I was paying more attention to his later post about having the problem even before flashing. 

to OP: is it dry ink or do you mean that there is still ink left in the screen after your stroke??? a dry stroke might help that.. seems to be the only thing that helps me, but sometimes even that won't do...

I'm switching ink brands for my white ink soon anyway.. Haven't found one that I'm comfortable with yet(which could be my lack of experience), but since I'm the only one printing I need to find an ink I enjoy working with.


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## dspdavid (Aug 30, 2011)

We've only been in business since this summer but I ran into the same problem printing white in navy blue hoodies. My off contact was good but I was still getting ink left in my screen. I switched to web adhesive and my shirts stopped lifting. It's made for sweatshirts.
SprayWay Spray Web Adhesive

-- Dave


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