TSB

screen printing => Ink and Chemicals => Topic started by: mooseman on February 18, 2016, 06:49:52 AM

Title: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: mooseman on February 18, 2016, 06:49:52 AM
Can anyone offer a brand  / type of ink that is similar to One Stroke Versamax inks.
Specifically I am looking to replace the orange and golden yellow colors we normally use from One Stroke.

we print manually, push stroke, 230 to 156 mesh and Smesh  newmans
thanks
mooseman
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: Printficient on February 18, 2016, 07:05:30 AM
What characteristics are you looking to change?
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: mooseman on February 18, 2016, 07:12:38 AM
Sonny
simply after using the mentioned colors for better than 5 years I am just not happy with the way the colors perform. On the one stroke scarlet ink I love it works great , PFP on darks use it all the time but orange and yellow as mentioned just do not perform the same as scarlet OS. Mechanically, physically, functionally even after modification they do not bring the same results I can get from other OS inks we use so I am looking for a possible alternative in the colors mentioned
That is it in a nut shell
mooseman
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: Printficient on February 18, 2016, 07:27:15 AM
These specific colors as well as Athletic gold do not do well without an underbase. Most inks are mixed with a base to pigment ratio that is light on the pigment and heavy on the base.  With a PC base system you can adjust this ratio to, in some cases, make a more opaque ink. I say in some cases as print technique goes a long way to success.  If you get the ink inside the garment then no amount of ink opaqueness will help.  Conversely the more heavy the pigment load the harder it is to push through higher mesh counts.  Short answer is that the best yellow, athletic gold and orange I have seen for pfp is Xenon.  The yellow does tint green on black if printed pfp through lower mesh counts.
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: blue moon on February 18, 2016, 07:43:17 AM
yellow and gold are difficult. We will regularly PFP or switch to DC ubase if there is a lot of it in the art. They just don't cover well in our experience.

pierre
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: mooseman on February 18, 2016, 08:03:05 AM
yellow and gold are difficult. We will regularly PFP or switch to DC ubase if there is a lot of it in the art. They just don't cover well in our experience.

pierre

Thanks Pierre,
that is exactly what we are seeing, was hoping for a way to dodge the underbase but maybe we have to suck it up and just deal with it on these color choices.
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: aauusa on February 18, 2016, 08:25:24 AM
mooseman have you asked them for the colormax version?  we have a gold which we love that is the colormax.
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: mooseman on February 18, 2016, 08:47:04 AM
mooseman have you asked them for the colormax version?  we have a gold which we love that is the colormax.

Actually I think the yellow they send me is a relabeled colormax ink clone of some sort. The versamax label is always different from the other versamax ink I buy
The ink straight from the bucket is too thick to print manually and when we modify it with either curable reducer  or viscosity breaker the opacity nose dives. I was thinking about calling them but they are a real PITA about calling every two or 3 weeks with the latest and greatest product that they are pushing. I really had to be pretty stern with them to get the sales guy or gal dujour from calling constantly every time I reopen the door by placing an order or asking a question so I really just send an order when I have to and then duck and cover.
mooseman
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: mk162 on February 18, 2016, 08:53:37 AM
And THAT is my biggest complaint.  I'd rather get email blasted honestly.
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: XG Print on February 18, 2016, 08:55:05 AM
For what it's worth we still print manually and I really like the QCM XOLB inks.  We can usually achieve a good print with a PFP even on black with gold ink.  I print a lot of gold ink here so I can relate to your issue.
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: mooseman on February 18, 2016, 09:02:28 AM
For what it's worth we still print manually and I really like the QCM XOLB inks.  We can usually achieve a good print with a PFP even on black with gold ink.  I print a lot of gold ink here so I can relate to your issue.
Thanks XG
I will add QCM to my list of inks to try.
We do not accept samples, we simply do not ever....we buy what we want / need and go our own way from there no strings or hurt feelings in the wake.
 I mention that as I am trying to minimize the $$ I am going to throw at trying to change this situation with the yellow and orange inks which is the reason I am looking for direction / experience.
thanks
for your input
mooseman
Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: Underbase37 on February 18, 2016, 09:35:22 AM
I like Union inks for opacity. Stock yellow and orange.

That said, we almost always base these colors with white

Murphy

Title: Re: ink brand suggestions please
Post by: Underbase37 on February 18, 2016, 09:37:16 AM
Edit: Union Maxopaque. Not ultrasoft.

Murphy