# Ink isn't getting through screen consistently



## wplate (Jan 13, 2008)

This is my first post, I hope eventually I'll be able to be helpful and answer questions as well as ask them.

I'm just getting started with screen printing and until my "semi-pro" 4-color setup arrives I'm experimenting with some Speedball supplies from the local art supply.

So far I've been having a problem getting ink evenly and consistently through the screen onto the shirt fabric. The following images are good examples of what I've getting in my tests so far...


























I squeegeed the ink over my screen many many times trying to ensure ink was getting through, and I prayed "Please please please" as I pulled the screen off the shirt, but you can see I'm not getting good results.


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## marlo45 (Oct 4, 2007)

Are you using plastisol ink? Water based inks will dry in the mesh sometimes and cause the effect you've shown.

Silly question, but from those images i'm also wondering, is the screen burnt properly?


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## wplate (Jan 13, 2008)

I don't think I have plasticol, I'm sure the ink is water-based. There is no ink dried in the screen, in fact the white shirt test above was the first test of this screen so it was the first time it had seen ink.

I also believe the sceen is exposed properly, when I look through the screen at light I see no obstructions. I knew I should have taken a picture of the screen. 

I am just placing the wood frame and screen directly onto the shirt, is that the correct thing to do? And how many times should I expect to pull the ink across the screen with the squeegee?

Thank you.


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## SeasonEnds (Sep 9, 2007)

Wes, is your mesh tight on the screen? It sounds to me like you need to adjust your off contact. You usually don't want your screen to be directly on the garment. Try taping a penny on the corners of your screen and see if it changes anything.

Flood your screen with ink and then pull across once and see how it turns out. You may need to adjust your off contact more.


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## wplate (Jan 13, 2008)

"off contact" is something I've not heard before so it could very well ne my problem. The mesh is pretty well flush with the bottom of the screen so I will try the penny suggestion and reply with the results.


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## SeasonEnds (Sep 9, 2007)

Good luck!


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## tman07 (Nov 14, 2007)

other helpful information:
what is the mesh count?
is the squeegee good and sharp?
is screen off contact?
squeege angle?
shirt boards flat?


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## marlo45 (Oct 4, 2007)

wplate said:


> "off contact" is something I've not heard before so it could very well ne my problem. The mesh is pretty well flush with the bottom of the screen so I will try the penny suggestion and reply with the results.


Since the screen isn't blocked, then off contact is definately the reason for this defect in printing.

I've had similar results with too little to no off contact, and once i adjusted it to about 2 quarters, the prints were so much better. 

What's happening is that the screen is picking up your ink when it's being lifted up from sitting directly on the ink and shirt. With proper of contact, your screen mesh will come off the shirt immediately as you pass with your squeegee without picking back up the ink that was deposited with your stroke.


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## mutinybryan (Jan 5, 2008)

I was in the same situation as you not too long ago. I bought a speedball kit and messed around with it before buying a 4 color press as well. Dont worry about the quality of those prints, i had the same problem even with off contact. Once i recieved my 4 color press my prints quality increased greatly.


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## wplate (Jan 13, 2008)

The quarters did the trick!

I do have a followup, though. While I managed to get the ink through the screen all across the design, the ink seems "thin" to me...





How does one get "thicker" or more "opaque" ink coverage? Is the answer in multiple coats? I imagine that I can't do it with my ghetto test setup but once I have my real 4-color press I could do a pass, flash the shirt then do another pass?

Or is the answer something else?

Thanks to everyone who has replied!


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## isysx (Jan 22, 2008)

Well you would use opaque base. Most water-based ink uses a transparent base because it is WAY cheaper. But you can either a) print opaque white first and then print ur colour over. Or mix your pigment into opaque base. Though this tends to give u pastel tones only.


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## wplate (Jan 13, 2008)

I was just using some Speedball fabric ink, straight out of the jar.

I need to get some opaque base to mix into my ink?

Thanks.


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## isysx (Jan 22, 2008)

Well I not hundered percent sure of the Speedball system. I use NSDS ink and you would mix pigment into opaque base. note that pigment and ink and two different think. Ink = pigment + base. Transparent ink uses a transparent base.


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## marlo45 (Oct 4, 2007)

For printing light color inks on darker fabric, you will need an underbase. You would typically print an opaque, white underbase as a first coat to bring out the brightness of the color being applied over it.

I've just started out myself, and i am using plastisol (which is more opaque than waterbased) and i still don't do dark garments unless it's strictly white text/graphic only. That way, my first coat acts as an underbase and i just give it a nice enough deposit on the second coat to make it completely white/opaque.

I mainly print on light shirts, at least for now.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

Also be sure you're using the right ink for the job. For example, you wouldn't want to use a process ink on a dark shirt.


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## wplate (Jan 13, 2008)

At this point, since I'm just starting, I don't know anything about what is the right ink for the job. I assumed "Fabric Ink" was what I needed.

I have a lot to learn.

I believe the 4-color "semi pro" setup I ordered comes with a bunch of ink and I'm sure it is different than the Speedball stuff I've been experimenting with.


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## n.signia (Nov 21, 2007)

the ink you will receive with your setup is plastisol, a whole different animal. It is a mixture of plasic and oil, and it will not dry unless cured. you can leave it on your screen for weeks and come back and print with it.


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## marlo45 (Oct 4, 2007)

n.signia said:


> you can leave it on your screen for weeks and come back and print with it.


It may clog your screen in tiny areas, nothing a little screen opener can't handle, though. I'd say you should use some form of screen wash chemical to wipe out the printable areas of your screen for long term storage.


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