newbie question about transparent base saving a doomed project...

[UltraHIVE]

hey all, im a newbie at screenprinting. i do small runs of tshirts here and there for swap meet events now and again. i make my own frames from poplar, Diazio emulsion, and use a variety of mesh.

i recently screenprinted a 2 color job, white and yellow on black, Hanes 50 / 50. i print using water based materials due to my setup at home and conditions of space that i have to keep frames. i used Plastisol opaque white, and Speedball Process yellow for this print. i mixed the process yellow with some opaque white to strengthen the yellow, but i think thats where something went wrong.

for this print i flashed the white with a heat gun as i normally do, then apply the yellow in 2 coats, flashing the first, and the last coat. i then let the shirts dry for 24 hours. i do this normally with every project and the results work for me. after 24 hours i washed 1 to see whats up. all the yellow washed out, ALL of it, not even a hint that it was ever on the shirt..

i have 19 shirts left with this pending doom feeling that all the yellow will wash out. heres my quesion.... can i apply transparent base over the yellow, even by hand with a paint brush, and will it protect the yellow from washing out? does it act like a sealant, if not what should i use? how can i save these shirts?

any help would be great.. thanks.

 

[Mosh]

Why not just hand paint the shirts? You need to use opaque inks, like wilflex athelic yellow, through 60 mesh screen, no need for two layers (that is the problem).
Be sure the reach 420 degrees.

i mixed the process yellow with some opaque white to strengthen the yellow, but i think thats where something went wrong.

Process inks and opaque inks are not meant to be mixed, different formulations.

 

[UltraHIVE]

thanks for the input, the question is how to SAVE the project at its current state.

 

[javila]

Let the shirts dry for 24 hours?

Are you not curing these shirts?

Also, I did a quick search for "Speeball Process Yellow Ink" and all I get is an acrylic line made for paper/wood/etc. The yellow isn't sticking cause it isn't a plastisol ink.

 

[UltraHIVE]

Are you not curing these shirts?

Also, I did a quick search for "Speeball Process Yellow Ink" and all I get is an acrylic line made for paper/wood/etc. The yellow isn't sticking cause it isn't a plastisol ink.

i just do an extended flash at the end with a heat gun. i dont have a heat press, its a small setup for small jobs. as far as your search goes, i found them online in 2 seconds. they are fabric process colors. i usually prime coat then yellow, but i figured to save a step this time.

im testing a few shirts now with a transparent base applied with a brush, and heat gun blasted. hopefully i can save a few...

 

[UltraHIVE]

if i can ask a question..

whats the screen mesh equivilant to 6txx, 8txx, 10txx, 12txx, 14txx, 16txx, Mono 200?

this is all i know, that mesh was given to me in larger rolls so all i have is the manufactures labeling. im assuming its an acronym for something like threads per inch, and not TPI.

thx.

 

[GVP]

If I understand you correctly, you've mixed a water-based yellow with plastisol white? If so, my gut feeling is you're screwed.

 

[UltraHIVE]

my bad, i used RC Opaque White from Ryonet. i had bought Plastisol by mistake, returned it, and went with a water based. i keep forgetting that small but important detail.

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

the only chance i think you may have of saving these (and it is a HUGE may) would be to find a local screen printer and have them cook the holy bejesus out of them in a conveyor dryer...but even then i have serious doubts that these are salvageable.

final curing of shirts with a flash drier or even worse a heat gun is a sure fire way to eventually be faced with disaster.

 

[Mosh]

Shirts are like $2, start over. Get the proper equipment and ink and you will not have this problem. You are seriously drying with a heat gun?

 

[Bigdawg]

These shirts HAVE to cure... don't care how many times it "worked" before.. if you aren't setting the ink it won't stay on the shirt. Period. You've been lucky with your heat gun - very lucky. But there is no way a two color print like that is going to cure enough with a heat gun to not wash out. I don't think there is any "salvaging" the job unles you find someone that is willing to run them through their dryer - and even at that.. with your water-based inks I'm not sure you won't under or overcook them in a dryer set up for Plastisol.

At least that's my personal opinion... your mileage may vary...

 

[UltraHIVE]

yea Mosh im serious, why? like i said before, screenprinting is not my biz, its a side hobby that brings in some extra cash at events. i make stickers for collectors for a living, and im damn good at what i do.

anyway i double checked my materials yesterday. it looks like when i ran out of fabric process yellow, i bought paper process yellow. the local art supply shop mixes everything together, so thats my fault that i didnt check.

i fixed one shirt so far by sealing the yellow in with transparent base, just like i thought i could. washed and dried fine.

 

[UltraHIVE]

its amazing how the question being so simple, is never answered as easily.

"can i apply transparent base over the yellow to save this project?" yes

 

[Mosh]

Is it the correct process NO!

 

[UltraHIVE]

hahaha..

 

[Bigdawg]

Ultra... I understand you do this on the "side" but in reality? you are playing with fire not curing those shirts. I didn't answer your question because with your inks... I didn't know the answer...

But as someone whose been screenprinting for a while, I am telling you that your process is totally wrong when it comes to curing the ink. While it works for a short term (apparently) those inks are gonna wash out eventually... now you've compounded the problem on these shirts by having a layer of paper ink sandwhiched between the white and the transparent base? Did I understand that right?

You might wanna get used to that feeling of doom...

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

its amazing how the question being so simple, is never answered as easily.

"can i apply transparent base over the yellow to save this project?" yes

you CAN do anything damn fool thing you wish to do. it does not make it the correct thing to do...

 

[UltraHIVE]

yes, for this particular situation, sandwiched like a pickle. every other project ive done, ive printed a few shirts for myself, worn and washed for a year now, all good and still very crisp. i understand that its not the correct way to do things, but its what i can work with for now. one thing i noticed about the forums on this site, is anyone happy?

i like this one though...

You might wanna get used to that feeling of doom...

ill try but that means id have to apply for a job, and im my eyes working for the system = pending doom

 

[UltraHIVE]

you CAN do anything damn fool thing you wish to do. it does not make it the correct thing to do...

phonics?

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

phonics?

excuse me ANY..damn fool thing you wish to do...which you have done...which will come back and bite you in the a$$...but the customer won't be able to find you because of the nature of the event...be proud of that...selling something you KNOW to be defective...real professional...