Best white ink. PERIOD

srimonogramming · June 5th, 2012, 10:56 PM

I used a gallon of the extreme a few months back and it was above average. It didn't knock my socks off but it did everything I wanted it to but it couldn't break into the rotation. If the Miami white flashes fast then I'd put it ahead of the extreme. I have been using the sprint white the last few gallons and like it a lot, but we go through so much white ink that if we can get great performance for almost half the price then I have to make that move.

CustomizedPrintables · June 5th, 2012, 11:32 PM

So my question is this an ink that is supposed to be applicable for 50/50's or strictly a 100% cotton ink? If the prior, how does it stack up against Street Fighter LB (which is what we use because of the price and gives us good results) and QCM 159 (which I've never used)? If it's just for 100% cotton, ignore the 2nd question.

Very interested in the flashing times as well for it -- SF, again, is quite good in this regard.

Prosperi-Tees · June 5th, 2012, 11:39 PM

Is there a big difference in printability between a 100% cotton white and a 50/50 white? I have never used a 100% cotton white before. I print quite a bit of 100% cotton and wondering if I'm fighting something I shouldn't have to by using a 50/50 white.

CustomizedPrintables · June 6th, 2012, 12:27 AM

Gerry,

The only 100% cotton white ink I've used is Union's Bright Cotton White, and we use quite a bit of it (runs $59.32/gallon after tax for me). It's short bodied out of the bucket in comparison to the 50/50's I've used (SF, Union's Diamond White, and Rutland's Maximum Plus) - very creamy and shears very easily - takes less pressure initially and I can use more speed from the very get go for us for it to clear the screen easily (after 20-50 shirts, I find the 50/50 inks become similar in ease of shearing). My take is that it lies down flatter than the 50/50 inks (but that may be obvious/a given to most of you guys). I'd highly recommend it if you want to give it a go on some 100% tees - it cleared the screens well with us on our Freedom without using the s-mesh or retensionables, which I believe is your setup -- so if you find yourself fighting white inks sometimes and you're printing a lot of 100%, I'd give it a go. It has a unique smell to it as well. It's a maxopake ink, but I don't find it has the opacity of Union's typical maxopake line. Any ink experts can chime in on that if they want.

Prosperi-Tees · June 6th, 2012, 12:46 AM

Thanks Brian for the input. I think I will give it a shot. I do find the 50/50 to print better and better as the run progresses so if 100% will print right from the get go that will be awesome.

srimonogramming · June 6th, 2012, 08:56 AM

Like Brian said, the low bleed whites tend to be thicker and harder to work with. The union bright cotton white is very creamy and easy to shear, which is what you need with that V squeegee. A good low bleed that's easier/creamier to try would be qcm 158. The 159 is very short bodied and doesn't shear as easy as the 158.

Gilligan · June 6th, 2012, 11:12 AM

And all those issues I was having yesterday Alan... were with Union Cotton White. LOL Maybe I'm just hopeless.

GraphicDisorder · June 6th, 2012, 03:40 PM

We use Wilflex. Love it.

srimonogramming · June 6th, 2012, 04:19 PM

You won't be hopeless for too much longer Gilly, you'll figure it out soon enough.

Printwizard · June 7th, 2012, 01:13 AM

I found the washability of the QCM 158 much better and even crack tests much better than the cotton whites. I used a bit of cotton white as it was cheaper, but I am sure it takes more heat to cure and as it cracked we slowed our belt and flash times down a bit. I get long life off the 158 and see shirts from seven or eight years ago, but I had seen one we ran on cotton three years ago and I'd be ashamed to admit printing it as it had cracked terribly.

The Chinese we use run their autos with two white screens, first down is an opaque white wi about 5% Lycra added which incidentally gives a flatter surface for any cmyk jobs, then they run the second white screen with a super bright white highlight that isn't opaque to run by itself, so two whites, and if you've got the room on the machine up their it's the way to go with their white ink. Seen that in a few shops up there.