# Black ink fades on white underbase??



## treadhead (Jul 26, 2006)

Has anybody noticed their black ink fading when used on top of a white underbase?

I am playing around with priting my own plastisol transfers. Usually when I direct screen print I use a white underbase underneath all colors. But, when I do this with heat transfers, I have a very hard time getting a dark black after heat pressing. The black ink fades to a dark grey.

I did try removing the underbase underneath the black ink and it worked great.

I guess I'm more curious if this is something anybody else has run into. I've also noticed it on transfers I've purchased from outsite suppliers but not to such a great extent.

It looks like the same thing that happens if you leave a design under the flash dryer too long and the black ink starts to fade if printed on top of a white underbase. 

I'm wondering if heat affects the black ink and causes it to lose it's opacity???


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## ole Jobe (Jun 16, 2009)

I'm sure someone will come up will come up with a more technical explanation but in the curing process all the ink melts. Liquid black and white will make gray. God Bless.


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## treadhead (Jul 26, 2006)

ole Jobe said:


> I'm sure someone will come up will come up with a more technical explanation but in the curing process all the ink melts. Liquid black and white will make gray. God Bless.


Hey Jobe...good to hear from you and thanks for the reply.

That does make sense...so since the black ink (I've noticed it on dark Navy as well) is dark the effect is more pronounced?? I'm usually using Neon Pink, Neon Yellow, Neon Blue, Yelow....etc. as well on an underbase which I haven't noticed to be a problem. Perhaps because they are lighter colors??? 

Do you underbase your blacks when you print transfers? The supplier I buy from suggested that I don't for this reason.


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## treadhead (Jul 26, 2006)

Am I the only one that has experienced this problem???


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## Pvasquez (Feb 19, 2011)

treadhead said:


> Am I the only one that has experienced this problem???


That's not normal, what heat and pressure are you using when you transfer? seeing that you noticed on other transfers that you purchased, the one variable that's the same is your applying them. Try different heat, pressure, and time settings. Get a temp gun and check the actual heat on your machine to what the thermostat on the machine is showing. That's where I would start. On another note check to see how wet or tacky your dark colors are prior to printing your white, but I think your undercuring them on the transfer.


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