Using Chem 8100 to Clean Screens and Squeegees

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/29/2017

In the video above, Texsource team member, Dwayne Collins, demonstrates how to expand your usage of the Texsource Chem 8100 Press Wash. Texsource Chem 8100 is a press wash designed for lightning fast screen reclaim. Not only can you clean up blocked image areas, Dwayne shows us how to clean up squeegees.

Squeegees, just like everything else in your shop, needs to be taken care of to ensure durability and a long squeegee life. You can always just wipe your squeegee off, but what about the hard to reach places? You know, those hard to reach nooks along the rubbers' edge. That's where Chem 8100 comes in handy. Spray it on and use your rag to wipe away the dissolved ink - even running your finger along the edges to make sure all the hard to get plastisol ink has been removed.

Another perk of the Chem 8100 is that it has no odor which makes working with it more pleasant than other washes. It also does not lock in photopolymer emulsions and films which allows for quick and easy reclaiming.

Once you are ready to start printing again, you don't have to worry about a long wait before re-taping your screens or changing colors. Chem 8100 dries in a matter of seconds meaning that you can get back to the funnest part of the job - printing!

Below is an outline of how to use Texsource Chem 8100 Press Wash:

Clean up excess ink from you screens using clean up cards. This is the best way to get as much ink off the screen as possible - and it saves you money! That ink can be placed right back into its original container for later use (recycling win).

It is easiest to use Chem 8100 in a spray bottle, but if you don't have a spray bottle you can apply the wash using a rag.

If you are using a spray bottle, simply spray the image area and use a shop rag or old shirt to wipe away the remaining ink.

If you are applying the wash by rag - agitate the ink with the wash rag and wipe away the dissolved ink.

An important thing to note about the rag you use is that you will need to continuously roll it to make sure you are picking up ink and not just smearing it around. Reapply Chem 8100 as needed and continue to follow up with a dry rag wiping both sides of the screen.

Your screen is ready for tape application and more printing within 10-15 seconds.

Texsource Holds Introduction to Water-Based and Discharge Screen Printing December 1

Posted by Mary Yaeger - August 22, 2017

KINGS MOUNTAIN N.C.— Back by popular demand, Texsource Screen Printing Supply is offering an Introduction to Water-Based and Discharge Printing class featuring Matsui Ink on Dec. 1. 

The class will cover key topics on all things water-based for an in-depth and hands-on experience led by Matsui.

A free lunch will be provided onsite for all participants courtesy of Texsource. The class runs from 9 a.m.–4 p.m at the company's North Carolina location, 714 Cleveland Ave., Kings Mountain, NC 28086.

The class costs $29.95 and will cover all of the following:

• Introduction to water-based inks
• Water-based printing on white and light-colored fabrics
• Discharge printing on 100 percent cotton and blends
• Printing on 100 percent polyester and tri-blend
• 301 stretch series for synthetics and blends
• Special effects inks such as foils, reflective, metallic, and suede puff
• Hands-on printing with all ink products

To register, visit: https://www.screenprintingsupply.com/Class-12--Introduction-to-Water-Based-and-Discharge-Inks-featuring-Matsui-Inks--Dec-1_p_16128.html

Matsui Inc. and Texsource Screen Printing Supply Announce Distribution Partnership

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/21/2017

Matsui International Company, Inc., a leading manufacturer of water based inks, announces a distribution partnership with Texsource Screen Printing Supply.

Matsui offers a comprehensive product line which includes water based pigments, bases, additives, and special effect products for a broad range of applications, including: textile, wallpaper, transfer, and specialty services. From exclusive products to a wide variety of industry standards, every product is manufactured with the finest quality and highest standard in reliability.

The Matsui mixing system allows printers to easily create their own custom colors. Combined with a variety of additives for effect and specialty printing, Matsui hopes to open new doors for print shops of all production levels.

There has been a significant growth in the demand for water based screen printing due to the inks’ vibrant colors, natural hand-feel and decreased environmental impact. For Texsource, this partnership means being the first fully stocked east coast location for Matsui Inks.

To kick off the partnership, Texsource held a water-based and discharge screen printing class that Matsui representatives, Jesse Martinez and Enrique Castillo, introduced attendees to the products and techniques unique to the process. With such a great interest and astounding attendance for the first class, Texsource will hold the class again December 1^st. There are plans to continue offering the class on a yearly basis to give customers the training they need to be successful in the industry.

