# color bleed issue



## Eric-77 (Oct 10, 2020)

I have a 6 color M&R press 4 platen and doing a 6 color print on dark color shirt so having to do a white base. Flashing between each color (White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Red, Black). My blue image has a hairline sketch through the image to define the shape. My off contact is <1/4" for all screens. On vellum test prints the image appears as it should, when I move to shirts (50/50 Gildan G8000) the hairline bleeds. I flash at station immediately after printing at a distance of 1 inch for 5 seconds getting temp of 175 which had been my normal flash time, gone upto 12 seconds achieving temp of 290-300. Roughly 1 minute of cool down before next print. Doesn't matter my flash time I still get the bleed. Am I flashing too much? I flash between each color, not flashing long enough?

Thanks
Eric


----------



## Eric-77 (Oct 10, 2020)

Here is picture of the bleed on the motorcycle.


----------



## Eric-77 (Oct 10, 2020)

Bit of additional info
110 mesh screen, should I be going finer? I have 156 195 230(and 65)
6" 70 durometer squeegee
Ink Startex Royal Blue that has manufacture date of Sept 10 2019


----------



## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

Eric-77 said:


> Bit of additional info
> 110 mesh screen, should I be going finer? I have 156 195 230(and 65)


Yeap! The 110 screen is not good for fine details.
This is a common issue called "dot gain". Basically the ink bleeds a bit filling small gaps.

Try using a flattening screen for the white layer. 
This screen doesn't have to be on your press. A loose screen with some spacers will do.
Flattening the white may actual solve the issue. If not, using 195 or 230 screens for the colors will definitely do.
Your black is not great either y the way.... The text should be much sharper and readable.


----------



## Eric-77 (Oct 10, 2020)

Thanks, I was having brain fade after being in the “sweat shop” for dozen hours. The fact the vellum test print was good had me spinning in circles. I got so caught up that it was a bleed that I actually set up a fan to cool the platen/ink at station after the flash.

As I started going through everything I was doing I was pretty sure that mesh was going to be answer.

The black actually was too high off contact issue where I got ink under screen. I got that fixed and got registration of red/blue in place.

flattening screen? Is this just a full cured emulsion screen then used like a heat press to smooth the ink? I have a piece of Teflon that I use on large white ink images with heat press.


----------



## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

Eric-77 said:


> flattening screen? Is this just a full cured emulsion screen then used like a heat press to smooth the ink? I have a piece of Teflon that I use on large white ink images with heat press.


There are different methods to do it. 
Teflon under a coated screen is the cheapest option as you can use a regular squeegee.
Some people prefer to use Teflon and a polyurethane roller.
Both work well when applied quickly after the flash cure.


----------



## multiplesifl (Jun 27, 2011)

Gonna be honest, I would have pushed this job off to the DTG machine. I run an 8-8 and I never do more than four colors on principal.


----------



## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

multiplesifl said:


> Gonna be honest, I would have pushed this job off to the DTG machine. I run an 8-8 and I never do more than four colors on principal.


What about if you had to print 200 of them?


----------



## Eric-77 (Oct 10, 2020)

Well the order was 2 gross
6 color each side on 2 different shirt designs with 5 screens in common, aka 19 screens. Got artwork Friday evening and just dropped off to Fed Ex. I’m beat.


----------



## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

Eric-77 said:


> Well the order was 2 gross
> 6 color each side on 2 different shirt designs with 5 screens in common, aka 19 screens. Got artwork Friday evening and just dropped off to Fed Ex. I’m beat.


That's a lot of screens, but for 288 shirts it's worth the effort.
I used to do jobs like this years ago, and it's fairly easy money in my opinion, especially considering most people have to work a month for the same money.


----------



## multiplesifl (Jun 27, 2011)

I run a manual press. I would have told them to take it elsewhere.


----------



## Eric-77 (Oct 10, 2020)

It is a manual press, that was biggest single order I have done. I didn’t figure how exhausted I would be after gross the first day(which I had done before)


----------



## multiplesifl (Jun 27, 2011)

No offense but better you than me!


----------

