# Can you overlap Plastisol inks?



## ffokazak (Feb 23, 2006)

If i had a design, say with a solid black border. Could i overlay a red splatter on top of the ink, with out "cutting out" the black spots where the red would be? im kinda thinking that wont work. based on how plastisol bonds to shirt fibres. BUT, Ive heard that you can layer two layers of ink, to gain opacity. 
Thanks guys


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

I don't think it will work very well. Any time I've tried to re-press a shirt done with plastisol, part of the ink transfered back on to the teflon sheet.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

You can overlap inks, but there's also a question of how it looks. The ink bonds fine, but depending on the opacity of the inks you may not like the results. With the right inks there should be no problem though.


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

I have receive an assortment of sample plastisol transfers from Silver Mountain, and some of them have over-lapped colors and some have separated colors. I would think that the separated colors would be better, but I have to test all these still.

For example, lets say you have a yellow smiley face with black eyes and mouth. Since black is so opaque I would think that you would not have to separate the colors, and the black could be a layer over the yellow. But what if you have a black smiley face with yellow eyes and mouth? Is the yellow opaque enough, or would the black be punched out so the yellow is it's own layer? That's how I'm designing mine so far. No layers, but it is more work to do that.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

I think the original poster is talking about screen printing with plastisol? 

If this is the case, I don't think overlapping inks would be a problem at all.


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## Mr.4ColorProcess (Dec 5, 2005)

We overlap inks from time to time. It's no big deal.


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

Rodney said:


> I think the original poster is talking about screen printing with plastisol?
> 
> If this is the case, I don't think overlapping inks would be a problem at all.


Ah, good point. The term 'plastisol' symbolizes the transfers specifically for me, but it is used elsewhere as well.


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## monkeylantern (Oct 16, 2005)

OVerlapping plastisol when screenprinting is totally normal.


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## CoolHandLuke (Oct 27, 2005)

Not an issue!


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## woodja (Feb 12, 2009)

if you want to effectively overlap plastisol, you need to cure the first color before you lay the second one. unless you don't mind getting wet ink on the second color's screen, in which case just make sure it lines up EXACTLY the same every time. 

micro-registration for the win.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

woodja said:


> if you want to effectively overlap plastisol, you need to cure the first color before you lay the second one.


This thread you pulled up is three years old, and your post isn't even accurate. If the first colour is cured, then the second colour won't adhere properly where it overlaps; it won't be washfast.


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## Ink Buddy (Sep 29, 2008)

I believe he meant "partially flash cured" to around 280°-290° so that the second ink will adhere to the first ink and the first ink will not adhere to the second screen. You can do wet on wet without flash curing, but you can flash cure too and not get the second screen wet with the first ink. Believe me, it will be washfast. I've got shirts that are years old made this way that are still holding up fine.



Solmu said:


> If the first colour is cured, then the second colour won't adhere properly where it overlaps; it won't be washfast.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Ink Buddy said:


> I believe he meant "partially flash cured"


Probably. But the newbies who need this advice don't know what we mean, only what we say.



Ink Buddy said:


> but you can flash cure too and not get the second screen wet with the first ink


You can flash it until it's touch dry, but if it's *cured* (with a flash or otherwise) then it's been flashed too long. Which is a common problem. Based on the posts we get here that basically go "I did this, this, this & this... what's the problem?"... the distinction needs to be made.


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