Matsui and Texsource Screen Printing Supply are dedicated to ensuring customers are comfortable with the products they are purchasing. Texsource sales staff is to receive on-going training regarding Matsui products to ensure the most accurate information is shared.

Texsource Georgia Holds Introduction to Screen Printing Class September 21

Posted by Mary Yaeger - August 21, 2017

NORCROSS, G.A.—Texsource Georgia will be hosting an Introduction to Screen Printing class at their Georgia Location – 2783 Peterson Place Norcross, G.A. 30071.

The class runs from 9 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

The class covers key topics during the seminar, including screen printing basics, ink selection, artwork presentation and press set up. Participants will also enjoy a hands-on demonstration where they will print their own shirts!

A free lunch will be provided onsite for all participants courtesy of Texsource.

To register, visit: https://www.screenprintingsupply.com/Georgia-Class--Introduction-to-Screen-Printing-Class--Sep-21_p_15459.html

You can get the most up to date information from Texsource Georgia on their Facebook Page.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Plastisol and Water Based Screen Printing

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/15/2017

There are two main types of ink that get used for textile printing – plastisol and water based. While plastisol is more widely known and used, the desire for a more eco-friendly shop has brought water based screen printing into the spotlight. What you will find is that both types of inks have their incredible advantages, but they also have a few drawbacks.

To get started, let’s discuss mesh. The mesh count you use is one of the most important factors to consider when printing (no matter what method you choose to print). Here is a short outline of the different mesh recommendations for inks:

• 24-40 mesh for Glitter inks
•  60-80 mesh for Shimmers and thick white underbases
•  86-110 mesh for Metallics
• 110 mesh most popular for light colors such as white ink
• 160 mesh most popular for black ink. It holds more detail than 110, but less ink will pass through the screen.
•  200-230 mesh holds high detail though the ink may need to be reduced. This mesh is great for water based inks.
• 230-305 mesh is mostly used for super fine detail half tones and CMYK process prints. This mesh is also great for water based inks.

Plastisol Ink

Plastisol is the most popular ink in the industry. It is easy to use and promoted as “user friendly”. Plastisol is not water soluble so you don’t have to worry about it drying in the screen. These inks are generally used right out of the container. No mixing needed. Plastisol is perfect for getting the opaque look on dark garments. It is formulated for printing on light and dark garments. Since plastisol does not dry in the screen, there is no worry about ruining a screen or wasting product. Plastisol does not “dry” when exposed to air. Plastisol has to be cured between 280-350F. The greatest advantage of this is being able to reuse the ink for multiple jobs. As long as the ink has not been contaminated by dirt, lint or other ink, the plastisol can be scooped off of the screen and placed back in its container.

Likewise, if you leave the ink container open for several days, the ink will be ready to use when you come back. You can also leave the ink in a screen for several days without worry of clogging or ruining the stencil. Plastisol also has the capability of wet-on-wet printing which means increased production times – saving your shop time and money.

It is generally recommended that you store plastisol at room temperature. This means keeping your shop temperature controlled. If the ink gets too hot (above 90F) there is a possibility it could start the curing process in its container. A big disadvantage of printing with plastisol is that has tends to have a greater hand-feel. This is a disadvantage because most t-shirt enthusiasts desire a vintage look and soft hand-feel to their shirts. Another thing to note about plastisol is that it should not be ironed. The iron could “re-melt” the plastisol and smear ink on your garment.

If you would like to dispose of any contaminated ink be aware that uncured plastisol is considered a hazardous waste and should be disposed of according to your community guidelines. When plastisol is cured, it is not considered a hazardous waste, but make sure you still properly dispose of it.

Water Based Ink

What plastisol can’t achieve is where water based ink steps in to play. Water based inks are great for achieving that vintage soft hand-feel that is desired by most. Water based inks soak into the fabric instead of standing on top. Water based inks are promoted as more “eco-friendly”, but it is important to keep in mind where you are getting this information from. Just because it is labeled as eco-friendly, does not mean that it isn’t free of “co-solvents” that could be petroleum based. The reason these co-solvents are used varies, but one of the reasons is meant to reduce the time and heat necessary to cure the ink on the fabric.

