FAQ

Supplies typically ship the same day when orders are placed before 3:00 PM PST (Please see lead times next to the checkout button on product pages as some products are specialty and may be dropped shipped from the vendor. Also live inventory exists below the checkout button as well [usually - we are human, and don’t always catch things in time. Be a pal, and help us catch that])

For equipment, please check the lead times that exist below the checkout button on product pages.

We have a number of warehouses (WA, & TX). Typically, your items will ship from the closest warehouse it is in stock in. (Also please note the lead times or if the product is being drop shipped)

It depends on the following items:

1. Supplies — It may be shipping from a separate warehouse: see detailed tracking below tracking number 
2. Equipment — Be sure to remember the lead time; it could still be being built or shipped on a separate tracking number

It's possible that your order is shipping from more than 1 location. An email is sent each time a part of your order has shipped. If the item that's missing was not listed on the shipping confirmation email it is likely coming separately. 

You can use the live chat function on our website to speak with a live team member or call us at 1-800-314-6390. One of our reps will happily help you find out what is going on.

Most Likely. Sometimes you just need to plug in the tracking number on the carrier's website, especially if it is shipping freight. Email us at success@ryonet.com if you can’t bring it up, and we’ll help you out!

Please read this blog to learn more about the essential supplies and equipment needed to get your screen print business off the ground. https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/a-check-list-for-equipment-and-supplies-needed-to-start-up-a-screen-print-shop

We can help you with that! Please allow us one business day to get the information together, and then we will share it with you for your consideration.

You can contact us through our chats, emailing us at success@ryonet.com, or by calling in 800-314-6390

We are sorry but, no.  Tax exemptions must be in place prior to the order being processed. 

- Promo codes can only be used once per customer.
- Promo codes cannot be used in combination with other sales, events, or codes.

- The wattage. Riley Flash Dryers have higher wattage compared to Ryo Flash Dryers.

- Higher wattage means less time waiting for the flash to heat up.

- Riley flashes come with on/off switches and more robust stands.

- Depends on the flash you are looking at and how much power you have.

- Ryo 16x16 works on a standard household plug, 120v 15 amps (standard house socket).

- Larger flashes (like the Riley) have specific power requirements and sockets, so check the specs on the product page.

- See plug type in product specs on the flash’s product page. This is a good visual to check your outlet and see if they are compatible.

The Riley JR is no longer available. We are looking back towards our racing roots. Enter the 150, 250, 300, 350 Riley Hopkins Presses.

• Riley 150
  
• It’s a high-quality, economical starting press for new screen printers.
  
• It’s lightweight, which is perfect for live printing events.
  
• You will eventually outgrow the 150, but it will still remain a useful tool in your arsenal for one-color jobs, live printing, tag printing, etc.
  
• Riley JR is now the Riley 250 with some upgrades.
  
• Upgraded laser cut print heads featuring an additional no-tool tilt adjustment. 
  
• Ratchet locking levers instead of knobs.
  
• Paint — back in black baby!
  
• The main difference between the Riley 150 and the 250 is the features. The 250 has micros and locking levers whereas the 150 does not. Again, the 150 is great for new printers while the 250 is best for printers looking to get serious about their business but do not have the budget for a larger press.
  
• Riley 300 
  
• The latest rendition of the tried and true Riley Win, but better.
  
• Laser cut printheads. 
  
• XYZ registration. 
  
• Self standing press — no table needed.
  
• Truly the centerpiece of every manual shop.
  
• Best press for manual shop setups.
  
• Riley 350
  
• The ROQ auto printshop’s manual press.
  
• Best bought if you already have a ROQ Auto press or plan to have a ROQ in the future.
  
• Allows for easy transition of pallets between the ROQ auto and manual press.
  
• Requires side clamps for screens smaller than 23x31.
  
• Essentially, it's a Riley 300 with ROQ arms.
  

Riley Hopkins Conveyor Dryers are made by BBC.

• The main difference between Riley Hopkins and BBC conveyor dryers are the belt widths. A Riley has a 24” belt while the Little Buddy has an 18” belt. Riley Hopkins Conveyor Dryers were designed with the screen printer in mind.
  

It’ll depend on your situation.

• Are you running the vent piping to the outside?
  
• No? A three foot stack going straight up will add additional ventilation. As heat rises, it pulls moisture out from the dryer.
  
• Yes? How far you are running the exhaust and how many bends does the exhaust fan make?
  
• Long run, it’s best to have a fan.
  
• Lots of bends, a fan at each bend is ideal.
  
• Check in with your local HVAC if you have any questions. 
  

• What's the voltage of your house?
• Does it match the requirement of the equipment?
• What about the Amperage?
• If no, then no.

