# Made In The USA inks



## adbucll74 (Sep 23, 2016)

New to screen printing. Wanted to use Made in the USA inks to go with my made in the USA shirts. So, I was using Speedball water based ink which says it is made in the USA. However, after one wash, the ink already starts to fade. Are there any more durable, long lasting inks that are made in the USA???


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

How are you curing the ink? Most likely, it was not fully cured. That's something you need to get right no matter the brand.

That said, Green Galaxy is made in the USA. You can get it from Ryonet. I'm sure some of the other big names are USA made, as well.

Every brand has its pros and cons. My favorite is Permaset (Australia).

GG cleans up easy, and their opaque white is easier to work with than most--though if you print/flash/print make sure it has a chance to cool before the next print, as it tends to be sticky when hot.


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## adbucll74 (Sep 23, 2016)

The way I saw through YouTube videos using Speedball ink, was to iron over the design to cure it. That is what I have been doing and it still cracks and fades. Is there a certain number of times or a specific length of time that I should iron it for?


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

Ironing is not a reliable method. Too easy to scorch one area while under-curing some other area. Also, to be honest, SpeedBall isn't professional garment ink. Sure, back in the early '90s I printed my first shirts with a SpeedBall kit ... and an iron 

Assuming space and/or money are issues, you can cure with a flash dryer or heat press. The flash dryer also comes in handy when print/flash/printing, but I used a heat gun for that to start with and a heat press to cure. (Unless you are printing discharge, NO you cannot cure with a heat gun!)

We start where we start and learn from there. Have fun!


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## adbucll74 (Sep 23, 2016)

Thanks! But, are there any cheap or household ways to cure the shirt without buying a flash dryer or heat press? this way I can start off small and then graduate to more equipment and better techniques


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

A heat press or flash dryer _ARE_ the cheap ways! 

A conveyor (tunnel) dryer costs 4 or 5 times a heat press, takes up more space, and most require 240v.

Check your Craig's List and whatever local used markets you have and see if you can find a used heat press or flash unit.

There are supposedly Air Dry additives that you can use with some inks. I've never tried them, and I doubt they hold up as well as cured ink.


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## AMotivation (Jul 15, 2016)

I'm using a low cure additive from vastex and just hung up to dry. After 24 hours did first test wash and about 95% of the colour stayed in the garment. There was a slight wash out of ink but I'm impressed as I didn't cure at all. 

Just did a quick flash with my heat gun so the ink wasnt wet to touch when hanging up. 

I will be getting a heat press down the road for a proper cure. Just like you though, I'm looking for low cost start up. 

The low cure additive does make it a little runnier at beginning of print. So just make sure to get a scale for proper measurements of additive to ink and not overload the screen with ink 


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