While water based gives most people the look and feel they want in their prints, there are a few factors that deter people from even trying it in the first place. Unlike plastisol which is ready to use right out of the container, water based ink requires a little bit of mixing math. Water based inks start out as two separate products – pigment and base. You have to add the right amount of pigment to the right amount of base to get the desired color. There are also several additives that you must consider for each type of print.

With a name like water based it is easy to assume that curing would be a simple process because in reality all you are doing is evaporating the water to cure. At a craft level, this might not be too bad. Water based inks can air dry, but not in enough time for high production jobs. For shops that are printing at an intermediate to high production level, the dryers that are required for water based inks are typically larger than the dryers used for plastisol. To help the ink cure faster, you can add what is called a “catalyst” to the ink. The catalyst allows for a fast dry time and ensures an even dry over the entire printed area. The disadvantage to using a catalyst is that it greatly reduces the life span of the ink. When you add a catalyst to water based ink the shelf life is limited to 4-12 hours.

Water based ink tends to dry in the screens if not tended to constantly. For this reason, it is important to keep a spray bottle full of water nearby to keep the ink wet. If the ink dries in the screen it will clog the mesh and ruin the screen. It is also important to consider the type of emulsion you are using. Water resistant emulsion is a MUST! Water based inks will melt or eat through any other type of emulsion. This will end up destroying your stencil and setting your print job back.

Simple Steps to Ensure an Easy Screen Reclaim

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/9/2017

What is reclaiming? It is the process of removing a stencil from a screen to use the screen for another job. A Screen can be used for approximately 20 print jobs before it needs to be re-meshed. 

For your reclaim job you will need:

• Ink wash
• Emulsion Remover
• Haze Remover
• Degreaser
• 1 red scrub pad
• 1 blue scrub pad
• 2 white scrub pads

After you clean the screen of ink with the ink wash or press wipe, use the blue scrub pad. Place it in your sink and rinse.

Spray emulsion remover to remove the emulsion, scrub with the red scrub pad on both sides of the frame.

Rinse the image off of the screen with cool water.

You may need to repeat this process to completely remove the stencil.

At times the mesh will be stained with ink or emulsion. Using a haze remover, you can eliminate those stains. You will need to pour the haze remover directly on the red scrub pad and scrub both sides of the screen. Lay the screen flat and wait 3 minutes. Scrub and rinse again with a pressure washer.

Key Points for 4 Color Process Screen Printing

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/7/2017

Also seen on Printwear 

If you are new to the industry or a veteran of 20+ years, you have heard of 4 color process printing. This style of printing is one of the many ways to achieve photo realistic prints. With only 4 colors, just about any image can be recreated on a garment. Hard to believe? Maybe not. Even though it sounds over simplified, it was discovered that you can break a photograph down to 4 primary colors – cyan, magenta, yellow and black. By breaking the photograph down to 4 primary colors we can then print using halftones and white to create the photorealistic image we want. Here are a few things you should know before diving into process printing.

Shirt Color

White is the ideal shirt color for CMYK printing because CMYK inks are translucent. However, you are not limited to only printing on white garments. If you are printing on a darker shirt, use a white under base to really make those colors pop.

The garment that you use to print on should have a tight weave so the individual “dots” of your design have a surface to print on. While the weave should be tight, don’t use heavy thick materials as these usually interfere with the detail of the halftones. Not saying that it can’t be done – it just isn’t recommended.

Art Quality

This one is simple - the higher the quality of the image the better the print.

Printability is another factor to consider. Colors that look great on the computer screen may not work when they get printed on the fabric. Likewise, doing a test print on paper doesn’t mean it will be the same when it is printed on fabric. For best results use test pellons (available in black and white) or a fabric that is a similar color to your actual print job.

Color Separations

Color separations start with a print ready file which is something you can achieve using programs like Photoshop. Alternatively, you can use a separation software meant for screen printing. You want to make sure that the file you download is a high resolution JPG. The very first thing you should do when you open your program is make sure it is set to CMYK. When using programs like Photoshop, the default settings are ideal for printing on paper – not shirts.

Not only will you strip the image down to the four main process colors, you will also need halftone dots. The dot shape will have to be adjusted to and elliptical shape which works well with the squares created in the screen mesh. It is also important that you adjust screen angles for each color.

One of the unique aspects of process printing is having the ability to integrate texture, gradients and special effects within your design.

Mesh Size

For CMYK printing you want to use a high mesh count. 305 or higher is industry recommended.

