# Problems With Opaque White Ink/Aligning My 2nd Coat



## joellep (Jan 15, 2015)

So I finally got my screens working properly... now I have a new issue:
1. My speedball white fabric paint isn't all that opaque (I'm printing on dark shirts) - if you push your squeegee both ways the lines don't remain crisp so how can you do multiple coats without lifting the screen (thus misaligning your design - one of my main issues!).

Ideally I would like a fabric ink that is fully opaque on one coat? anyone know of any??

2. Also I currently do a glow in the dark fabric paint (also speedball) as my 2nd layer and I just have endless amount of troubles re aligning it - does anyone have any tips/advice on how I can avoid this? Or would you recommend mixing my glow in the dark paint into my white fabric paint and just doing one coat?


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

Normally with white, you will need to do a print / flash / print. Also, you do not want to both push and pull the squeegee. Either push, or pull the print stroke. Not both. That will cause the ghosting you are getting. Lift the screen slightly off the shirt and do your flood stroke. Then put the screen down. Do your print stoke, either push or pull, lift the screen. Flash. Flood your screen with it lifted off the shirt. Put the screen down and do another print stroke. If you push, then you must push again.


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## joellep (Jan 15, 2015)

Thank you for this! but my issue is my tshirt sticks to my screen when I do my initial push so if I attempted to flood my screen it would cause the ghosting issue - if I de stick it from my screen it's out of alignment...


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

Make sure you have enough spray adhesive on the platen, or a much better choice is TexTac. That's if your shirt is lifting from the platen. Make sure your screen mesh is nice and tight. A loose mesh will cause all kinds of problems. Make sure you have the off contact set right. About the thickness of a quarter or two. You do not want the screen sitting directly on the shirt. After the first print and flash, make sure the ink has enough time to cool down before the next print stroke. That can cause it to stick too. By the way. Is this plastisol ink you're using or water base?


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## mushroomtoxic (Sep 5, 2013)

make sure you have great wrist control, and are using a nice sharp blade. I'm a big trip fan and use 65/90/65, and PFP as mentioned in previous posts


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