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screen printing => General Screen Printing => Topic started by: jason-23 on December 06, 2011, 09:22:26 PM
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does any one have a video or something on how to print on the front, over the zip on zip up hoodies? i know im supposed to make a channel for the zipper to sit in but is that it? and what can i expect as far as quality of print? black hoods with one color print of white with some half tones. thanks in advance.
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jason
we knotched out some squeeges...I will take a pic tomorrow and post...we are actually doing them right now...but it is not over the seam...just a left chest
sam
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If you are going over the seams then use water based ink or heavily reduced plastisol.
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If you are going over the seams then use water based ink or heavily reduced plastisol.
Why?
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Screen Printing Hoodie pallet, Zipper Pallet, Sweatshirt Printing, Printing over the zipper. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw4d7xrKc2o#ws)
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didn't mean to post this as an advertisement, this is just what came up when i searched for zipper printing. sorry if i offend someone for it.
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http://www.pnwcnc.com/proddetail.php?prod=ASizeTPEP (http://www.pnwcnc.com/proddetail.php?prod=ASizeTPEP)
$15/pallet. Can't beat that deal
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printing over the seam is very easy with waterbased inks or reduced plastisol as jay stated. I dont use notched platens either. the zipper
tab is what will rip screens so adjust your pallet so it hangs off or you will have a mess and rip screens. there has even been times i have actually unzipped the hoodie after loading to prevent problems while doing left chest prints with standard squeegies. sams split squeegie is a great idea also.
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If you are going over the seams then use water based ink or heavily reduced plastisol.
Why?
Plastisol won't print nicely over the seams. No matter what there will be imperfections, but plastisol won't be as forgiving. At least with waterbased and reduced ink you have a chance for the ink to soak into the fabric.
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[url]http://www.pnwcnc.com/proddetail.php?prod=ASizeTPEP[/url] ([url]http://www.pnwcnc.com/proddetail.php?prod=ASizeTPEP[/url])
$15/pallet. Can't beat that deal
These guys make some real nice platens at an awesome price
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[url]http://www.pnwcnc.com/proddetail.php?prod=ASizeTPEP[/url] ([url]http://www.pnwcnc.com/proddetail.php?prod=ASizeTPEP[/url])
$15/pallet. Can't beat that deal
15.00 + 15.00 shipping , or you can buy a router and make as many as you want for about 5 bucks ea.
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Very true but time is money
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I'm assuming you use a manual? If you have a local place that makes counter tops for kitchens. Go see them and ask if they will sell you the sink cutouts. I used to do that years ago and made a ton of specialty platens for the manual press. Either run a router, or table saw and groove the platen. Great for butt prints also. If on an auto, left chest, we cut a squeege to about 4 inches, clamped it in and printed. I agree with the rest, thin the ink otherwise it "globbs" on the seam, even with a grooved platen. Just make sure the customer knows what this is going to look like. If to much is "gloobed" on the seam, you may have issues with drying, watch this.
Terry
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Here is the problem with the wood plattens, i run a Vastex press and attaching wood to it would not work. i guess im either going to have to order one from action or vastex or design and make my own...
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If you do print with Plastisol and find the ink to be gunky around the seam area fire up the heat press and press it flat.
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I've tried the expensive platten with the groove in it and did not find it to work very well. I ended spending $100 and paid Rick Roth from Mirror image to get the instructions on how to do it. I can get you in touch with him if you'd like.
look here:
http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php?topic=73.msg10375#msg10375 (http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php?topic=73.msg10375#msg10375)
pierre
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I've tried the expensive platten with the groove in it and did not find it to work very well. I ended spending $100 and paid Rick Roth from Mirror image to get the instructions on how to do it. I can get you in touch with him if you'd like.
look here:
[url]http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php?topic=73.msg10375#msg10375[/url] ([url]http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php?topic=73.msg10375#msg10375[/url])
pierre
Every once in a while - we hear from people that are having challenges with the zipper hoodie pallet. Remember that thinning out the ink will help the hem transition. Also - on some brands of hoodies - the cover flap is puffy and problematic. We have seen brands of zipper hoodies that have an excellent hem seam and better suited for screen printing over them.
One of the tricks to making the print transition the zipper/hem assembly is to adjust your artwork in the specific area that goes over the zipper/ hem. When you have a pallet with a channel in it for the zipper to locate - this works very well. That is - grade the artwork by using a dot pattern instead of a solid over the seam. Also - you can eliminate the transition and bring the artwork right up next to the hem stitching and avoid going over the zipper cover flaps.