Print Order

While people have their preferences a general rule is to print light to dark. The preferred print order for CMYK printing is yellow, magenta, cyan and black. If you are printing with a white under base, you will have to print that first.

Wet on Wet

Time to print! Generally there is no need to flash between colors unless you are printing a white under base. In that case, only the under base is flash cured. The inks blending create a myriad of tones so it is important that you print wet on wet.  One of the biggest challenges of CMYK printing is to lay down the same amount of ink to create a consistent image. If you are manual printing, make sure to use only one print stroke per color. The ink must not retouch the stencil once the print has been made – you will have a mess otherwise. 

Printing on Stretchy Garments

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 08/04/2017
Also seen on Printwear

 With the popularity of athletic garments in today’s fashion trends, now more than ever, print shops are seeing stretchy substrates make their way through the door. Printing jobs like cheer uniforms, team jerseys or workout gear is on the rise.

There are several things to consider about the garments themselves and how your shop plans to tackle the garments. First, you have to get to know the material. For example, is it nylon, polyester, spandex, lycra or some combination? Is the garment plain or sublimated (like camouflage)? Getting to know the material is important because it sets the mood for the rest of the job. Knowing the substrate you are going to print on will give you an idea of cure time and whether or not you will be fighting dye migration.

Next, you have to decide how you are going to print the garments. You have nylon bonding agents, plastisol with a stretch additive, and silicone ink.

Choosing a stretch additive to add to plastisol is one option, but adding too much stretch additive could reduce the opacity of the ink. Only add 1%-5% stretch additive to retain the ink’s opacity. Also, some stretch additives can be used as an under-base to help improve the stretch of the inks printed on top. While stretch additives boast that you can use it with any plastisol, you will find that the best results are found when using it with an athletic ink or ink that already has some stretch to it like athletic inks.

If you decide that you want to print on nylon using plastisol, you have to consider purchasing a nylobond additive. The unfortunate thing about printing plastisol on nylon materials is that if you don’t use the nylobond additive, the ink won’t stick. Nylobond works as an adhesive for the ink – working like a glue to keep the ink on the garment. You also run the risk of the ink cracking. The other downside to using this method is that the mixture must be used immediately after mixing. The shelf life is anywhere from 8 to 15 hours depending on the environment of your shop. After that, the mixture becomes rock solid. Choosing to print this way also reduces the viscosity of the ink considerably. If this happens, you can let the mixture sit around for a few hours to harden enough to print.

Another option you have is using silicone ink. Silicone offers soft hand-feel, durability and flexibility like none of these other options. You also have no worries about cracking after it is printed. Silicone ink is ideal for printing stretchy garments, but it is expensive. You also have to follow guidelines to mix toner with a catalyst or base depending on the type of look you are going for. This tends to turn people away from using it all together.

One of the benefits of silicone is that it cures at a lower temperature compared to plastisol. This is ideal for printing polyester. Polyester is one of the great offenders for dye migration – releasing dye anywhere from 220F to 340F. Because of its unusually large cure window, silicone offers a cure time around 270F (at the lower end of polyester’s cure time).

Tips to Maintain Your Screen Printing Press

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/3/2017

Also seen on Printwear 

You can find a lot of tips online regarding screen printing, but something that seems to be a little bit of an anomaly is how to care for your screen printing press. Sometimes we get so excited about screen printing that we lose the care manual – or maybe we think that it doesn’t really need to be cleaned. Either way, we will get down to the absolute necessities (not specifics of each machine), and give you some ideas of how to maintain your press and keep it in optimal condition.

Location. Location. Location.

You want to make sure that your press is in as much of a temperature controlled environment you can manage. The main point of this is to protect the screens from drying out. You also want to protect it from the heat and humidity which over time can strain your press performance. 

Keeping it Clean.

Think of your press as a new addition to your home. Regularly dust the equipment and keep the area around it free of clutter. Each time you use it, you will want remove (and save) the left over ink and then wipe it down. Ink and other chemicals will build up on your machine which could strain performance.

On a regular basis (not just your press) make sure to check the filters, conveyors, feeders, belts and squeegees. Clean them when they need it and replace them when it’s time. Don’t cut corners on your equipment. If something needs fixing or replacing you don’t want to hesitate on a fix and then your production suffers.

