# Line table - losing registration, bleeding and squint prints



## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

Looking for suggestions and tips please guys.

I have built a line table with 10 Platens, inspired by @OneTrickPony on here. I was initially using WB ink but was getting uneven curing due to heat dispersion from IR flash heater so I decided to try plastisol with the heater lower down. Curing is great now but I am losing registration after flashing! I can't for the life of me figure it out as I never had this problem if I removed the screen with WB ink.
I am using around 1/8" off contact which I used before also as I previously used Supercover which worked better with off contact.

Also, sometimes some edges on same side are not crisp, ie the top of print isn't sharp but all other sides are. As if it's something to do with pushing the ink away from the edge of the stencil?!

One more thing, how do you clean ink off underside of screen whilst still printing to save 'ghosting' ink transfer? I didn't want to use screen cleaner whilst the ink is still in screen.

And...I'm constantly getting squint or off skew prints! Finding it very hard to line tees up on platen even when measuring from seams etc. Some tees don't have centre line. Any tips??

A lot of questions for one thread I know but any help is much appreciated!


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## OneTrickPony (Oct 16, 2013)

I have never used plastisol so no idea but losing registration could be 

Screens moving
Your registration is off
Laying down to much ink 

I would look into trapping your darkest color and printing it last to compensate for slight off registration. 

Have you tried wet on wet and seeing if you losing registration?

Top not crisp could be you not fully moving squeegie over with same pressure. 

Move the squeegie past both top and bottom of the stencil when printing since I remember having a issue with not get good coverage on the top of my prints when I started turned out I was not applying the same pressure or stroke and stopped printing - I hope that makes sense.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

Hey, 
Should've said, I'm using White on Black...starting with the worst possible. Lol
Yeah, tried wet on wet as the ink I've got States that has 'excellent wet on wet', I beg to differ...it's okay but needs a flash really.
Thanks, will keep the pressure in mind. It's difficult trying to change the way your hands automatically want to do something but I had to do it before equalling out pressure with L & R hands so it is possible. I know a lot of folk say practice, practice, practice! Losing the will! Lol
I'll get pics up of my table soon


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## OneTrickPony (Oct 16, 2013)

Don't give up one day it will just click practice builds muscle memory so learn from every mistake and you will get it perfect.

Are your platens stable? Also put down a softer first stroke then flash I would imagine you could over 3 strokes stack a good coverage using plastisol since you don't force it into the shirt rather lay it on top. 

I have never used plastisol but that would be what I would try and see what happens. Then adjust depending on result

Also your water based using a ir flash would not cure so nicely.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

It's a fine balance with this plastisol, too much and its very thick and unsightly.
Thanks for reply, thought I'd get more response!


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## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

Is the registration problem being caused by the garment contracting slightly due to the heat of flash dryer?

Try pre-flashing them first.

Some ghosting underneath the screen is always going to occur, but as it is being laid down on like for like, then it should not be a problem. If there is so much that it leaves a deposit of ink around the underneath edge of the stencil, then it is a sign of too much ink being deposited, and the wrong of contact.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

PatWibble said:


> Is the registration problem being caused by the garment contracting slightly due to the heat of flash dryer?
> 
> Try pre-flashing them first.
> 
> Some ghosting underneath the screen is always going to occur, but as it is being laid down on like for like, then it should not be a problem. If there is so much that it leaves a deposit of ink around the underneath edge of the stencil, then it is a sign of too much ink being deposited, and the wrong of contact.


Difficult to say, as much as its a pain I'll try pre heating. I did see Ryonet pre heating Platens but thought they wouldn't hold the heat.
Yeah, if I flash it properly too then there should be no transfer back up to underside of screen.
So less angle and less off contact for less ink required? 
Cheers Pat


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## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

Stella Dave said:


> Difficult to say, as much as its a pain I'll try pre heating. I did see Ryonet pre heating Platens but thought they wouldn't hold the heat.
> Yeah, if I flash it properly too then there should be no transfer back up to underside of screen.
> So less angle and less off contact for less ink required?
> Cheers Pat


I meant pre-flash the shirts, so that any shrinkage oocurs before your first colour.

Off contact can go either way. Too low, with too much ink can be a problem. The ink has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is under the edge of the stencil.

