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screen printing => General Screen Printing => Topic started by: 3Deep on July 23, 2015, 03:22:27 PM

Title: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: 3Deep on July 23, 2015, 03:22:27 PM
I have customer that wants art printed on the far left of the T-shirt and then extend the art onto the sleeve, I know this can be done on a belt printer or a very large press with multi over all print ability.  How can this be done using our regular ole press? and this might be a couple hundred shirts from very small youth to adult 3x and I know it's going to take two different setups either way I go if I print close to the seam or over for the shirt size change. here is my sample art we did/mock up
Title: Re: Sleeve printing?
Post by: jvanick on July 23, 2015, 03:26:00 PM
Discharge?
Title: Re: Sleeve printing?
Post by: mimosatexas on July 23, 2015, 04:09:04 PM
Option 1:
Discharge with that corn starch fabric spray on the inside and placed on top of the pallet (hate this process, especially for a two color like what you show).

Option 2: Plastisol transfers (super easy)
Title: Re: Sleeve printing?
Post by: 3Deep on July 23, 2015, 04:26:16 PM
What about printing over that seam?
Title: Re: Sleeve printing?
Post by: mimosatexas on July 23, 2015, 04:28:45 PM
with either option it won't be a problem.  For direct printing the discharge you will probably still want some foam on the pallet, but it won't matter at all on a heat pressed transfer.
Title: Re: Sleeve printing?
Post by: Frog on July 23, 2015, 04:29:48 PM
How many Darryl?
Oh, and if I were you, I'd re-title this as "Over the Sleeve Seam Printing" Sleeve prints are a lot easier!
Title: Re: Sleeve printing?
Post by: 3Deep on July 23, 2015, 04:42:47 PM
Don't know Frog it's for a school that has kids from k to 12 could be 2 to 3 hundred or more could be less, but I don't see it being less than 100...If you can re-title it for me my bad :-[
Title: Re: Sleeve printing?
Post by: mimosatexas on July 23, 2015, 05:04:27 PM
In my experience schools are always budget minded, and this kind of stuff definitely is more labor intensive and will cost more.  Keep that in mind when quoting them.  Also, just sort of my opinion, but that location on the sleeve will mostly be invisible when worn due to the way the sleeve will drape.  Not sure it is worth it to them to pay more for something not very visible.
Title: Re: Sleeve printing?
Post by: Sbrem on July 23, 2015, 05:08:36 PM
I'm with Mimo on the plastisol transfers...

Steve
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: Frog on July 23, 2015, 05:16:53 PM
I'm with Mimo on the plastisol transfers...

Steve

The pro's for transfers are no special boards, no issues with different size shirts (as maybe the smallest youths will need a re-sizing)
The biggest cons are unlike screen printing, there is no time savings on quantity because of how actual printing is often faster than pre-press.
Transfers are labor intensive, needing to be both printed and applied, whether printed by someone else or not.
I still would probably vote for transfers, but crunch the numbers and charge accordingly.

Maybe a high price will scare them into something easier for you to handle.
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: mimosatexas on July 23, 2015, 05:27:10 PM
Yea, for this size transfers is pretty much twice the work, but a super easy process. 

Side note: The ideal transfer job for me is something like a left chest or sleeve that is 3-6 colors.  It takes overall a lot less time to print 15+ of those per sheet at a time and press them than to direct print (manually), and I usually also toss a couple on hats and koozies as giveaways that sometimes end up as additional jobs.
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: 3Deep on July 23, 2015, 09:34:35 PM
Had leave early today so I'm just getting back to read post, transfers is a good idea but this job will go on 2 different color shirts and need a color change, I told them before I left today that we can print very close to the sleeve seam and still give them somewhat of that look, and still have the print far on the left.  They saw this print in some school t-shirt catalog, and wanted me to redesign there mascot into something like it, we've done all kinds of crazy prints in the pass for them, but hey guys thanks for all the advice...I don't think I want to do 2 to 3 hundred heat transfers I'm old and can't stand that long LOL.
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: tonypep on July 24, 2015, 10:43:43 AM
Clean vector art+plastiso w/UB= high probability of fail; assuming you had a half wing pallet. Falls into the "could you vs should you" category. If its a one time shot it may not we be worth it. We, as well as others have. Turned into a niche market with regular revenue stream
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: Orion on July 24, 2015, 11:10:43 AM
Heavy investment of money, time and testing. Looking at going from youth to 3X sizes you more than likely will need at least 3 different platen sizes to do it right. If you choose to take on this project, I would suggest keeping an ample supply of adult beverages and heartburn medication close at hand.
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: tonypep on July 24, 2015, 11:27:29 AM
Agreed. And expect higher than normal quality fallout
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: mk162 on July 24, 2015, 11:41:22 AM
how about just outsourcing it? 
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: Catnhat on July 24, 2015, 11:43:17 AM
We do these every couple years for a local school.  Plasticharge print.  I hate them, but the school and kids love them, and pay dearly for them.
Had a buddy make up the extenders for some other oversized jobs we do (where we probably should have said no!) so we can put oversized screens on the press or flip a regular screen horizontal.
This job was T's and Hoodies.  2 screens, 1 for smalls & mediums.  1 for large -2XL.  Went with plasticharge because I can't ever get an acceptible gold/athletic gold with straight discharge without it turning yellow.

 
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: tonypep on July 24, 2015, 11:50:52 AM
Very well done
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: Orion on July 24, 2015, 11:54:03 AM
Nice print engineering there.
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: 3Deep on July 24, 2015, 12:11:00 PM
Nice idea!! CatnHat I like that but dam I'd hate have to print 2 to 300 hundred of these on a manual, I don't even drink beer put if I did go manual with these job and try that I'd have to go next door for a 12 pack or case LOL

d
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: Sbrem on July 24, 2015, 01:49:38 PM
and if you drink while you work, the early ones come out great!!!

Steve
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: jvanick on July 24, 2015, 01:57:27 PM
... depends if you're a professional functioning drunk or not...  I run shirts all the time while having a beer or 2... ROFL.

Back on track sorta...

I just got a request to print around and over the pocket on pocket T's... customer asked for discharge...

fairly large order, so it has to go on the auto... 

suggestions on if I should get some neoprene or foam padding?  or with a soft squeegee and enough pressure can I get away with just running them normally?  I'm thinking that the foam would help get the ink 'around' the seams of the pocket better?
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: Frog on July 24, 2015, 03:32:13 PM
and if you drink while you work, the early ones come out great!!!

Steve

And the later ones look even better! :o
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: Sbrem on July 24, 2015, 03:36:58 PM
...at the time anyway, LOL

Steve

why does this remind me of something? My boss (before that was me) called me at 2:00 am once; there was a job that the salesman was supposed to drive up to Vermont in the morning, and my boss and best friend got so f'd up, that they couldn't register a 2 color print, so I went in and did it for them. Fortunately, I was only stoned...
Title: Re: Printing over the sleeve seam
Post by: 3Deep on July 24, 2015, 03:45:32 PM
Dam!!! you guys sure can left turn a post  ;D