For palette longevity be sure to use palette tape. It is also recommended that you use water based adhesives. This is because over time the aerosol chemicals will build up on your press.

Keep it Lubricated.

Check the performance of your palette heads and arms occasionally. If they have been stationary for a long period of time, they could become stiff and un-operational. Oiling may be necessary for certain parts of your machine. This part will take a little bit of research. Figure out what machine you have and what lubrication will be compatible. You will also need to figure out how often you should oil your particular machine. Over or under oiling can become a problem.

And as always with screen printing – try doing a few test prints to make sure the machine is fully operational and does not need further attention in a particular area.

Things to Consider Before you try Wet-on-Wet Screen Printing

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/2/2017

Also seen on Printwear 

One of the greatest features of plastisol ink is the ability to dive into the world of wet on wet printing. Your shop is filled with orders and you are looking for a way to cut down on wasted time and get products out faster to your customers. Welcome to wet on wet printing. Being able to print wet on wet simply means that you can print successive colors without necessarily having to flash in between colors. Now, there will always be outlier print jobs (especially with dark colored garments) that will require you to flash layers, but the general advantage of wet on wet printing is avoiding the flash cure. Doing so will save you time, money and ensure that your customers get their products quickly.

The Print Order

A general rule of thumb for screen printing is to print light layers first and finish with the dark layers. It is also best practice to print from the smallest stencil to the largest. This all depends on the amount of detail that you have in your overall image. Screens with less image detail should print first. Inversely, screens with the most detail need to be printed last. This ensures that you are able to print a large design without worrying about excessive ink build up.

 Ink Smears

What you will notice with wet on wet printing is that your screens will grab ink from previous layers. This could bring your whole production to a halt if you are not careful. What happens is that thick ink layers will cause the screen to stick to the ink and smear the color. It is normal for the screens to pick up some colors from previous layers, but too much build up will smear the whole print or block out pars of the screen – ruining the stencil.

There are a few things you can do to avoid this from happening:

•       Choose a high mesh count screen (200+) with high tension
•       Use a thin ink deposit
•       Put light pressure on your squeegee

Over the course of your print job make sure to keep your ink layers thin. This reduces the chance of ink being picked up by your screens. Using a base can give the ink a short body that prints well and helps prevent smearing by allowing the ink to penetrate further into the fabric. If you notice that your screens are picking up too much ink, it would be best to take a few minutes to clean the substrate side of your screens to avoid a major headache later on.

Practice Makes Perfect

Best practice will be to print a few test shirts before going into an actual print job. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to your screen printing supplier. They can recommend the right inks for wet on wet printing. If you are having trouble with your screens picking up ink, your supplier can also recommend a reducer to ensure you get a thin ink deposit.

Wet on wet screen printing will allow your shop to work faster and more efficiently, cut down on wasted time and get products more quickly to your customers. The process takes a little patience in the beginning, but that patience will help your shop become more efficient. 

What is a soft-hand print?

Posted by Mary Yaeger

Also seen on Printwear

The feel of a plastisol print is called the “hand”. It is controlled by the type of ink and how thick an ink layer is. To achieve soft-hand prints you have to start with a soft-hand base. To achieve an extra soft-hand print on white garments – use a 230 or higher mesh count screen. Soft-hand printing can easily be achieved with soft base additives and water based inks. Distressed and vintage prints are in high demand which call for a natural feeling and more authentic touch. There are a couple of ways to achieve soft hand – water based and discharge printing.

    Water based inks

Just as the name suggests this type of ink creates a soft feel because its make up is not plastic. This type of ink tends to dry in areas if not watched carefully. You might lose some detail or fine halftone. The curing time of water based ink is slower. This ink is more transparent than plastisol and does not appear well on dark garments. Typically this wouldn’t be an issue. You can slap an under base on your garment and continue printing. Unfortunately, water based doesn’t print well on under bases. If you are going to use water based inks, it is better to print on white and light garments.

Discharge Inks

Discharge inks are your solution to printing soft hand on dark garments. It is considerably softer than printing with plastisol but it does require an under base. Discharge ink uses an “activator” that bleaches the dye out of the shirt and deposits the ink pigment in its place.  Discharge is technically still a water based ink. So you will want to avoid designs with heavy detail and fine halftones. Printing on “rich colors” such as red, purple and royal blues tend to discharge unpredictably. The inks are often contaminated by the dye in the shirt so your print could end up an off color.