Why is my screen printed shirt cracking?
When a print on a shirt cracks, it’s because the plastisol ink (which is a plastic based ink) is thick and wasn’t cured properly during the heating/drying stage after printing. A plastisol print should never crack, but it’s poor curing methods that cause it.
Why is my plastisol so thick?
There are several different reasons for this: the main reasons are fluctuation in shop temperature (cool temperatures naturally harden inks), and time sitting on a shelf. White plastisol ink is especially susceptible to thickening in the bucket. This is because white ink typically contains high pigment concentrations.
Can you use plastisol ink on cotton?
It’s especially useful for dark or colored garments– but can only be used effectively on 100% cotton. Printing dark garments with Plastisol, on the other hand (or should I say heavier hand), requires a layer of white ink to create an opaque underbase to print vibrant colors.
How do you keep plastisol ink from cracking?
Flash or Spot Cure Drying Plastisol ink can generally be fully cured with a flash cure unit – sometimes also called a spot dryer. Set the flash cure heater to the highest temperature and placed heating element 3 inches over the garment for 25 – 35 seconds (generally speaking).
What causes plastisol to crack?
Ink Can Crack if Overcured Not nearly as common as undercuring, plastisol can be overheated and overcured. This will make the ink film brittle and it will crack when you pull on the shirt or when washed.
What consistency should plastisol be?
For proper printing, plastisol ink needs to be heavy enough to maintain its viscosity throughout the print run while still being thin enough to penetrate the screen easily and evenly. If a stir stick can stand up in the ink, it’s too thick.
Can you iron plastisol ink?
Since Plastisol is a thermoplastic, it will remelt if it comes in contact with anything hot enough. For that reason, plastisol prints cannot be ironed. If an iron touches a print, it will smear the ink.
How long does it take for plastisol ink to cure?
Plastisol ink needs to cure at a minimum temperature of 320º F for at least one minute. This allows the molecules to properly fuse to each other as well as to the fabric.
How do you apply plastisol ink to clothes?
For plastisol ink, apply the heat gun to the garment until it’s dry to the touch. Make sure you’re holding it directly above the print. Apply heat to the garment until it’s dry to the touch. Then perform a wash test (more on that later).
Can you print on cotton with low cure Plastisol?
Insider’s Tip: Low cure plastisol ink on a cotton shirt will be easier to reach its cure temp since you do not have to get the ink as hot. You will still need to perform tests on it to see if it has fully cured. Heat guns are not a good option for printing water-based.
How do you cure Plastisol with a heat press?
Curing with a heat press is incredibly simple. For plastisol ink, read the label to discover the cure temp and set the heat press to be 20-30 degrees above that cure temperature. Use light to medium pressure. Place a teflon sheet on the print.
What happens if ink does not dry properly?
Ink needs to be cured properly so it sets into the garment. If the ink does not cure fully, it will crack, fall apart, and not last for long. Printers use either heat guns, heat presses, flash dryers, or conveyor dryers to cure inks.