Another new screen printing video has been uploaded to YouTube. This video is about using color inks as the under base rather than making a white printer and using white ink as an under base. The video is called, “How To Screen Print: Using Color Ink As An Under Base”.

Sometimes making a white under base printer is unnecessary. Especially on smaller print runs. This video explains how to use the same color you are printing on a dark shirt as its own under base. This technique can save a lot of time in set ups and screen making but can also cost time on the press if it is not done on a full rotary press. If you do it on a full rotary press where you have rotating pallets, then it is just the same as using a white under base and it will save time and set up materials.

If you are on a fixed station, 1 pallet press, then it will cost time on the press just as any white under base printing would because you do not have the ability to rotate the pallets allowing for flashing and cooling down. To better understand what I am referring to, please see this article, “Manual Rotary Screen Printing: How To Use A Tee Shirt Press”.

In the end it is always best to do what works well for you. Make sure you are happy with the quality of your printing if you intend on selling to customers. I happen to prefer the look of flash cured printing as opposed to printing wet. To me the print is much crisper and has a much more consistent ink surface. But I tend to be a perfectionist and sometimes that is not to good for production times…LOL.

Thanks for reading!