Here is a great link for setting up off contact and registration

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-register-a-multicolor-print-on-the-riley-hopkins-150-press

The best means for help is to submit a support ticket with solutionsforscreenprinters.com
They’re the software manufacturer and know this software like the back of their hands! 

It means that the all black ink feature is no longer available. 

• Does this mean I can no longer print? No — you will still be able to print, but the printer will only be pulling ink from the one black cartridge.
  

• Buying refill ink and supplies from Freehand?
  
• Get another year of FREE use. Freehand offers a Rewards Points System where the points eventually add up to a FREE ABI license. For every two dollars spent on essential supplies and software, get one reward point. Achieve 175 points by purchasing $350.00 of supplies in a single year, then your account is automatically awarded a free ABI license. Current Rewards Points are displayed in your “MY ACCOUNT.” Log in to check.
  If you have already achieved 175 points you will see a free ABI license serial number waiting.
  
• Don’t have enough points yet? Purchase some essential supplies today to reach the goal of 175 points. Then visit your account on Freehand after checkout.
  
• Don’t want to purchase Freehand supplies? Like supplies from another supplier? A NEW ABI license can be purchased directly from Freehand for $175.00.
  
• Buying Dmax ink and film from us?
  
• Give us a call at 1-800-314-6390. For every $350 spent on D’max ink and film in a single year, we can ask Freehand to add the free license to your Freehand account.
  

Yes, we are an authorized seller of Freehand products. That being said, we are not their product experts. Why not seek answers from the pros? They make the product, so they know the product. They also have a team dedicated to solving any issue with their products.

• Rite Film has a high-quality coating that allows the inkjet ink to stay on the film and layer for optimal density. The coating is also long-lasting and durable to be exposed multiple times for repeat job setups.
• Econo Film has the same coating as Rite, but it’s a thinner deposit. The thinner deposit still allows for optimal inkjet ink density, but is ideal for shops who rarely reuse film.

There are a multitude of issues that have popped up regarding the Dmax Cartridges and the Pixma Pro-100. Here we will describe and address some of the more frequently encountered. Ultimately these issues come down to determining whether this is an issue with the DMax Cartridges or the Printer - to do this
- Pull all the carts out from right to left, Power down the printer, unplug power, hold the power button for 10 sec, plug back in, turn on, and install OEM (Canon) cartridges. 
- If the error doesn't clear, power cycle the printer again (turn off and then back on). If this doesn't clear the error, Call Canon - 800-652-2666 - as this is an internal error from the printer that we cannot support. 
- If it does come down to calling canon, please let us know Canon's resolution. 
- If the error does clear, the issue can be pointed to the D’max Cartridges, which then should be replaced with another manufacturer's cartridges. Let us know your results.

Streaking/Banding - This is due to low ink, clogged printhead, something caught on the printhead (hair, dust, etc), printhead out of alignment

• Check ink levels

• Run printhead alignment

• Manually clean print head with Amaze Ink

Not laying ink down - This is due to either low ink or a clogged print head

• Check ink levels

• Manually clean printhead with Amaze Ink

Job sent to printer but not printing - This it usually a corrupt driver or a ripcore error

• Clear print queue 

• In AccuRIP, Change green toggle to red then back to green

• Delete and reinstall printer and AccuRIP driver

Printer just feeding paper through and not printing - This it usually a corrupt driver or a ripcore error

• Delete and reinstall printer and AccuRIP driver

• Try printing directly to the printer

• If it prints, submit a support ticket with Freehand

• https://softwareforscreenprinters.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

• If it justs feeds the paper through, contact Canon

• Canon: 1-800-652-2666

Dmax cartridges/light issues - Please refer to this link below https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART152956

Solid white with flashing amber

• This set is pretty straightforward. The only one to watch out for is when the printer is flashing 13 amber lights

• Press and hold the resume button for 5 sec to clear the error - this may have to be done 8 times in a row as it needs to be done for each cartridge that has the error.

• Choosing an exposure unit will depend on your budget and what kind of prints you plan to do. You definitely should get an exposure unit that at least has LED bulbs (check out this article to learn why LED is the new standard).  https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/led-exposure-new-standard 
• Another factor you’ll run into is whether you should get an exposure unit with a compression or a vacuum lid. This blog goes in depth between the two, but again, your budget and prints will determine which unit to get. Have a low budget and/or plan to print mainly spot color prints? A compression unit will work great. If you have a bigger budget and/or plan to do highly detailed prints, you’ll need a vacuum unit. https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/compression-vs-vacuum-exposure-units

Check out this blog to educate yourself on the different kinds of bulbs out there to determine what bulbs you WANT to use to expose a screen with.  https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/led-exposure-new-standard 
We’re currently working on upgrading our entry level exposure units, so stay tuned!

Picking an emulsion will depend on your darkroom, inks, and exposure unit. This blog goes in-depth on how to pick an emulsion. https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/which-emulsion-is-right-for-me 
What ink are you using?

