polarbear

Hey, So I am looking at starting out with some hobby-ish screen printing and I need a bit of advice. I plan to do a few small jobs with some permaset (supercover?) on blacks/colours. For me and friends and such. Maybe for a local band or two...

Also, BTW I did search and didn't find the information I was after.

So, I'm all set for the press itself. I'm making a single manual one to start with. If I get more serious then I'll look at buying.

Emulsions... So I am confused here, I don't know what to buy. I was looking at this website for supplies here in Australia as it's the first I found... I WILL look around but can you guys advise me on whats good? Emulsions | Stencil Products | Printing Supplies @ GJS Machinery Australia

Screen prep/degreaser. Do I need it? What would you recommend?

Mesh.
Is the ratings mesh count per inch? Or cm?
What mesh size will be best for starting with? I understand a higher mesh count will give better clarity but what is good enough to start with?

A filling tray for the emulsion. I gather this is essential... Make it so it will just fit in the screens I'm using and then the image an inch or two smaller than that?

Squeegee. An inch or two shorter than the filler tray?

I will make an exposure unit myself as well.

Do I need a flash dryer? Can I make one?
Is there anything else I need or other info that I need?

Thanks for any and all comments you guys have.

EDIT: Gah. I didn't realise I could post directly into the Screen print section... And now I can't figure out how to delete this thread...

 

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Solmu

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear Emulsions... So I am confused here, I don't know what to buy.

You could e-mail GJS and ask them for a recommendation based on the inks and light source you'll be using; I've heard their customer service is pretty good.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear Screen prep/degreaser. Do I need it?

Yes, you need degreaser.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear Mesh. Is the ratings mesh count per inch? Or cm?

In the metric world, it's metric.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear What mesh size will be best for starting with? I understand a higher mesh count will give better clarity but what is good enough to start with?

43T is the most common starting mesh.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear A filling tray for the emulsion. I gather this is essential...

Relatively. You can use a squeegee... I've never tried that myself, but I imagine it would be very awkward.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear Make it so it will just fit in the screens I'm using and then the image an inch or two smaller than that?

Make it so it will just fit in the screens, with a tiny bit of clearance for you to move freely, and your image more than a couple of inches smaller than that. Unless you're printing on-contact, in which case it doesn't matter so much.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear Squeegee. An inch or two shorter than the filler tray?

No, an inch or two larger than the image.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear Do I need a flash dryer?

For single colour prints, no.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear Can I make one?

No.

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polarbear

Quote: Originally Posted by Solmu You could e-mail GJS and ask them for a recommendation based on the inks and light source you'll be using; I've heard their customer service is pretty good.

Thanks, I have done so. Hope they get back to me soon.

Quote: Originally Posted by Solmu In the metric world, it's metric.

So most people here are talking Imperial when they say 110t?

Thanks for your help.

 

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Solmu

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear So most people here are talking Imperial when they say 110t?

Close: most people here are talking Imperial, and they would say 110. The metric counts are followed by a T. 110 is equivalent to 43T (110T would be 280).

That said, if someone says 43 chances are they just forgot the T (since 43T is an extremely common metric count, and 43 imperial mesh doesn't really exist, and is in a number range that would make it very rare).

So there's a limited amount of reading within context required. But in theory, metric counts are followed by a T and imperial counts are not, and that's how you can tell them apart.

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polarbear

Another thing. Will I need blockout or something to cover up the extra bits of mesh that show around the edge of the emulsion?

I have a couple of rather large screens coming but say... if I was super lazy could I do a small image on one and leave the rest of the screen as just mesh? (or do another small image on the other end)

 

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denck

Yes you can,I usually piggy back a Small front design on a four color back print

 

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polarbear

and if I don't have another design to do I can just leave a large amount of mesh free?

 

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Solmu

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear Will I need blockout or something to cover up the extra bits of mesh that show around the edge of the emulsion?

No, you can just use packing tape.

Quote: Originally Posted by polarbear if I was super lazy could I do a small image on one and leave the rest of the screen as just mesh? (or do another small image on the other end)

Yes, and yes.

If you have open areas of mesh you'll need to be very careful not to splatter your substrate with ink through the open mesh. But depending on how the job is setup, you don't necessarily need it all masked off.

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