Adding Low-Cure Catalyst to Water Based Ink for Screen Printing

If you're curing water based ink with a flash, heat guy, or even a small tabletop dryer, then you'll need to add a low-cure additive to the ink prior to printing. This allows you to cure at a lower temperature, which is great. You simply add 1.5% catalyst to the ink prior to printing. However, keep in mind that once the catalyst is added to the ink, the lifespan of the ink is only about 6-8 hours and then it should be thrown away. So be sure you don't mix until you're ready to print. The catalyst I use is called Warp Drive and it's from Green Galaxy. You can get it here from ‪@Ryonet‬: ssp.ink/warp-d...
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[@rmw603]

Great info. In the 48 hour period, do you stack shirts? Any handling concerns?

[@startupscreenprinting]

Typically no concerns like you would have with plastisol where you'd have a chance for ghosting when stacking hot shirts. One key is to make sure the shirts have a chance to cool prior to stacking and that's just good practice no matter the print type. With my situation, I hang the shirts up to avoid that but they also have a good amount of time to cool after curing since there are 3 stations between the flash and back to me. If you're using a conveyor and dropping the shirts into a box straight out of the oven, then you probably shouldn't leave them in there too long. A lot of shops will put a fan at the end of the dryer to cool the shirts quickly before they drop into a box. The bigger shops have a longer section of conveyor after the oven to allow for cool time. If you are like me and not using a conveyor, you can add a fan blowing air onto the stations after the flash to cool the shirts before you pull them off and stack them.

[@SPOOKYcrzy]

Does it make it easier to cure with a heat gun also, I don’t have a flash dryer but I just run in to problems with the ink cracking on the shirt

[@startupscreenprinting]

Yeah it lowers cure temp no matter how you heat it so it will certainly help

[@rmw603]

Have you tried water-base on 100% poly? Any tips?

[@startupscreenprinting]

Yup do it all the time. No issues just watch your heat when flashing or curing. Poly can cause dye migration and change colors of the shirt or the ink. If migration issues arise try a dye blocker.

[@rmw603]

@@startupscreenprinting thx man.

[@RavenSmith-oy8qt]

Thank you for explaining this so well. I am using my work email and I am a subscriber. I had a quick question, I know there are so many variables for how long a flash dryer is needed to get to 250, but do you have an estimate ? Is it 5 seconds? I don't have a temperature gauge thing to hold next to fabric. I need to buy one on pay day. Is there one you recommend? Thank you so much

[@startupscreenprinting]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful. So just any infrared temp gun should work fine, like this: amzn.to/3MrgIpt As for how long it takes to get the shirts to temp, it depends on how hot your platens are and what type of garment. If it's a hoodie/fleece, for example, it'll heat pretty fast, probably ranging from 5-10 seconds. If it's a tshirt, probably more like 20-30 seconds. If it's triblend and red, you gotta be careful not to overheat it for that long, too, though. Also if the shirt is still stuck to the platen it will take longer to heat. If it's just laying on the platen loose, then it'll heat faster. So when I'm flashing I leave it stuck down, but when i'm curing it needs to be loose. Let me know if that helps!

[@thecaveman123]

Thanks for the Video! So about how many T-shirts and hoodies did you print with all that ink in the Solo cup? Also, do you cure each shirt under the flash dryer before you go onto the next one or do you print them and then cure them all at the end? Thanks in advance!!

[@startupscreenprinting]

Kinda depends on the print, but white ink and a print flash print and a full front print I’d say I’d get about 50-80 shirts, again just depends on how much ink for the print size. And yeah I’m curing under the flash as I go along. 🤙🏻

[@thecaveman123]

Thank you!@@startupscreenprinting

[@tenshi9202]

If you are printing 2 colors does it need to cure ?

[@startupscreenprinting]

Yes, you'll need to add this to every color you're printing and then get both prints up to the correct temp to start the chemical curing process.