• Use an emulsion that is designed for the ink you are using. Make sure it will work with your exposure unit.
  
• Do note that some emulsions cover a wide array of inks while others are ink specific.
  

• No vacuum? Using multiple fluorescent tubes or blacklights?
  
• Use an emulsion made for your inks that is a dual cure or uses diazo.
  
• Newer LED and a vacuum?
  
• You can use pretty much any emulsion available that fits your ink needs.
  
• Depending on the light safe part of your dark room, we recommend always choosing an emulsion that works with you and your darkroom set up.
  

A number of factors may determine why screens aren’t burning correctly. If you’re new to the process, please read the following blogs. Otherwise, let’s look at the most common issues.
https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/going-over-the-basics-coating-screens 
https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/which-emulsion-is-right-for-me 
https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/the-darkroom-process-film-emulsion-density-exposing-and-washout 
https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/screen-making-101-make-a-screen-screen-printing 
https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/exposure-calculator-2 
I can’t get the emulsion to stick.

• Did you degrease your screen? Degreaser will remove oils and other contaminants that hinder emulsion from adhering to the screen. 
  
• Did you use an exposure calculator to help dial in your exposure times?  If so, what does it read?
  
• A properly burned screen will wash out to the seventh mark on the exposure calculator.
  
• Underexposed screens will bubble and release from the mesh during rinse out. You’d be able to wash past the seventh mark on the calculator.
  
• Overexposed screens will not completely wash out finer detail. You’ll also know it’s overexposed if you can’t wash out to the seventh mark. 
  
• What side of the screen did you try to spray out the image from?
  
• Only spray out from the t-shirt side. Spraying out from the squeegee side may cause the emulsion to release from the mesh.
  

• What are you using to print your films?
  
• Using RIP software?
  
• If your film positive is not dense enough, it will not stop the light and therefore, the image will not properly expose.
  
• If your film positive does not have built in UV-blocking ingredients, then it will not stop the light. Again, the image will not properly expose to the screen.
  
• What kind of exposure unit do you have?
  
• Is it a compression lid exposure unit?
  
• If you do not have enough positive contact between the film, the glass, and the emulsion, light can creep around the edges and make the image very difficult or impossible to spray out.
  
• Is the area where you store your screens 100% light safe?
  
• Light leakage will pre-expose the surface of the emulsion, making it close to impossible to spray out an image.
  
• Did you bring the screen out into direct light at any point?
  
• Direct light will pre-expose the emulsion, making it close to impossible to spray out an image.
  
• Are you using the 21 step grayscale calculator?
  
• If so, what step did it rinse out to?
  
• If the exposure strip did not spray out at all, you probably have light leakage where you are storing your screens.
  
• If you could spray it out — was it easy or difficult?
  
• If it was easy, then your films are probably not dark enough.
  
• If it was difficult, then you probably have light leakage.
  
• How long ago did you coat the screen you are exposing?
  
• Coated screens have a shelf life of up to six weeks. We usually advise to not keep a screen coated for more than four weeks to make sure they are always in optimal condition.
  
• Are you using high water pressure to spray out the image?
  
• Low water pressure takes far longer to rinse out an image compared to higher pressure devices.
  

• You either have bad emulsion, which is rare, or something has been overlooked in your darkroom processes.
  
• We recommend going through our blogs and videos to see if there is anything different between your setup and what’s shown. You might discover the source of the issues.
  
• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/going-over-the-basics-coating-screens 
  
• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/which-emulsion-is-right-for-me 
  
• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/the-darkroom-process-film-emulsion-density-exposing-and-washout 
  
• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/screen-making-101-make-a-screen-screen-printing 
  

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/screen-making-101-make-a-screen-screen-printing 
Easiest way to maintain a dry darkroom is to use a dehumidifier.

• If you live in a very humid area, like the southern part of the U.S., you may need to leave the dehumidifier on ALL THE TIME. You will need to connect a drainage hose to the dehumidifier so it does not fill up and stop working.
  

• When a dehumidifier is running, it will typically give off enough heat to warm up the space by itself.
  

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-dry-reclaimed-screens-and-build-a-drying-cabinet 

If your darkroom, the space where you dry and store coated screens, is too humid, the screens will not be dry enough to properly expose. Screens that are not correctly exposed will experience on-press breakdown of the emulsion and difficulty in reclaiming the screens.

The dehumidifier will pull moisture from the room, creating an optimal environment for drying coated screens, which will help create an optimal stencil.

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/screen-making-101-make-a-screen-screen-printing 

You want your darkroom to be as dry as humanly possible.

You want to be at least below 40% humidity.

Unless you are running an inkjet direct to screen, there is zero drawback to being at 20% humidity or lower.

