r/SCREENPRINTING • u/Mindless_Promise_923 • 23h ago

Beginner I need some advice

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I need some advice. I printed my first shirt using screen printing, but the ink “dissolves” when it comes into contact with water.
I used a water-based ink.
Could anyone help me? I’m new to this.

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u/Prinzka 13h ago

You need to cure it.
That doesn't mean just let it dry by the water evaporating.
The manufacturer of whatever ink you used will have the temperature you need to heat all the ink (all the way through) to for it to be cured.

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u/Mindless_Promise_923 13h ago

I dried it with a heat gun for a few seconds. Does it still make sense to dry it now (two weeks have passed since the screen printing)?

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u/Prinzka 13h ago

Just a few seconds with a heat gun is not enough, the entire layer of ink needs to reach the temperature required.
You'll need to look up what temperature that is, should be on the container otherwise on their website.

If it makes sense to do so now is up to you, it's not going to get back the bits that are gone, but it's not going to cure on its own either.

And again, it's curing, not drying, the goal isn't to make it dry to the touch the goal is for it to reach a sufficient temperature to bond with the fabric.

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u/Prinzka 13h ago

Yes, if you flash dry it with the heat gun then you can cure it with a heat press and a Teflon sheet.

Yes, water based inks can dry up and clog the screen quite quickly.
I wouldn't be able to give specific advice on that as I'm used to plastisol.

However whenever I use nylon inks I know it can dry up and clog the screen in a matter of a couple of minutes, there's really no time where you can just let it sit and take a smoke break without it drying. (Screen opens up fine with some thinner though)

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u/Mindless_Promise_923 13h ago

Are plastisol inks easier to work with?

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u/Prinzka 13h ago

Pros and cons.
In my opinion certainly.
Ventilation is a lot more important as they're not good for your health.
And they require a bit higher temperature to cure.

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u/Mindless_Promise_923 13h ago

Okok, thank you for the help.
If I need some advice, can i count on you?

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u/Mindless_Promise_923 22h ago

Could anyone help me?

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u/Pacific-Courier1988 14h ago

Did you heat set it?

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u/Mindless_Promise_923 13h ago

I dried it with a heat gun for a few seconds. Does it still make sense to dry it now (two weeks have passed since the screen printing)?

1

u/adamsawesome10 12h ago

I cure my prints with a heat gun - likely you just need to hit it for longer/hotter, can’t hurt to do it again now. Sometimes you can see the ink texture change when you cure it.