# plastisol dilution



## zill (Mar 10, 2007)

I just bought my first tub of plastisol and I put it on the screen and did a test run. The ink is so thick and is very hard to rinse off my screen or push through the screen.

am I supposed to dilute the ink? if so what do I use to dilute it?


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## Greg Hamrick (Jan 25, 2007)

Pastisol is very thick ink. You should only thin it for specific uses. What mesh count is your screen? You might use a low mesh count to get it to print easier. What are you trying to clean it out of the screen with?

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## zill (Mar 10, 2007)

Im not sure the mesh count I didnt know what that was when I bought this screen. Im just using a hose to spray it with. Is there a specific thing to use when cleaning it?

should it be diluted for textile printing?


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## snarley (Feb 9, 2007)

Hi 

Plastisol inks are very thixotropic which means that the ink will stiffen when not in use. When you stir or mix they will reduce slightly. you should always stir your ink before printing. If it is still to thick you can reduce the viscosity by adding a balanced reducer.

There are two types of reducers, the older version is based on a liquid plasticiser and is clear and oily. if you add to much the ink won't cure because there is to much plasticizer for the resin in the ink to absorb.

The best reducer is a balanced or curable reducer. It has both resin and plasticizer and will not affect the balance of the ink while lowering the viscosity or making it thinner.

There are other factors involved like screen mesh count, ink color, garment color. When printing light colored shirts, the ink should be smooth and creamy. For dark colored shirts and athletic prints it should be thicker.

Before reducing the ink check its consistency by stirring it first, if it is still to thick mix in a small amount of balanced reducer. the best way is to have a mixing board rather than try to mix the whole container. place your ink on the board stir it good and if necessary add the reducer. You can also do this on the print screen if your overall image will allow it.

Ink that is reduced slightly will flow through the screen and be easier to print and will result in sharper prints with good ink penetration. 

This is just few things of many when you get into other additives and types of speciality inks you will have other things to contend with. All of this becomes much easier as you progress in this field.

I hope this is of some help and good luck in your screen printing.

Bill m


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## zill (Mar 10, 2007)

Wow, thank you Bill. That was alot of good information. I really appreciate that. I think the screen I am using is mainly for paper prints and not textile printing. So im thinking that the mesh count is high. Is that the way it usually works? 

For printing on paper you will have a higher mesh count? I probably sure they dont just make screens specifically for textile or paper but is it kinda like a rule of thumb thing?


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

zill said:


> For printing on paper you will have a higher mesh count? I probably sure they dont just make screens specifically for textile or paper but is it kinda like a rule of thumb thing?


Exactly. The different mesh counts aren't specifically for different substrates (so there'll be exceptions), but as a rule of thumb you use certain counts for certain things. And yes, higher mesh count for paper.


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