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-dry-reclaimed-screens-and-build-a-drying-cabinet 

A hygrometer is a tool for checking relative humidity and temperature and is considered an essential tool for every dark room.

You can pick one up from hardware stores or online marketplaces like Amazon.

• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-dry-reclaimed-screens-and-build-a-drying-cabinet 
• Until it is bone dry: You do not want any moisture left in the emulsion before exposing.
• How long it takes to completely dry a screen is 100% dependent on the dryness of your room / the space the screens are drying in.
• If you are in a space with fans, 80° temps, and 30% humidity, you can have a single screen done in under 30 minutes.  
• If your space is 80°, no fans, 60%+ humidity, you may never have a screen that is dry enough to expose.

• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-dry-reclaimed-screens-and-build-a-drying-cabinet 
• Always place screen(s) parallel to the floor - in a rack is a great place.
• Always place screens so the squeegee side is up and the t-shirt side is down.
• You want fans blowing warm dry air directly over the emulsion/coated screen.
• You want to make the space AS DRY as possible — below 40% humidity. To do this you need a dehumidifier.
• You want the space to be warm, around 80° is good, but can be done at 70° or 90°.
• The heat and fans will actively evaporate the moisture from the emulsion and the dehumidifier will keep the space as dry as possible, allowing the emulsion to evaporate quicker.

• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/the-darkroom-process-film-emulsion-density-exposing-and-washout 
• After exposing and removing the film, place the screen in the washout area. Wet the screen on both sides with a hose. Using a shower spray type attachment is best. Let the screen soak for a little bit, about 10-30 seconds (maybe longer depending on emulsion thickness); you can keep spraying gentle water during this time. Then use high pressure, either with a strong spray attachment, fan spray, or a pressure washer. A pressure washer is HIGHLY recommended. Spray from the t-shirt side of the screen only. Do not use any kind of water pressure on the squeegee side. There’s a high chance of blowing out the image if you spray on the squeegee side. Continue to spray out the image from the t-shirt side until the image is completely resolved.

• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/the-darkroom-process-film-emulsion-density-exposing-and-washout 
• As unexposed emulsion soaks up water, the emulsion starts to fall off the screen.  Using higher pressure quickens that process. 
• Using the pressure washer actively removes the unexposed emulsion quickly, which is important when rinsing out fine details and dots. Why? As a screen is being rinsed out, the emulsion (exposed and not exposed) soaks up water. As it soaks, it expands. The expansion can actually close up small details, so using a pressure washer is like hitting a fast forward button: it’ll rinse out the details before the exposed emulsion can swell.

• While the Drying Cabinet is an amazing tool for quickly drying screens, it is bringing in air from outside the box. If the air outside the box is humid or full of moisture, it will be difficult for the coated screen to evaporate. It may take hours for the screens to completely dry.
• If the outside air is dry, the emulsion can evaporate easily. Screens may be ready in as little as 20 minutes.
• Check out this blog to learn more about Screen Room Drying Cabinet: https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/what-a-screen-drying-cabinet-does-for-your-darkroom 

Check out this blog: it goes in-depth about selecting mesh counts. https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/mesh-count-and-you 

Think of mesh counts being like monitor or TV resolutions.

• 110 and lower are like old original tube TVs.
  
• 136–150 are big tube TVs.
  
• 180–200 is the first flat panel TV.
  
• 230–280 is 1080HD–4k.
  
• 305–355 is 8k.

• To select a mesh, take your LPI and multiply by 4 or 5.
  
• For example, say your design has 45 LPI halftones 45x4=180. 45x5=225. The result is the mesh count you should use. 
  
• How do you choose between the 180 or 225? It depends on your setup and habits.The better your exposure unit, the better your detail resolution will be on lower mesh like the 180. If you are still new, you’d want to use a 230 mesh.
  
• On the other side of the coin, you can figure out the LPI based on the mesh you want to use.
  
• Divide the mesh count by 4 or 5 to get your maximum LPI you can expose.
  

Independent of mesh manufacturers, there are two main types of mesh in use today.

• Standard mesh or also known as Hi-Tex
  
• It’s the most common type of thread. 
  
• Compared to thin thread, standard mesh is thicker. 
  
• The threads can hold high tension levels and are more resistant to tearing and popping while on the press, compared to thin thread meshes.
  
• Thin Thread
  
• Although Thin Thread mesh has been on the market for decades, it wasn't until high solids acrylic water-based ink became so prominent that it grabbed a larger footprint in the US market.
  
• Its thinner thread profile and wider dimensional openings allow water-based inks to flow through easily. 
  
• When printing water base and evaporative inks, printers experience less screen clogging compared to standard mesh. 
  
• Thin thread mesh lets you maintain and print higher levels of detail. 
  
• Emulsion and ink are not restrained since the threads take up less space.
  
