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Problems with water based ink.

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 6:46 pm
by GuesOne
Hey everyone,

I just got my own press that I am using to print some shirts for myself, just for fun because I like to design. I am new to the whole ink / curing stuff and I have been experimenting with both plastisol and waterbased ink. So far I like the feel and clean up of water based ink the best however I am having a problem with it fading after I wash it. I am using speedball ink and am usually only doing one pass on the shirt, sometimes too. Mostly I am printing black ink on light garments. To dry the shirts I have tried putting them in an oven for 2 minutes, putting them in a conventional dryer for 30 mins, and just letting them air dry for a week. Since I do this just for fun I dont have the money / want to buy a conveyor dryer.

So far none of my attempts have given me a print that stays a true black after it has been washed. My print isn't horribly faded but there is a noticeable different. It almost looks as if some white fibers of the shirts are coming through my design sometimes. Can anyone help me out here, it would be greatly appreciated!

Re: Problems with water based ink.

Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:21 am
by SynthDesign
I beleive your using the SpeedBall Acrylic ink.
If this is correct, it is not originally intended to be used on textile fabrics. I too have used it with about the same results.
One possible option is to add speedballs base extender. It seems to help the color holdfast a little better but, in my opinion, still does not offer an alternative to plastisol.

As for using a dryer with the acrylic ink, I don't think it makes much difference if you bake it in or not. I have produced the same results letting it air dry for a day versus a quick bake in the conveyor oven.

Re: Problems with water based ink.

Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 5:03 pm
by d fleming
Years ago ( lots) I used flock adhesive from nazdar
http://www.nazdar.com/pdf/PX%20Rev%202%20CR.pdf
Didn't use flock with it, used it as ink. Stuff was very opaque and definitely permanent, air dry. Has a tendency to dry in screen if you let it. Work with small amount of ink and add as needed to keep fresh, clean screen and squeegee immediately after printing.

Re: Problems with water based ink.

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:07 am
by johndoh
Anyone doing printing with water based inks on a budget and can't afford a dryer, make an investment in some cold cure additive not cheap but will last a long time Shirts will air cure in about five days, even quicker with heat...not important how much...hand iron etc. and cold cure is a must with water based on these new crap cool dry synthetic type shirts. Allows you to air dry or put through your dryer fast without the print dying in colour intensity in the drying process. one thing about screen printing...it doesn't allow you to cut to many corners. Use the right materials to get the right results...cheers.

Re: Problems with water based ink.

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:16 am
by johndoh
Sorry forgot to mention Cold cure additive is the solution to anything with adhesion or fading issues. And with all the new synthetic stuff, I wouldn't be without it. Mix it with a supercover W /Based ink and you can print on stretch lycra. Permaset inks in Australia (my home) have a solvent free water based ink and is as flexible as plastisol on lycra.

Re: Problems with water based ink.

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:06 am
by nativesonjls
Can't find the link to the shop vid someone did, but they used the ink and left it in the screen for a hour at lunch and the ink had not drayed, they claimed it stays usable for 2-3 hours in the screen, don't know if its true but it looks interesting. Its a GEN4 product line made by international coatings, check it out. I am trying out water base but the dry factor changes the rules and darks are an issue also, looking into discharge printing. This product is also has opacity and they printed a shirt with it, white on black, and only needed 2 passes. If you run across it post the link I would like to see it again. I ran across it researching water based

Re: Problems with water based ink.

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 11:16 am
by mscott
Plastisol inks can be printed on many items that can withstand the heat required to cure the ink and is porous enough to permit good ink adhesion. Plastisol inks do not dye the threads of a fabric like traditional dye stuff. Plastisol ink wraps around the fibers and makes a mechanical bond with the fabric. Screen printing plastisols will not adhere to non-porous substrates such as plastic, metal, wood and glass. They also will not adhere to waterproofed nylon material without adding a bonding agent/catalyst. General information about Screen Printing with Plastisol Ink. Drying, Curing, Additives, Emulsion Selection and more.


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