What kind of tape does everyone use to tape up screens? I use the PMI split tape from ryonet to tape up the inside of screens which works fine, but I have been trying to find a good tape to tape up the backs of the screens. I have tried the blue K tape I think it's called, and it is very difficult to get off of the screen. It stretches during removal, and when covered in ink, the tape is very slippery. I have tried the low adhesive tape from ryonet, and it does not hold very well. I tried some other screen tape that left adhesive all over the frame, and came close to ripping mesh from frame when removing the tape. It was very strong. I have been using clear packing tape which holds well, is fairly easy to get off, but it leaves the frames extremely sticky, and leaves tiny pieces of adhesive on the mesh after I reclaim the screens, which in turn leaves pinholes. I'm trying to find a tape that holds well, is fairly easy to remove, and does not leave adhesive on the frames/mesh. I have used clear PVC tape from Ace Hardware in the past as well, and I am thinking about switching back, but it is nearly $4 for a small roll, so I was hoping to find something else. You would think that finding a tape would be easy, but it is giving me nothing but headaches right now.
__________________ Unik Ink Specialty Printing-oversize & all over printing
Impressions 2008 Awards winner- Manual Textile Screen Printing
I just use cheap packing tape. I haven't had any real problems with it. I'll gladly tape up a pinhole from a roll of tape from the dollar store before I spend 8$ on a roll of screen tape.
And also, someone gave me a gallon of blockout, so I'm not afraid of pinholes
I use wide packing tape. I get it in Contractor packs at Home Depot. Comes out to about $3 a roll. Works very well, but if I'm doing a long print run and the squeegee passes over the tape repeatedly, it may leave a little bit of tape when I remove it, but that's easy enough to get rid of during reclaiming.
We use generic 2.5" masking tape. The reason for the generic brand is because the Scotch and other major brands are too tacky. The generic rolls are about $2.00 a roll. It still leaves a little adhesive, but our pressure washer takes care of that without a problem. We only tape the insides of the screens.
I've been using general masking tape from like Walmart with no problems. I use it around the edges of the screen and cover large areas in the middle of the screen with old transparencies...taped around the edges.
2 inch wide masking tape from Ocean State Job Lot...but I never leave it on the screen for more than 2 days. I once cleaned screens for this guy, whom oddly enough is out of business now, and he left the tape and ink in the screens for months...which I know is fine...but really, when it came time to clean em...god....the sticky nasty glue would muck up not only the frame but the mesh too. He was so wasteful. I keep ink in buckets, not in the screen.
Sorry...off on a tangent...lol Yeah, so my experience when I was younger has taught me to not leave tape on the screen. Especially during the muggy summers up here in Mass. Blah.
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Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else.
I really like the 2-3 inch blue painters tape, but it costs too dang much. I usually just block out the whole screen before I print. I like the tape better, but I aint made of money.
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Ridgely, Operations Mngr. Out Da Box Printing & Design www.outdaboxconcepts.com
Maybe I'll try it next time I have to get tape. I just bought two contractor packs of the regular masking tape, so it'll be a while, but thanks for the input, out da box.
Screen tape? 
Re: Screen tape? 