• Thin Thread is more delicate and takes extra care when handling, but creates a superior ink deposit with both water-based and plastisol inks.
  
• Once your shop personnel have adjusted to handling it, it's very easy to run a full production shop with it.
  

Good mesh tension is at least 20 newtons.
Better mesh tension is closer to 25 newtons
Best mesh tension is at or above 25 Newtons.
What does this mean?

• Good: Static frames will lose tension over time.There is nothing we can do about that. At a certain point, the mesh tension will be too low to create a good print.
  
• At that point, you can either recycle the aluminum frame and buy new screens or stack a bunch together on a pallet and ship out to get remeshed. You would pay to have them restretched and pay to have them shipped back. It’s a long process.
  
• Better: Using frames like the ECO Frames makes re-meshing screens simple and easy to do in-house. If a panel gets too low in tension, pop it out and put in a new one. In 12 hours, you can degrease and get the screen ready for production.
  
• Best: The best way to maintain high mesh tension is to use roller frames. 
  
• While they have great mesh tension, you need to have good knowledge about the frames because there is a maintenance barrier.
  

High tension mesh just prints better.  

• Prints are cleaner and sharper.
  
• Far less snapping up or popping sounds from mesh after flashing or printing wet on wet.
  
• It's like asking why the sports car is so much better at going fast compared to a Chevy Bolt — it's designed to be FAST and BETTER.
  

Water-based adhesive, Read more here: https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/why-water-based-adhesive-is-a-better-screen-print-adhesive

• A number of reasons (check out this blog if you’d like to learn more). Overall, water-based pallet adhesive is cleaner, leaves no residue on garments, and lasts a long time.
• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/why-water-based-adhesive-is-a-better-screen-print-adhesive 
• If you’ve never used water-based adhesive, check out this blog to learn more about the process: https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/tips-and-tricks-for-using-a-water-based-pallet-adhesive

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/happy-earth-day-project-376-is-here 
In our attempt to make screen printing a more chemically friendly environment, we have been phasing out all aerosol propellant products like spray glue. Water-based adhesive, like Sgreen® Adhesive, has proven to be just as effective as aerosol spray glue in print shops over the last 20+ years.

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-handle-white-plastisol-inks-in-cooler-temperatures 
There could be several factors involved in your white ink being difficult to print.  Before you try to make adjustments, know that white ink has to be thicker than all other colors. If you try to make the ink thinner and easier to print, the opacity and coverage of that ink can diminish drastically. It may even look faded or vintage.  What's the process to figure out if the ink is too thick to print? First, warm the ink up to production temps, which is around 80° or warmer. If the ink is still too difficult to print, add a little curable reducer to lower the viscosity. Try 1-3% at first and do not exceed 5% by weight. Test print while the ink is still warm to confirm.  

• If you tried to add a reducer while the ink is cold, you would end up adding WAY too much reducer in your effort to make it easier to print and thereby reducing the inks coverage and opacity dramatically.
  

• Short-bodied ink like FN-INK™. 
  
• Long-bodied ink like Wilflex.
  
• Long-bodied inks need to be warm to print well and are generally stiffer inks when cold and in the bucket.
  

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-printing-with-plastisol-ink 
https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/is-water-based-printing-right-for-you
Video
Think oil and water

• Plastisol is an oil-based ink.
  
• Water-based is an ink made and dispersed with water.
  

• Plastisol is typically thicker than water-based ink. 
  
• Plastisol can be left in a screen for extended periods of time and still be able to be printed.
  
• Plastisol needs to heat up and hit cure temp all the way through, which can be accomplished quickly.
  
• Water-based is typically runny and very creamy.  
  
• It will also dry on the screen quickly (spray bottle of water with fine mist will help this issue).
  
• To cure water-based ink, you must first evaporate all moisture, then bring the ink up to cure temp. You must hold it at cure temp for 30 seconds.  Curing water-based ink is 2x-3x longer than curing plastisol.
  
• Adding warp drive helps ensure the ink has been fully cured.
  

• Water-based is softer, thinner, and far more pliable and tends to have a more matte finish compared to plastisol.
  
• It has more of a fashion feel.
  
• In general, plastisol is heavier and thicker on the garment and tends to have a glossier look. 
  

• Plastisol requires chemicals to clean up.
  
• Water-based can be cleaned with a detergent (i.e. Dawn) and water.
  

Now there’s a loaded question!

• There are too many variables to determine this number:
  
• The size or total area of coverage of the print?
• mesh count?
• how many strokes?
• pressure
• type of ink
• squeegee angle
• squeegee durometer
• garment thickness
• garment type
• ink temperature
• print/flash/print of the ink, etc.
• Whew!.... All of these factors have to be considered, which means we can’t put a number on it.
  

