# DTG - Heat Pressing - Whites turn Grey



## SuicideCharley (Feb 10, 2012)

Hey everyone, I'm having an issue with my whites turning grey when I cure the shirt.

I'm using a clamshell Hotroinx, set 330 for 3 mins. I dropped the heat down to 300 and it seemed to help but they are still not WHITE. Slightly grey.

Any ideas or thoughts?


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## kevrokr (Feb 26, 2007)

Are the shirts you are using 100% cotton?


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## SuicideCharley (Feb 10, 2012)

Yes 100% cotton. I think maybe I'm missing something in the pretreat process. I'm not using a roller and I'm thinking the pretreat is not getting into the shirt deep enough. I THINK maybe this is the issue.


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## 23spiderman (Jun 26, 2008)

if your coverage is solid, then it's probably not the pretreat. the ink will separate in the ink lines and it takes a few shirts to get back to the bright white from the cartridge. Try printing just the white underbase on your platen and see if it's white or off a bit.


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## Stitch-Up (May 26, 2007)

23spiderman said:


> if your coverage is solid, then it's probably not the pretreat. the ink will separate in the ink lines and it takes a few shirts to get back to the bright white from the cartridge. Try printing just the white underbase on your platen and see if it's white or off a bit.


Yup, been there - seperation of white ink.


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## SuicideCharley (Feb 10, 2012)

Coverage is good, it's when I put the heat press to it when it turns or discolors. I think it's in the curing.


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

SuicideCharley said:


> Coverage is good, it's when I put the heat press to it when it turns or discolors. I think it's in the curing.


If it looks good when it is printed, I don't think it's an issue with pretreat or the white ink separating. I think the issue is you are getting due migration from the dye in the color of the fabric. Try a different shirt the same color but from a different manufacture and see if the same issue occurs.

Mark


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## SuicideCharley (Feb 10, 2012)

DAGuide said:


> If it looks good when it is printed, I don't think it's an issue with pretreat or the white ink separating. I think the issue is you are getting due migration from the dye in the color of the fabric. Try a different shirt the same color but from a different manufacture and see if the same issue occurs.
> 
> Mark


Thanks Mark, I've tried on two different brands and I got similar results. I have not tried to hover press though. I may do that and see if it improves.

Also - What type of paper is recommended for CURING. I've read so many posts it's really confusing. Parchment silicone covered is what I came away with. Like baking sheets?


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## jfish (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey, most the files with white the rip doesn't recognize unless its a slightly off-white or grey so it could be the overprint black ink because I know when I want white highlights to print in my photoshop files I have to slightly change the absolute white to be slightly grey. So maybe check and see if that may be something involved. 

Also check your silicon/parchment sheet(s) to make sure your not pressing a dirty sheet onto the shirts especially since when you take the sheet out to put the shirt in or take the shirt out the teflon/parchment sheets will collect some dust easily especially if static etc. So it could be the dust or residue from the table etc. 

Clean the sheet or try a new one and makesure the rubber from the bottom platen of the press isn't wearing etc onto the heater element of the press or sheet of silicon/parchment etc. 

I know when curing white ink with overprint color etc your supposed to lightly pressure or hover it. I do little to no pressure and always use parchment paper for final curing as I don't like the way the teflon/silicon sheet cures the ink to be glossy it just looks tacky to me and I enjoy the matte look the parchment paper provides. 

If you can I would upload images of the artwork printed, pre press, post press, and maybe of the shirt pre and post press/cure with the pretreat. 

Also remember when using any polyester there's a process that happens under high curing temps called Dye Migration so on a black shirt the white ink would turn light grey or even dark grey just from the dye in the fabric. I know with screen printing using white ink this happens very badly like a yellow shirt with a 50/50 blend white ink will turn yellow or orange etc so I cure to temp and no higher otherwise the migration will start in.


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## jfish (Feb 26, 2010)

PRETREAT - use Parchment paper as silicon sheets can pull the pretreat from the shirt and or cause other issues. 

Final Cure with white ink - use Parchment paper as this provides the "Matte" look instead of the glossy look and will look better when stretched as glossy tends to crack easier and looks really bad when it does. 

I always use Parchment paper now for any DTG curing the only time I use Silicon sheets is when curing light or white shirts as the gloss doesn't occur as there's no white ink. 

Post images of your print both before curing and after curing also maybe try the "White Ink" option in the rip instead of color auto mask or Mask White ink and that way it will print the entire image with just white no overcoat of grey/black etc at all so we can see if that might be the issue. 

Keep me updated on this and or if its any of the suggested things or if its something else let us know so others will know what to do say it happens to others in the future. Thanks


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## SuicideCharley (Feb 10, 2012)

jfish said:


> Post images of your print both before curing and after curing also maybe try the "White Ink" option in the rip instead of color auto mask or Mask White ink and that way it will print the entire image with just white no overcoat of grey/black etc at all so we can see if that might be the issue.
> 
> Keep me updated on this and or if its any of the suggested things or if its something else let us know so others will know what to do say it happens to others in the future. Thanks


I'll post images tonight once I get home from my hobby (real job lol). Thanks for the input. Where can I get parchment paper locally? Is this what it is called at say places like walmart, smart&final?

SC


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

I have always used parchment paper for curing the pretreat (so no other chemical / silicone is added to the garment) and silicone paper for the curing of the ink because the ink seems to stick more to plain parchment paper than the silicone paper. Everyone has their own preferences though.

Hovering can help, but not sure if it will resolve everything. Might want to check the temperature on your heat press as well. Best wishes,

Mark


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## equipmentzone (Mar 26, 2008)

SuicideCharley said:


> I'll post images tonight once I get home from my hobby (real job lol). Thanks for the input. Where can I get parchment paper locally? Is this what it is called at say places like walmart, smart&final?
> 
> SC




You can purchase parchment paper at supermarkets and WalMart but they only sell it in rolls, not sheets. If you have a large bakery supply house nearby you can buy it there as baking pan liners. Or you can find parchment paper sheets at a direct to garment printer supplies distributor.

Harry

_


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## GraphicGuru (Apr 18, 2012)

Any dtg supplies company should carry silicone treated parchment paper. Otherwise, you would have to purchase in bulk from a kitchen supplies company (ie instawares dot com) in the order of 1,000 per box.



SuicideCharley said:


> I'll post images tonight once I get home from my hobby (real job lol). Thanks for the input. Where can I get parchment paper locally? Is this what it is called at say places like walmart, smart&final?
> 
> SC


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