[@fgbestwayInc]

Hi Jesse, nice videos ,thanks for sharing, do you have any recommendations for what is the best lower cost of t- shirts that aYou personally sell to your costumers?. Any websites?all for waterbase inks?.thanks.

[@startupscreenprinting]

Thanks! My go-to for low cost cotton shirts is the Tultex 202 from ssactivewear.com and I use Green Galaxy inks from Ryonet at ssp.ink/ryonet

[@fgbestwayInc]

Thank you for your prompt response . I really appreciate it.

[@xaaavieeer.g]

if i do a multiple colors, would you use it for the underbase and the colors too ?

[@startupscreenprinting]

Yes, you'll need to add it to every color you are using

[@xaaavieeer.g]

@@startupscreenprinting do you flash between colors ? im getting a tacky print sometimes

[@startupscreenprinting]

@P0TKILLS yeah if you’re doing an underbase then yeah you’ll need to flash. Just do one layer of underbase and also give the print time to cool before printing the next color cause if it’s hot you will get sticking

[@ChateauHeard]

Do you think curing with a heat press is an issue?

[@startupscreenprinting]

no that should be fine, i would recommend using a heat gun to dry it to touch then finish curing with the heat press.

[@ChateauHeard]

Thank you!

[@fortworthlocals]

Isn’t 1.5% converted to .015? Or is my math wrong? I think you stated 1.015?

[@startupscreenprinting]

You’re correct it does convert to .015 but if you multiply your original amount by .015, you get the amount that needs to be added to your original amount. If you multiply it by 1.015 then you get the finished number without having to add again. For example, 1.5% of 250 is 3.75 (250 * .015). So added to the original, you get 253.75. But if you multiply 250 by 1.015, you get 253.75. So both ways work, I just choose the lazy route so I don’t have to clear my calculator 🤣

[@hardink4332]

Hello i have a question did you use clear core on your comet white? Or you use direct? + the warp core

[@startupscreenprinting]

@hardink4332 yes I add clear core to my comet white every time. I also add the warp drive to the comet white (or any ink I print with) before printing to make it low cure.

[@xaaavieeer.g]

how long do you cure them with this ? does it need to reach 250 and thats it ??

[@xaaavieeer.g]

also does your design crack after its fully cure when you strech the graphic or it does actually fully cure ?! im kinda interrested to try it

[@startupscreenprinting]

Hi X, yes when you add the Warp Drive catalyst, the ink only has to reach the 250-260 temp. Once it reaches that temp, that activates the catalyst and it begins to chemically cure the ink. The curing process happens over the next 48 hours, so that's why you shouldn't wash before the 48 hours is up. As far as cracking, thankfully that doesn't happen with water based ink. Plastisol sits on top of the fibers of the shirt and creates an ink layer, which is why it cracks when it's not cured properly. Water based actually soaks into the fibers of the shirt, so it stretches with the shirt and you will not experience cracking. It's almost like the design becomes more a part of the shirt rather than just being "on" the shirt. Hope that helps!

[@xaaavieeer.g]

@@startupscreenprinting yes!!thanks for the reply ! ill have to order some and try! I've been using water based ink lately (speedball ink) does over curing it could cause cracking or ? I'm trying to figure this out rn haha cause some of my stuff started cracking after couple wash

[@startupscreenprinting]

Hmm I’m not sure as I’ve never used speedball ink. The only thing I can think of is if it’s a thick ink and not able to really soak into the fibers then maybe it could crack.

[@xaaavieeer.g]

@@startupscreenprinting hey ! got my hands on some lowcure stuff and new comet ink ! sorry for all these questions i feel annoying ! haha ! but just to be sure, the ink just need to reach 250 then the warp drive will do his thing ? does it need to stay at 250 for couples seconds or just reach it and thats it ? and are you aware of the shelf life of the product or just from personal experience ? thanks for this video, it got me really motivated to work with white ink again without being scared of craking ! hah