FN-INK™ is short-bodied, creamier, and easier to print compared to the Wilflex Epic. FN-INK™ also has a much softer hand feel.

• Since FN-INK™ is low cure, there’s potential for faster cure times.
  
• FN-INK™ is best to directly print on cotton only. If you’re printing on poly or poly blends, use a poly or low bleed underbase.
  

• Epic colors are cotton only.
  
• It can be printed over Epic Perfect White when printing on poly blends
  

Base: a finished ink designed to have color concentrates or pigments added.

• It can be printed and cured by itself without any colors added.
  
• Think clear bases, puff base, high density base etc.
  

• In general: Additives cannot be printed by itself: it will not cure properly.
  
• Think Puff additive - add 10%-20% to an ink for a puff effect
  
• Think Stretch Additive - add 25% to improve the elasticity/stretch of a finished ink
  
• There are a couple exceptions to this - but check first.
  

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-screen-print-white-fn-ink%E2%84%A2-with-a-smooth-screen 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNXuo9yAyFk&feature=emb_logo 
When printing white ink (but this can happen with all inks), you can sometimes see the shirt fibers stick up through the ink, making the print fuzzy or rough. Fibers stick up usually because the screen mesh is sticking in the ink as the squeegee moves over the design. The screen needs to snap off the image (ink deposit) as soon as the squeegee goes over it. If it does not, then it will pull up the shirt fibers and ink surface with it. The easy fix is to increase off contact until the screen snaps off the design quickly.

• If the screen is sticking to the ink/shirt/substrate, it’s usually due to one or two reasons (or maybe both)— 
  
• Poor screen tension: the screen can’t snap off the print.
  
• Off-contact is too low: the screen can’t snap off since there is nowhere to go.
  
• If that’s not the case, your emulsion coating/stencil could be too thin and you are not able to deposit enough ink.
  

• You have a few options to smooth out prints.
• One way is to make a smoothing screen. A smoothing screen mattes down the fibers of the shirt. Smoothing the print helps boost the vibrancy of the ink. To make a smoothing screen, all you need to do is grab either a 200 or 230 mesh screen, coat the screen with emulsion, expose it without any imagery on it, and place it on the press as a blank screen. You're going to need a lubricant like Curable Reducer. When using the smoothing screen, you'll want to use enough pressure to flatten the fibers, but not too much where you're jamming it in. https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-screen-print-white-fn-ink%E2%84%A2-with-a-smooth-screen 
• Do you have a heat press in your shop? A heat press can make a print buttery smooth if you do it right, or it can make it too smooth (making it look more like a heat transfer). Many printers are under the impression that the ink needs to hit cure temp in order to smooth it out. That’s not true. To smooth out a print, all you have to do is get the ink warm enough to be pliable. Say you want to smooth out an ink that cures at 320°. Set the heat press to 270° with light or medium pressure and press for five seconds. The print will be smooth while still maintaining the screen-print look. Now, these exact settings will not apply to every heat press and shop. Press time can range from 3-7 seconds. The heat may need to be adjusted. In the end, your goal is to apply the right amount of pressure and heat to press down the fibers. If the pressure or heat is too high, the heat press will push the ink into the fibers, thinning out the ink deposit. The thinner, flatter print will look more like a heat transfer. https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/teflon-sheet-uses-in-screen-printing

While a general statement of 1/8 inch off contact is usually thrown around here.  It does not mean that 1/8 will work for you. 

• What we really want to see is enough off contact so that the screen snaps off the print as quickly as possible.  If the screen is sticking to your print at 1/8 then you need to slowly increase your off contact UNTIL the screen does snap off.
  
• If you find you need to create exceptional off contact, your screen tension is probably too low and you should replace the screen soon.
  

• https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/when-to-use-discharge-ink-and-when-not-to 
• Before even considering discharge printing, you need to have two things in place — ventilation and a conveyor dryer. During the curing process, the sulfur that’s in the discharge agent binds with the formaldehyde to make an inert molecule. Not all formaldehyde and sulfur will bond together. Because of this fact, it is VERY IMPORTANT to have excellent ventilation in your working space and to vent the fumes from the conveyor dryer to the outside.
• If you have the ideal setup, you’ll also need a water-resistant and discharge-ready emulsion. You will need to identify if you're doing a discharge clear or a discharge color. You will also need a discharge activator.
• Many other factors affect discharge printing like the type of t-shirt material you’re printing on.

Note: The exact recipe really comes down to personal preference.

• The great thing about tonals of the same mix is that they can be used on any color garment.
  
• A tone-on-tone print typically has a vintage look or has a super soft feel; therefore, you should use a soft ink — inks like fashion soft or a softhand base plus fashion soft are a great start.
  
• From there, decide if you want the tonal to be a slightly darker shade or a slightly lighter shade.
  
