by Michael Best | Apr 11, 2024 | General interest
Apparently, for routine printing, many textile printers still use the one-and-one screen coating method. While that may be the most economical way of coating screens, if you consider that the cost of one coat of emulsion works out to be a few pennies, an extra coat on the print side will not break the bank.
And why would you apply an extra coat on the print side? Because it will give you prints with a much sharper edge.
So, if you are not already doing this, try this . . . a coat on the ink side, a coat on the print side, and dry the screen. Then add a coat on the print side. Everything else being equal, you will produce prints with sharper edges.
Sharper edges, sharper prints.
by Michael Best | Apr 8, 2024 | General interest
I’ve mentioned before that RGCS of Edinburgh puts out a weekly newsletter with useful computer tech tips. This is one caught my attention recently . . .
“If you use Microsoft Word on your desktop, it’s worth knowing that Word automatically saves versions of documents as you work even if you don’t, allowing you to save yourself time and trouble by recovering any unsaved documents. Here’s how this last-ditch lifesaver feature works:
In Word, go to ‘File’ > ‘info’ > ‘Manage Documents(s)’
Click on ‘Recover Unsaved Documents’ to see a list of documents that can be recovered.
Fingers crossed, your unsaved document can be resurrected.”
by Michael Best | Apr 4, 2024 | General interest
Sorching has happened from time-to-time to just about every textile printer I’ve known. In an extreme case, I was in a shop when garments burst into flames as they exited the dryer. Okay, so not all scorching episodes are bad enough to need a fire hose, but they do happen. So, I want to revisit some of the more common causes and offer solutions.
Scorching can happen if the dryer belt is too slow. The obvious solution is to speed the belt up a bit until you achieve curing of the ink without scorching the garment.
A dryer that is set too hot can scorch garments. Lowering the temperature to still achieve curing of the ink but avoid scorching the garment will solve this problem.
Placing the garments on the dryer belt improperly, such as not laying them down flat, can cause scorching. This is solved by making sure that the garments are placed down flat on the belt and that the print is fully exposed to the heating elements.
Over-flashing can result in the garments being scorched. Again, adjust the temperature and the time under the flash cure unit to achieve just a gelling of the ink; you don’t want to cure the ink under the flash-cure unit.
If you do have a scorching incident, sometimes spray-on scorch remover will work on white t’s and sweats. Stanley’s carries Tekmar’s excellent scorch remover. Be warned though… you should be careful to keep the scorch remover off your skin. It’s not deadly or anything like that, but if you do get it on yourself it will behave like a very concentrated peroxide and ‘bleach’ your skin if you don’t wash it off almost immediately.
by Michael Best | Apr 1, 2024 | General interest
It’s arguably the most hated job in the shop—spot-cleaning. But, sooner or later, even the most careful of textile printers need to do it. In fact, I can recall printers trying to remove entire prints in an attempt to recover garments; but that is another story for another day.
A number of years ago, Tekmar posted what is still one of the best spot-cleaning instructional videos available. I don’t have to say anything more about, except, click here . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugKrRK1X–k
If you need more information or need any of the equipment shown in the video, one of the Stanley’s branches can help: Cambridge at 1 877 205 9218; Calgary at 1 800 661 1553; Edmonton at 1 888 424 7446; and Richmond at 604 873 2451.
by Michael Best | Mar 28, 2024 | General interest
Imprint Canada has announced that they’re open for reserving exhibit space for three scheduled shows:
- Montreal on September 5th and 6th, 2024
- Calgary on September 20th and 21st, 2024
- Toronto on January 10th and 11th, 2025.
Whether you’re going to exhibit or attend, these are dates to note on your calendar.
Imprint Canada reports that 96 percent of buyers attending the shows rate them as good to excellent. When asked about the likelihood of returning the next year, 94 percent answered likely to absolutely.