We recently redeveloped the Zipper Hoodie Pallets for use on MHM machinery, which I think you may have? They are now made using honeycomb aluminum and we've received positive feedback.
We are easily able to accommodate your specific zipper requirements. We have a standard slot geometry that has worked well for many years. At times - we are requested to make slight changes and these can usually be done in a short time.
Action Engineering, Inc.
www.actionengineering.com (http://www.actionengineering.com)
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It depends how often you run this kind of jobs and how many pieces each time
it make sense buying special pallets or cut out squeegees if you run them frequently
that said. if you run only 36 pcs. or so if i were you i go to home depot and buy some laminated material
make sure is smooth on both sides this is the trick no more than 1/4 of an inch thick
cut them accordingly to your design mark the center of your pallet and draw two more lines on each side 1/2 of inch apart from the center line this is groove where the zipper is gonna sit
once you got everything ready use web spray as well as pallet tape to secure the your homemade pallets in place
it works for me on small runs no more 72 pieces auto or manual press
if flashing is needed keep an eye on the flash time
good printing j ;)
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It depends how often you run this kind of jobs and how many pieces each time
it make sense buying special pallets or cut out squeegees if you run them frequently
that said. if you run only 36 pcs. or so if i were you i go to home depot and buy some laminated material
make sure is smooth on both sides this is the trick no more than 1/4 of an inch thick
cut them accordingly to your design mark the center of your pallet and draw two more lines on each side 1/2 of inch apart from the center line this is groove where the zipper is gonna sit
once you got everything ready use web spray as well as pallet tape to secure the your homemade pallets in place
it works for me on small runs no more 72 pieces auto or manual press
if flashing is needed keep an eye on the flash time
good printing j ;)
Where is a "Like" button when you need it :)
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Here is the problem with the wood plattens, i run a Vastex press and attaching wood to it would not work. i guess im either going to have to order one from action or vastex or design and make my own...
Vastex does sell just the bracket part of the platen assembly for making your own. I switched over to the newer single-knob brackets when they first came out, and I've used the old brackets for sleeve platens and whatnot. You've gotta build them up to the right height, but it comes out to something like exactly 1-1/2" which makes it easy using 3/4" material. I welded up my longsleeve one since the all-wood version had a bit too much flex in it.
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I've tried the expensive platten with the groove in it and did not find it to work very well. I ended spending $100 and paid Rick Roth from Mirror image to get the instructions on how to do it. I can get you in touch with him if you'd like.
look here:
[url]http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php?topic=73.msg10375#msg10375[/url] ([url]http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php?topic=73.msg10375#msg10375[/url])
pierre
Every once in a while - we hear from people that are having challenges with the zipper hoodie pallet. Remember that thinning out the ink will help the hem transition. Also - on some brands of hoodies - the cover flap is puffy and problematic. We have seen brands of zipper hoodies that have an excellent hem seam and better suited for screen printing over them.
One of the tricks to making the print transition the zipper/hem assembly is to adjust your artwork in the specific area that goes over the zipper/ hem. When you have a pallet with a channel in it for the zipper to locate - this works very well. That is - grade the artwork by using a dot pattern instead of a solid over the seam. Also - you can eliminate the transition and bring the artwork right up next to the hem stitching and avoid going over the zipper cover flaps.
We recently redeveloped the Zipper Hoodie Pallets for use on MHM machinery, which I think you may have? They are now made using honeycomb aluminum and we've received positive feedback.
We are easily able to accommodate your specific zipper requirements. We have a standard slot geometry that has worked well for many years. At times - we are requested to make slight changes and these can usually be done in a short time.
Action Engineering, Inc.
[url=http://www.actionengineering.com]www.actionengineering.com[/url] ([url]http://www.actionengineering.com[/url])
As always, your product quality is excellent, no issues there!
Our problem had to do with the fact that we use different types of zip hoodies that have different size hems/zippers/gaps and we were having problems with the garments moving within the groove. We compensated for this by taping the insides or adding filler material, but in the end it was much easier to do it with the padding. If we were using only one or two models of hoodies, the groove could be optimized for that particular brand and it would be easier to use than what we have now, alas we are contract printers though and do not get to choose the garments we print on.
pierre