• If you choose darker, add a bit less than 10% of black to your soft hand mix. Do a test print. The advantage is that you can tailor the ink to your tastes or to your customers’ preference. There is no wrong percentage here.
  
• If you want a lighter toanal print, add white instead of black and test.
• Again, there is no wrong way to do this.
  

Use the squeegee that you are most comfortable with since your control and comfort will have more of an impact than using a squeegee you are unfamiliar with.

• With that said, using a blade, like a 70 durometer, will allow for enough control that you are not laying down too much ink, but is still soft enough to lay down enough ink.
  
• Side note: The smaller a squeegee, the more pressure or down force you can apply over the width of the blade. The bigger the squeegee, the less pressure you can apply over the width of the blade. If you are experiencing issues with a smaller squeegee, going to a 70/90/70 blade may be helpful.
  

The harder your squeegee is, the more you are cutting the ink and making the ink deposit thinner on the garment. Now, while a hard squeegee may cut the ink easier, the ink deposit may not be thick enough. With a harder squeegee it will be more difficult and you will have to work harder to create a bright ink deposit or an ink deposit that covers the fabric well enough.

It may be happening due to a few reasons:

• The most common issue is the shirt fibers are coming loose during wash and are poking through the print, which is normal with thinner ink deposits.
  
• To correctly make this determination, look very closely at the print and look for shirt fibers.
  
• You can also use a magnifying glass, loop, or your phone to zoom in on the print area.
  
• The other possibility is that the ink is undercured and has started to fall off the garment.
  

It’s an under cure issue.

• Go back and test how you are checking heat within the ink layer.
  
• Plastisol needs to reach cure temp from the top of the ink down to the VERY BOTTOM of the ink layer.
  
• Water-based needs to first evaporate ALL moisture from the ink, then reach cure temp all the way through the ink layer, and then hold it there for about 30 seconds.
  

https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/ensuring-proper-ink-curing 

If you don’t have forced air equipment, you need to use Warp Drive. It’s an ink additive that chemically cures the ink in 48 hours. Add it to the water-based ink, print, evaporate all the moisture from the ink, and set the shirt aside for 48 hours. Do a wash test and make adjustments as needed.

First off, a stretch test isn’t an all-tell test on whether or not the ink is cured. It shows if the top layer of ink is fused enough for the top layer to stretch. 

• Side note:  You always want to do a wash test as well to confirm the ink is cured. When you notice ink cracking, you need to determine whether it’s ink film split or undercure.

• Ink film splitting is where the ink layer is thin and/or it doesn’t have enough support from the gearment, so the ink splits. The cracks would be in the same area and following the weave of the garment. Undercured ink shows up more like a shatter pattern; if you tug on the ink deposit, it will “shatter.”

You could also add a little stretch additive or stretch ink to help the ink layer not crack on the stretchier garments.

• It’s most likely that the ink deposit is too thin and you are seeing ink film split, Ink film split is where the ink layer is thin and it doesn’t have enough support (from the shirt fibers or shirt mass) so when the ink is stretched to its maximum - the ink splits. The cracks are typically fairly small and would be following the weave of the garment in between the shirt ridges.
• It could be undercured - Ink will not necessarily crack if it is really close to being cured - this is where a thicker ink layer will stretch on the surface - but the bottom is not completely attached to the fabric.  The only way to test is to wash the garment several times and look at the print closely after each wash cycle.

Undercured ink shows up more like a shatter pattern; if you tug on the ink deposit, it will “shatter.”

Typically the ink will crack if it is undercured.

• While it is difficult to directly measure how hot the ink is when using a flash unit to cure, it is 100% doable.
  

It's very difficult to actually over-cure plastisol ink, but it is easy to get the ink hotter than is needed. If you overheat an ink, you may notice one of few things: 

• If you heat up the ink too hot, over a long time, the ink will become brittle. Although, you will see the shirt scorch or burn long before the ink becomes brittle.
  
• With some inks, overheating the ink will result in micro bubbles breaking up the ink surface — almost looking frothy. The hotter it gets, the more it bubbles.
  
• Other inks will get very glossy. While gloss on a cured ink is a fairly normal thing, it quickly becomes obvious when the inks are too hot as it starts to look almost glassy.
  

When dye migration (bleeding) happens, it happens 99% of the time on garments with polyester threads.

• Dye migration happens because of how polyester thread is colored. 
  
• The dye house can "set" the dyes in the fabric with higher heat (pricier) or lower heat (cheaper).
  
• How the dyes are set will directly affect how easily the garment will bleed.
  
• Low heat settings = lots of dye migration and bleeding issues.
  
• High heat settings = a temperature-stable garment with fewer issues, if any.
  
• When you cure ink, you heat it up to the point where the fabric gets hot enough to possibly release those dyes. How the dye was set will produce different results: 
  
• Low heat fabric causes heavy bleed (dye migration) issues with the print.
  