Too high, with too much ink ( or even the right amount of ink) is also a problem. The ink forms a 'bow wave' ahead of the squeegee, which has to go somewhere when it reaches the edge of the stencil. See picture below.

Try back flooding your screen, and using less pressure when you print. The danger with plastisol is trying to mash too much ink through the screen. As OTP said, plastisol sits on top of the fabric.

How thick is your ink? I'm sure its cold in Glasgow at the moment ( my alloy platens are showing as 3c - 38f on the laser gun). Try some curable reducer to make the ink more workable.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

Yeah, I got that with the pre-flash. Just a thought I had and wrote it down! lol

Just a point, I am pushing as I'm using a line table and it's easier and getting better results using Catspit method of flood then 3 or 4 pushes, not bad results but I'm having to flash and go again.
Ink is real thick, I got better quality results after taking it into the house and stirring it like a mad man. It's GOM1000 Cotton White from Steve Wood, I believe it's sourced from Thanet Coatings.
It's actually not that much colder than where you are and I've got heater running which gets me up to around 13-15ºC. I thought about curable reducer but it's one of those things with very mixed advice.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

If I do get ink underneath again what's the best way to clean it off whilst still using screen? Is screenwash a bad idea?


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## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

Stella Dave said:


> If I do get ink underneath again what's the best way to clean it off whilst still using screen? Is screenwash a bad idea?


No , just make sure that the image is 'empty' ie not back-flooded.

Just spray (always best to have a spray bottle of screenwash handy) some wash onto some rag or paper roll and wipe well. Repeat with more screen wash on a clean bit of rag/paper.

Some times there will be a slight residue of ink and screen wash on the back of the screen. Its always best to use an old t-shirt and pull a few test prints until it runs clean.

Back to your earlier post. If you are printing, flashing and then reprinting the same colour, you would be better to just use one (2 max) strokes as a base coat. You will then probably get away with one or two strokes on top.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

Thanks for all help, much appreciated. I've been out today and getting much better results using a few tips here. I raised off contact, used more angle and less pressure.
Typical though, when I try to do a good tee the ink went underneath again. I'm pretty sure it's caused being by too heavy handed when flooding?, problem is the stencil isn't always covered and when I go over it again to try and cover the stencil with ink there's too much elsewhere. Guessing there's a knack to getting good even floods too, without this problem?


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## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

Stella Dave said:


> Thanks for all help, much appreciated. I've been out today and getting much better results using a few tips here. I raised off contact, used more angle and less pressure.
> Typical though, when I try to do a good tee the ink went underneath again. I'm pretty sure it's caused being by too heavy handed when flooding?, problem is the stencil isn't always covered and when I go over it again to try and cover the stencil with ink there's too much elsewhere. Guessing there's a knack to getting good even floods too, without this problem?


If the ink is too viscous then you will need to use too much pressure to flood.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

PatWibble said:


> If the ink is too viscous then you will need to use too much pressure to flood.


Cheers Pat, definitely seems to be the case. I'll look into a curable reducer. All this small orders are costing a fortune in couriers!!
Thanks again.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

I found tonight that if I flood with the squeegee nearly vertical I get a nice even thin layer!
Getting there, thanks again for help guys. Don't know where I'd be without this forum!


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

Any tips on what to do when your flood doesn't completely cover stencil?? I see catspit in a video just going over and over till it's covered but if I do that I get the problem as before of too much ink going into the stencil! Curable reducer again??

Also, when I remove my tees from platen my straight line print is going bit wonky with the way the fabric wants to sit. Is it just a case of pulling it off as straight as possible? I always try and put it on as straight as possible so that's not the problem.


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## OneTrickPony (Oct 16, 2013)

Add more ink to cover stencil and practise lining up shirts maybe flash before removing I dont know plastisol so probably discard my advice


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## vanmaninc (Jun 5, 2012)

I know its a old post lol but.. 

From my experience you not putting enough ink on that's why you getting gaps on the flood. Rather put over enough on you can always scoop it back into a recycle pot to use next time

as for the smudge edges that's a pressure thing.

I built a 24 platten line table based on onetrickpony's

was printing with water base. No off contact. And pull strokes on the line table. The more you print the faster you'll get on a line table.


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## StinkEye Dave (Jan 27, 2012)

It's a very old thread, sorted a long time ago!


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