# Permaset Supercover inks



## severen (Jan 26, 2008)

Hi, this is my first post...
I've just started using the water-based Permaset Aqua Supercover inks, and so far I've found them fantastic....I just wondered what other forum members thought about them, and any recommendations or tips they might have involving their use.

Cheers and its good to be a member


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## neato (Mar 21, 2006)

Where do you buy them?


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## severen (Jan 26, 2008)

The official site is Colormaker, I get mine from Purple Nimbus | Arts and Crafts Supplies - Kids Craft Materials which is UK based company, but they do ship worldwide I believe, and there are companies all over that sell them. 
I've spent years using acrylic paints and while they're okay, the supercover range have EXCELLENT opacity (For example, you don't need to print a white base coat down when printing on dark fabrics, the colour pigmentation is good enough not to need it!) and seem to be ideal for anyone using waterbased inks


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## karolina (Oct 7, 2007)

Yes, where do you buy them? Wholesale? I've contacted the company about wholesale, but still waiting for a response from their US representative... 

Just wondering, because the few online stores that I've found, sells it in very small jars (about 300 ml/10 oz. or so for around $12.00, if I remember correctly). A bit expensive, but I heard that the quality is amazing! 

Thanks.


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## SketchBox (Jan 4, 2008)

they're awsome if you can get them, if you want wholesale you will have to email an area retailer and ask for bulk pricing, they dont usually carry more than the 300ml jars in northamerica, the exception are basic colours like black, blue and white, you can get those by the liter. and make sure to use the proper mesh, the supercovers are very thick and require a 8xx mesh other wise you will get a spotty print where the ink didnt get through the screen, that is especially bad with the metallic colours.


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## karolina (Oct 7, 2007)

What mesh would you suggest for basic colors? I'm still learning this stuff... Not planning on printing metallics anytime soon, but eventually I hope.

Anyway, I would like to use this ink if the price is right. I guess this is the most environmentally friendly ink on the market today. And since I plan on printing in my basement (where ventilation is not an option in this winter weather), I would at least like to invest in better ink and hopefully my health as well. Thanks... By the way SketchBox, where do you get your Permaset from? Thanks!


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## severen (Jan 26, 2008)

Yes, permaset supercover IS expensive compared to other inks, but it is worth it simply for the results you get. Karolina, if you've printed light colours onto dark shirts you'll be familiar with the need for a white base coat...this isn't neccesary with permaset, so therefore saves a LOT of time, especially if you are a home-based printer. I've heard lots of U.S. companies stock it, its just a case of searching the net.


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## severen (Jan 26, 2008)

OH! heres a quick question to any other users of Supercover...
As I am a home-based printer without any 'professional' curing equipment, I've been curing the ink with an iron(once dry)...without using said professional equipment (ie flash dryers), whats the best tips ofr getting the best results from the ink?
thanks


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## SketchBox (Jan 4, 2008)

first off a normal 10xx or 110 mesh would work perfect with normal colours. Secondly You can buy the ink online at dickblick.com for not a bad price they have good discounts most of the time. And I havent been doing this whole screen printing thing for too long my self but I found that an iron is just as good as any other method of curing, it just takes a lot longer about 5-8 minutes a shirt to do a good job.


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## Cornellious (Dec 3, 2007)

Depending on how long you let the shirts air dry, as if you leave the shirts for say 24-48 hours to air dry, the amount of time you need to iron them will be significantly less. 
I leave mine out for 3-4 days, then iron for 2-3 minutes. 
After several wash tests, this seams to work fine for me.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Here are drying recommendations from the manufacturer: http://www.permaset.com.au/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=12526


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## SpotMatrix (Nov 10, 2007)

severen said:


> OH! heres a quick question to any other users of Supercover...
> As I am a home-based printer without any 'professional' curing equipment, I've been curing the ink with an iron(once dry)...without using said professional equipment (ie flash dryers), whats the best tips ofr getting the best results from the ink?
> thanks


Get an inexpensive heat press 15x15 and use low pressure to allow the water from the ink to excape. I believe 30 seconds should do it but I would run some tests first. It would depend on your stroke and how much in you laid down.


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## SpotMatrix (Nov 10, 2007)

Cornellious said:


> Depending on how long you let the shirts air dry, as if you leave the shirts for say 24-48 hours to air dry, the amount of time you need to iron them will be significantly less.
> I leave mine out for 3-4 days, then iron for 2-3 minutes.
> After several wash tests, this seams to work fine for me.


predry with a heat gun then you can iron right away. I wouldn't wait 1 or 2 days. You could be delivering the shirts and moving on to your next job.


