Inkjet Printing for Shot Glasses- Featuring Helix®

Shot glasses make for timeless souvenirs, gifts, and promotional items. One would be hard pressed to find a home without a shelf of miscellaneous shot glasses in the kitchen. However, gone are the days to pad print two color logos on shot glasses. Make way for inkjet printing for shot glasses. Drumroll please for the Helix®’s newest application.

Inkcups is pleased introduce the Helix® for shot glasses just in time of the pandemic winding down while gatherings and parties are turning up.

Helix® for Shot Glass Decoration

The Helix® for shot glasses comes equipped to accommodate vessels with a diameter as low as 1.5”, bringing all the features customers already know from the Helix® platform down to a much smaller scale

Types of Shot Glasses

Shot glasses come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Shot glasses are primarily made from glass but can be molded in plastic and silicone as well. The following will give a brief overview on the five most common styles of shot glass:

1. Standard Shot Glass- this is the shot glass you find at bars, clubs, and even at home. It holds 1.5 oz. of liquor and has a thick glass base.
2. Cheater Shot Glass- this shot glass has a similar shape as the standard but has a much thicker base, holding less liquids. Typically, a cheater shot glass only holds 1 oz.
3. Tall Shot Glass- like the name implies, these shot glasses are much taller and skinnier than the standard shot glass. A tall shot glass can hold 1.5 to 2 oz. of liquor depending on the vessel.
4. Pony Shot Glass- this is a shorter glass, holding only 1 oz. of liquid. Pony shot glasses are typically used for liqueurs or cordials.
5. Fluted Shot Glass- holds the same amount of liquid as your standard shot glass, 1.5 oz., but in comparison has a more flared mouth and fluting at the base.

Other Vessels

The Helix® for shot glasses is also a great option if you are looking for an inkjet printer for other small vessels. Cosmetic jars, cannabis containers, and small bottles will also be a great fit for the latest version of the Helix®.

Inkjet Printing for Shot Glasses: Inks and Pre-Treatment

After selecting which style of shot glass you like best comes the technical portion of the process. Selecting the right pre-treatment, ink, and inkjet printer is imperative for a smooth process and long lasting product.

 Inkjet Printing for Shot Glasses: Inks and Pre-Treatment

Inkjet printing, also known as digital printing, uses UV inks to print full color designs onto cylindrical and tapered glassware. The DL Series UV ink for glass is a great ink choice for shot glasses. The DL series of inks is cured by UV LED light and is available in cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, black, white and varnish. It is also FDA 21CFR compliant.

Pre-Treatment for Glass

Pair your Helix® for shot glasses with a MagiCoat Pre-Treatment System for superior results. The MagiCoat pre-treatment system can pre-treat up to 15 items/minute. This pre-treatment system for glass utilizes a flame as well as a spraying system for spray-on primers. Preparing the MagiCoat Priming System is as simple as mix part A, B, and C together, then spray a coating on the vessel. MagiCoat glass primer is a water-based glass primer to promote adhesion on glass used directly after the flame treatment. Together you can expect your inkjet printed shot glass to withstand up to 200 residential washes and up to 600 industrial washes.

About The Helix®

The Helix® is a UV inkjet cylindrical printer designed specifically with straight walled and tapered drinkware in mind. The Helix® for shot glasses will now digitally print on vessels, specifically shot glasses with diameters as tiny as 1.5”.

Print Features

All of the design features you have come to know and love translate to the small scale of shot glasses when using a UV cylindrical printer like the Helix®. Wow customers with shot glasses utilizing mirror print (shown to the left), full coverage, seamless design, tone-on-tone, contour print, and more.

Get Started with Inkjet Printing for Shot Glasses

Ready to bring full-color, photo-quality printing to your shot glass line? Contact Inkcups to learn more about the Helix® for shot glasses.