Have Issues Printing More than One Color on Shirts

Post your questions, suggestions, ideas and advice to issues you have run into in your screen printing shop.

Moderator: Moderator Team

Post Reply
the.astrovert
Just Browsing
Just Browsing
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:18 pm

Have Issues Printing More than One Color on Shirts

Post by the.astrovert »

Greetings! This is my first post on these forums but I've been screening tees for almost a year, and am hoping for a few tips.

I screen my tees at home without a machine or clamps to help register designs, which is fine, and preferred, but as the topic suggests, it makes it somewhat difficult when printing more than one color. My primary issue is that once I lay down the first color, the shirt seems to constrict as the ink dries so when it comes to screen the second color, the area is smaller than it was when I started.

Each tee I screen is done on my art table, and once complete I hang it up to dry on hanger as I neither have a flash dryer as well. I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to prevent such a phenomena from happening or whether or not it's a common issue for screen printing on textile, as a part of me fears I may be neglecting an important step... If this sounds at all like familiar issue you find yourself do have dealt with successful, then please advise as it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!
User avatar
d fleming
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 546
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:33 pm

Re: Have Issues Printing More than One Color on Shirts

Post by d fleming »

Your shirt needs to be secured in place on a platen and not removed until all printing is finished. A spray adhesive will do this. You need to be able to print all colors quickly in succesion, in your case it sounds like you will be printing wet on wet as you have no way at all to cure ink other than air. Honestly it sounds like you will need to upgrade your equipment to accomplish what you are trying to do, but you may be able to rig something together so that your shirt can dry on the platen and then try to register your second color. The key is the shirt not moving on the platen.
Tom V
Intern
Intern
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:34 pm

Re: Have Issues Printing More than One Color on Shirts

Post by Tom V »

If you want to dry the print between each color quickly without removing it from your platten, you can use a heat gun for stripping paint or even a standard blow dryer. These will work in a pinch if you dont want to go the wet on wet path just yet.
User avatar
taglessthreads.com
Intern
Intern
Posts: 77
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 4:08 am
Contact:

Re: Have Issues Printing More than One Color on Shirts

Post by taglessthreads.com »

Yeah it sounds like your garments is moving. Use a spray adhesive and it should fix the issue. I was going to say it can also be a flash heater time being to long and slightly shrinking the garment but you said your not using a flash heater.
Screen Printing - Tagless Threads
Post Reply