# Why does white ink suck so bad?



## MountInspiration (Mar 1, 2016)

Hi there, I recently had to fire our in-house screen printer and am taking over her job for the time being... I never heard her complain once about white ink, but my god, this stuff sucks. Black and most colors slide right across the screen and are easy to deal with, but white is almost like glue. Anyone know why this is? Have recommendations for a white ink that is more like it's black counterpart?


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## gardenhillemb (Oct 29, 2015)

White ink is thicker than other inks because it is made using Titanium Dioxide to provide the white color. 
You can try thinning it with about 10% curable reducer (I'm assuming you're using plastisol). Also, with screenprinting, it's important to have sharp squeegies and keep your squeegie angle high, so you're shearing the ink from the screen to provide a clean release. Also, make sure you have correct off contact. All these things (and more) make for a good print. You don't learn how to print overnight but have to gain experience on what works and what doesn't.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

Yeah you can't get a good print with opaque ink without some practice...but once you get it down it's easy.


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## EZTeesArt (Sep 19, 2013)

White is the hardest color to make opaque (the darker the color, the more opaque the ink naturally is - black ink is just naturally opaque even if they make the ink as thin as water).

It's also one of the most opaque colors - it has to be to use it as an underbase for other thin inks (yellow, fluorescents) and to be able to get it looking solid with a single print - flash -print.

Viscosity Buster (or similar chemical in other brands) is one of the most effective things for improving ink consistency without reducing opacity. (Curable reducer, fashion soft base, etc. reduce opacity. Not saying adding some isn't worth it, but it's a tradeoff.) But you have to be really careful with Viscosity Buster, because it isn't "balanced" - add too much and your inks will never cure. Or will look like they cured, but wash off the shirt. It has to be measured in very carefully - it's great stuff, but extremely dangerous if misused. Use a scale and follow the directions carefully and it's great stuff, though.

Also, warming the ink helps (put a pint or quart on your dryer in the morning).

Most plastisol is also thixatropic, or "sheer thinning," meaning the more you work the ink, the better it flows. You can hit it with a paint stirrer on a drill before using it and it will start flowing much better (for a limited time, but if you print continuously, you keep working it).

As other people have commented, you can just hone your technique for working with it. You want to flood your screen then sheer the ink off, not snow-plow it through.

Depending on what kind of volume you go through, it might just be too old. You might want to try a new container. Or try other brands, some are much worse than others.


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