tpitman

If you're trying to register screens by moving the frames in the screen clamps alone, they will often shift slightly out of position as the clamp knobs are tightened - sort of a twisting action the clamps put on the frame as the knobs turn. Some users with no micros will loosen the clamps only slightly and "adjust" the frame in the desired direction with a hammer. Even using micros, the two at the back of the screen clamp will twist the whole screen unless they're both turned at the same time and the same amount if you're trying to move the screen linearly from front to back, or vice-versa. Additionally, micros are just that, MICROS, and really shouldn't be used to make large adjustments, just minute ones. Any more than a sixteenth of an inch, and you should loosen the frame clamps and move the whole screen.

Briefly, my first press was an old Hopkins w/o micros that couldn't be retrofitted with newer print heads. I replaced it with a new CAPS press with micros, but the micros were almost useless. I replaced that press with a 4-month old Vastex with micros, and the difference in setups is like night and day. Of course, I paid almost twice as much for the Vastex used as the CAPS new, and 4 times what I paid for the Hopkins, but it's the best money I've ever spent. The CAPS press was actually pretty well built, and I liked everything about it but the micros, but I actually spent 4 hours trying to register 3 colors on the thing once, and didn't think I'd ever hit it. It did hold registration once I was in, though. An all metal press without micros, no matter how well made, will never be as easy to dial in the registration as one with, unless you get lucky and hit it right off the bat in your setup.

 

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