• High heat fabric creates a stable print that should not bleed.
  

There are a couple ways to stop bleeding:

• Use the appropriate ink with dye blocking or low bleed properties
  
• Examples of appropriate inks: 
  
• Low bleed whites
  
• Low cure low bleed whites
  
• Polyester whites
  
• In extreme cases, a dye blocker base
  
• Cure the ink deposit at a low enough temperature that it does not excite the fabric and cause dye migration. A low cure, low bleed or polyester ink would help tremendously.
  
• Sometimes you HAVE to use a dye blocker grey or dye blocker black to stop the dye migration
• If possible, source better fabric or garments.
  

You need a dye blocker base when you are printing on the following fabrics:

• Anything that is dye sublimated
  
• Pro tip: There are some dye sublimated garments that you can not stop the dye migration on.
  
• Unknown polyester quality
  
• Whenever you are printing on 100% polyester - and unfortunately, some polyester blends - you want to test the garment to see which ink produces the best results for that garment. Continue testing on different garments until you have a catalog of good and bad polyester brands and fabrics.
  
• You can also reach out to the garment manufacturer for what they recommend.
•  If you see any dye migration during testing, you’ll need a blocker base.
  

• Every garment distributor has a list of ways to print and recommended inks to decorate the garments they sell. If you do not know, contact your vendor or the manufacturer and ask them what they have found in their testing
• If you cannot get the information you need from in your searches, then the only way to know for sure is through testing in your shop under your conditions and possibly feedback from other printers.
• If you’re unsure and you do not have time to test, use a blocker base to avoid any possibility of dye migration.

Due to the nature of the screen printing business, we realize that many times our customers are relying on our products and shipments to produce time sensitive orders. The Ryonet shipping department has a + 98% shipment accuracy rating, but from time to time something may be missed or the wrong item may be in an order. We ALWAYS rectify these problems immediately and re-ship the correct product via UPS Ground or USPS Priority Mail. Our strategically placed distribution centers can reach anywhere in the US in 2-3 business days using these methods of shipment. If an expedited shipping method was selected on the original order, then an expedited shipment method will be used to rectify the order.

If your product was damaged during shipping please call: 1-800-314-6390 or send an inquiry to our Support Team. ScreenPrinting.com and Ryonet offer a 30 Day Limited Return Policy. This return policy applies to all of our products and equipment unless otherwise specified on a particular product or piece of equipment. (All returns must be authorized.)

• Software/ Artwork, DVDs (any disc content) and Downloadable Content.

• Inkjet Printers

• Custom Pantone Matches

• Custom Equipment Configurations 

Returns are only accepted if a product has not been used, UNLESS authorized by a customer service representative. Return shipping charges are the responsibility of the customer. However, return shipping charges are not the responsibility of the customer if the item being returned was damaged in transit, received in error or the incorrect item was shipped. Original shipping charges will not be refunded/credited. Customers must contact Ryonet within 30 days of receiving a product if they desire to return it for a refund. All returns made after 30 days of receiving a product are ONLY eligible for in store credit. (All returns are subject to restocking fees.)

Due to processing, receiving and credit card fees a standard 20% restocking fee will be applied to all returns*

*Depending on the item, whether it has been used, the condition in which it is received, when the item was purchased, etc. this restocking fee is subject to change.

Please call or email us within 30 days of receiving your order:

• Phone: 800-314-6390

• Please send an inquiry to our Support Team

• Name and address that the order was placed under.
• Your invoice or original order number.
• Reason for which you are requesting to return.

Once this information is received (covered in: If you want to make a return) we will issue you a return authorization number. This information will be emailed to you along with the address to send your items back to. If you do not receive our email within 2 business days, please check your junk mail folder and notify us immediately. Once the return has been authorized, you will have 30 days to send back the return. If the return is not received within 30 days, you will need to go through the authorization process again.

Package your return carefully with your RMA# written on the outside of the box or visible on your return shipping label. We are not responsible for any damages that may occur when your return is in transit back to our location. Additional restocking fees may apply if damage occurs.

If you have ordered a product (such as a screen printing kit) and start using it only to find out that it isn't for you, what do you do? First, please contact us if you have any questions that we could answer. Also, be sure to let us know the condition of the product.

Another option for you is to sell it on Ebay or Craigslist.org. Screen printing products and equipment (especially packages) sell great on Ebay. If your package has been used and you would like to return it, placing an auction on Ebay is probably the best way to recoup your investment. By selling on Ebay, you can get over the fair market value for your product, you won't be charged a restocking fee, and the person buying it from you will pay for shipping-not you. If you need help doing this, please contact us and we would be happy to help you. Our goal is to ensure that all our customers are happy, you will not be disappointed!