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## SpotMatrix (Nov 10, 2007)

SketchBox said:


> first off a normal 10xx or 110 mesh would work perfect with normal colours. Secondly You can buy the ink online at dickblick.com for not a bad price they have good discounts most of the time. And I havent been doing this whole screen printing thing for too long my self but I found that an iron is just as good as any other method of curing, it just takes a lot longer about 5-8 minutes a shirt to do a good job.


Colormaker claims you can print through any mesh up to the 300's if I remember correctly. Check out Permaset supercover video by colormaker on Youtube. They talk about it there. You can also print on nylon.... wow.


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## Cornellious (Dec 3, 2007)

SpotMatrix said:


> predry with a heat gun then you can iron right away. I wouldn't wait 1 or 2 days. You could be delivering the shirts and moving on to your next job.


All depends on what sort of printing you do.
I only print to sell, I dont print orders, so for me, having shirts sitting around for 2 days is no dramas.


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## Rompfndasl (Jul 31, 2008)

does anyone know if the fluorescent (glow) inks that come under the Permaset Supercover label work the same way as the other colors, that being opaque enough not to need an under color of white before application onto a black shirt? I'm new at printing glow in the blacklight shirts, and want to print without doing the underlayer of white. The thing is, other fluorescent inks are transparent and require white under layer if printing onto black shirts. So, are the Permaset Supercover fuorescent the paint I am looking for???


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## Georgies (Jul 30, 2008)

you can make ur own water based inks...


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## unarious vlothin (Aug 28, 2008)

i got a sample kit of Permaset Supercover and the metallic inks and i think they are great. the first print comes out great but the ink seems to dry in the screen in between shirts. i only wait about 30-60sec in between shirts. can anyone help?


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## neato (Mar 21, 2006)

unarious vlothin said:


> i got a sample kit of Permaset Supercover and the metallic inks and i think they are great. the first print comes out great but the ink seems to dry in the screen in between shirts. i only wait about 30-60sec in between shirts. can anyone help?


Sure! 

You need to make sure that you're flooding the screen between prints. Basically, take your ink and spread it over the image area making sure that all parts are covered. This will prevent ink clogging. It'll take a little while to get used to, but it'll become second nature quickly.

Also, if the ink starts to get a little thick during a long run, a light mist of water will help to loosen it up again.


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## unarious vlothin (Aug 28, 2008)

thanks for the quick reply! i was doing what you said and i still got some clogging. any other suggestions?


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## neato (Mar 21, 2006)

Hmmm...I don't know. If I keep the screen flooded, I never have clogging issues.

Do you live in a dry climate? You may need to purchase a humidifier.


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## chicken (Aug 14, 2008)

try this new forum screenprinth20.com its all about waterbase ink.....


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## John1566 (Mar 12, 2008)

I couldnt get to that link for water based inks.


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## 10alison (Jun 24, 2008)

I'm very interested in these inks as it seems the quality is fantastic (haven't tried it myself yet, just ordered some to test it out) and I want to use the greenest products available to produce my hand-screened t-shirts. However, importing paint from Australia (as much as I love Australia) isn't very eco-friendly...I'm interested to know if anyone has heard of any North American water-based, high-quality, "green" inks or if making your own inks really is an option where I can maintain the ink quality.

Thanks for any thoughts/insight!

a


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## Ecoprintworks (Dec 3, 2008)

Take a look at this forum, and pm the moderator... he's putting together a line of water based inks, and giving them out for free to get feedback.

The Waterbased Screen Printing Forum - Index


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

I love permaset also,,
count me in as a user of it,,
sandy JO


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## 10alison (Jun 24, 2008)

Thank you - this is great. I signed up at The Waterbased Screen Printing Forum - I think it'll be very helpful!


Ecoprintworks said:


> Take a look at this forum, and pm the moderator... he's putting together a line of water based inks, and giving them out for free to get feedback.
> 
> The Waterbased Screen Printing Forum - Index


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## AKBDL Print Co. (Jun 15, 2010)

Hey everyone, permaset super cover inks are awsome and the clean up is so much easier than plastisols... however your have watch the time and flood the screens between colors or you'll have dry out which slows productions time due to clean up.... so get used to them.... we custom built a 10 shirt system so we can quickly move from one color to the next. Buy em they are good.


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