# Flat (no shine) Plastisol Ink



## Quad (Aug 15, 2006)

I have only used water based ink.

I am switching to Plastisol. I like that flat look waterbased gives.
How do I use plastisol and get the same look? What do I add or is there ink that is less shiny?

Thanks,
Quad


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

Being plastic, it's the nature of plastisol to tend towards shiny finish. About all you can do is print as thinly as possible and keep curing temperatures as low as possible while still getting a full cure. I try and keep my ink temperature around 330 and slow down the belt speed to leave the shirt in the dryer longer. Many white inks have a sort of matte finish, but I think it's because the amount of pigment in them since they need to be opaque. You can also try some suede additive, but I find by the time you get enough in there to flatten the finish, it puffs up and sometimes has too rough a finish.


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## Quad (Aug 15, 2006)

I am still in the very early stage and I am using a heat gun. I imagine with a low setting and enough distance the same thing can be done.
I will try the suede as well.
Thanks,


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## neato (Mar 21, 2006)

For printing on lights, you can reduce it WAY down with curable reducer and use a higher mesh count. That will really leave a nice soft, flat look.


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## Cloud9 Design (Aug 29, 2007)

neato said:


> For printing on lights, you can reduce it WAY down with curable reducer and use a higher mesh count. That will really leave a nice soft, flat look.


how much reducer should you use? do you mix it first then put on screen or mix it on the screen. i'm using 110 mesh with palstisol by the way...


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## organica (Oct 25, 2007)

try a flattening agent. it comes as an additive. 
works for us.


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## staned (Feb 25, 2007)

why the switch to plastisol quad? stan


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## Quad (Aug 15, 2006)

I tried the plastisol but still like the water based more.
Better feel and look for what I am doing.

Plastisol is probably good for some thing though.
I need that super soft feel and flat look.


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## staned (Feb 25, 2007)

hey quad, phillip has got us using matsui w/b ink. i've used it a few times with great results and will become a main stay with me as not many printers offer it in my area. stan


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## acanvas (Sep 27, 2007)

The majority of work we do is high fashion but even for the occasional team sport request, we provide a soft, beautiful matt ink. We use plastisol and we use tons of soft hand in it. We also print through the highest mesh screen the design will allow for with out killing our arms while pushing it through. We would be embarressed to deliver shiny plastisol, it's far to cheap and old school looking for our clients and our taste. It can totally be done. We mostly print on super soft, super sheer clothing...again, it is a myth that plastisol will always be thick and shiny. It will only be that way if you don't know how to thin it and use 230 and up mesh screens and practice technique for each order, different graphics and textiles require different pressure etc.


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## betterthanhuman (Feb 28, 2008)

Okay, there is definitely a way to tackle this.
Depending on the brand of ink you are using there are additive that will dull the finish of the ink. Rutland has "Dulling Paste" and Union has "Flattening Agent".
(Wilflex also has one but I don't recall the name.)
Those products will reduce the sheen of the finished piece.

Another way you could go would be to use Wilflex Fashion Soft Base to create your inks.
This product simulates waterbase ink using plastisol. Let me know if you want more info on that specifically. 

Hope that helps.
Peace.


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## Quad (Aug 15, 2006)

Thanks for the input everyone. I am going to have someone do my printing for me.
I realized by the time I learn everything in screen printing the longer it will take me to be up and 
operating.


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

betterthanhuman said:


> Okay, there is definitely a way to tackle this.
> Depending on the brand of ink you are using there are additive that will dull the finish of the ink. Rutland has "Dulling Paste" and Union has "Flattening Agent".
> (Wilflex also has one but I don't recall the name.)
> Those products will reduce the sheen of the finished piece.
> ...


Union doesn't sell the flattening agent anymore. They'll sell you suede additive (maybe it was the same thing in a different bucket), and my experience has been that if you put in enough to flatten the finish, the fibers tend to stand up and you wind up with something more like split cowhide as opposed to suede. If someone has had more success with this than I have, jump right in, 'cause now my only option is to print really thin, but on solid areas of ink, you still get some shine. This is all on dark shirts, mind you. I don't have as many shine issues printing dark on light.


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## acanvas (Sep 27, 2007)

we just printed big fat images on black 100% cotton with dulling paste....did not like the hairiness issue. we used intense pressure and misting the shirts first...totally passable , just not the flawlessness we prefer. Soft hand and fshion soft rock but sometimes with 100% cotton light or bright colors on black cotton...well, it is what it is.


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## rockwell (Aug 5, 2006)

Nice thread people.


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