 Re: how do i add micro registration to my 5 color homemade press?
I used Livingston clamps that have micros and fit them to my homemade 6 color but they are pretty much useless. In my opinion, any micro that is not 'loaded' is not worth having. There is going to be 'slop' between the internal and external threads of the mating components. With that slop it's like a guessing game. When you turn the micro a quater turn, are you decreasing the the gap between the mating thread surfaces or were the mating surfaces already in contact and you really are moving the clamp. A loaded micro has tension applied to the movable part of the clamp in both the left right and the front back directions. In every loaded micro I've seen the tension comes from heavy duty springs. One end is attached to the stationary part of the head and the other to the movable part. This tension is always pulling the mating surfaces of the micros' threads in contact with each other thereby removing any 'slop'. With loaded micros you know that when you turn the micro a quater turn left or right, it will move the screen in an exact linear direction.
Another important benefit to loaded micros is maintaining the screen position during and after adjustment. Suppose in an unloaded micro you've turned the micro a quater turn and have removed the gap between the mating surfaces of the threads. Now you actually make the screen move by turning another quater turn. Ok, looks good, clamp it down. But during clamping, the screen still has the ability to move in the other direction from where you placed it because of the slop in the threads.
Unless the micros are using very fine camera-like threads they've gotta be loaded to be useful to accurately register screens; at least without pulling your hair out. I know there are some screen printers out there that can, within a reasonable amount of time, register a butt registered, multicolor print job without loaded micros. That sure ain't me; it takes me forever.
- Scotty
Last edited by scottyjr; 3 Weeks Ago at 05:07 PM.
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