# Why is my waterbased paint uneven on a print?



## JasonKBarnes (Dec 11, 2010)

I am having major trouble with my prints. Every image I print comes out uneven. I have some spot with smooth paint and others get ripples as if it's too much paint coming through the screen and at times some areas with very little paint. I experienced that frequently using white ink to prime on a black shirt. Can some one PLEASE tell me what I am doing wrong?


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

If there is a pattern to the unevenness it may be an uneven platen or defective squeegee blade. I am not sure what you mean by ripples but sometimes, when I failed to mix the ink on the screen properly with the squeegee (to distribute the ink evenly across the length of the squeegee) I get some spots of white in some areas. If the ink appears a little thick or a little difficult to flood/fill stroke, spray mist seems to help prevent such white spots. If the ink is a little thick to start with I add some reducer.

Your squeegee angle may also be too vertical.(edit: Sorry but vertical is wrong choice of word. I am referreing to a push stroke where I sometimes get these spots when I hold the handle too high resulting in too much angle. If you use a pull stroke try pulling at a more vertical angle or more penpendicular to the screen. If pushing try lowering the handle more).


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## PrintsCharming (Jan 21, 2009)

The problem is your using paint. joking. Get in that habit of saying ink. Because thats what we all use. Like mentioned above your pallet may not be level/ warped. Your screen could be warped. These two problems will cause uneven off contact ( the amount of space between the mesh and pallet. So where there is high off-contact, a lot of ink is pouring through. Your mesh tension could be too low. And you may not be dispersing your ink evenly. Which is a combination of your stroke, pressure and squeegee angle.


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## JasonKBarnes (Dec 11, 2010)

Thank you guys so much for the advice. I will be leaning on you guys for information a lot. I am just starting out and getting business fast. I started on a YUDU a year ago and now have a 4 color 1 station to start and in DESPERATE need of expert advice. You guys ROCK. Check out my site Home Page. Also if you guys offer any products keep me posted.


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

the cause of the uneven print could be many, most possible uneven platens/screens. The other possible causes mentioned are also very likely, an additional one to look at is screen tension, this can cause many issues including an uneven print.
It's important to 'dial in' your press, make sure everything is level and tight.


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

I'm thinking that you're pulling or pushing all your pressure sideways into the screen, instead of downward and you're stretching your screen to a point where you're distorting your image.
And yes, use ink, not paint. I have to admit, some have tried using paint, so I'm not sure if you're not using the correct term of 'ink' or maybe you are trying paint. 
I'm an airbrush artist too, (in addition to screenprinter), and paint can be airbrushed through a screen, but to screenprint, go with that ink !


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## PrintsCharming (Jan 21, 2009)

Jason, I noticed on your website that your using silver and gold shimmer on your tee shirts. What size mesh are you using?


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## JasonKBarnes (Dec 11, 2010)

110 on a YUDU


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## JasonKBarnes (Dec 11, 2010)

I apologize for the verbage. I am using ink. I pull downward and not sideways. I don't know much about angles to pull.


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

JasonKBarnes said:


> I apologize for the verbage. I am using ink. I pull downward and not sideways. I don't know much about angles to pull.


 
Hi, no, I didn't mean that you were pulling your squeegee sideways. what I meant was that when you're pulling, you're putting not directing the pressure downward, instead, you may be putting the pressure into the screen sideways, thus stretching the screen and distorting it. 
You can either pull or push your squeegee. 
Don't do both or you'll get a mess.


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## JasonKBarnes (Dec 11, 2010)

Oh OK Thanks I didnt know that. I'm truly a rookie. Celtic I have a question for you. For 1 color simple designs, is it easier to do them with vinyl or silk screen? Which is cheaper and easier to produce?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Screen Printing is cheaper then vinyl in my opinion. 

Also, if you don't use enough pressure, you'll get a ripple effect on the screen. When you Pull or Push your squeege, there should be almost no ink behind it. Meaning, you are pushing or pulling all the ink to the other side.


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## JasonKBarnes (Dec 11, 2010)

I have another question? Does anyone know much about vinyl? Can I use vinyl on my simple 1 color designs? Is it more expensive than screen printing if it can be used for T-Shirts?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

You can use whatever you want on t-shirts. The vinyl to buy for t-shirts is Easyweed by Siser or ThermoFlex. Thermo Flex has a couple flavors. You have to have a heat press though just like transfers. 

Also, I forgot to mention, and I don't know if anyone else did. Waterbase Ink can dry in the screen. In fact, it dries very fast compared to Plastisol which doesn't dry. 

When you lift the screen off the t-shirt, Flood it, leaving ink in the image. Also don't leave the screen very long. I also keep a water bottle handy. When the ink starts getting tough spray a little water and mix in, and start screen again. 

Sometimes I take the screen off and wash out the ink, and start over. It's a pain.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Getting ink off the back side of the squeegee and using only 1 direction for the flood and print stroke, are good printing practices.

I used to use a 1" wide paint scrapper for mixing and getting ink off the squeegee. A 3" scraper for scraping ink off the mesh. Just after a short while, I switched to 8" long stainless baking spatula. More expensive but worth it.

I took a short course in baking years back but have forgotten almost everything except that some used a thinner spatula for icing and a thicker one for baking. There is also a flat one and another one is bended so that the handle is raised when the spatula is laid flat on the table. I use the bended and the thicker one.

For me, whether vinyl or screen printing is cheaper depends on the volume of print and your capital/equipment. Screen printing is cheaper as volume grows. Cost grows smaller exponentially. Vinyl is better for small volume printing. Too laborious if you have to do lots of them and cost grows proportionally.

If you have to buy the equipment for both from scratch, I use the line table so screen printing is cheaper. But if you will be using a carousel press with commercial flash cure, dryers, etc, A plotter and vinyl cutter is cheaper than a carousel press alone. So until you have the volume to amortized your cost with, vinyl is cheaper.


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

JasonKBarnes said:


> Oh OK Thanks I didnt know that. I'm truly a rookie. Celtic I have a question for you. For 1 color simple designs, is it easier to do them with vinyl or silk screen? Which is cheaper and easier to produce?


 
Yes, screenprinting. 
You just have to remember that everything has a learning curve. You just have to stick with it and work out the kinks.
I would suggest that you go for a higher mesh count too. 110's dump so much ink out and when you're using waterbased inks, they're thinner a lot of the time.


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