[Vtec44]

I'm playing with screen printing for the first time, and it's way too much fun. I did a test on a shirt, but don't know how to control the amount of ink that goes through the screen. I have the screen hovers about 1/8" above the shirt, and that's as far as I know. What do you do to control the thickness of the ink deposit onto a shirt? Thanks

 

[Squirts]

I'm playing with screen printing for the first time, and it's way too much fun. I did a test on a shirt, but don't know how to control the amount of ink that goes through the screen. I have the screen hovers about 1/8" above the shirt, and that's as far as I know. What do you do to control the thickness of the ink deposit onto a shirt? Thanks

Theres a couple of things that effect the amount of ink..... First is the thickness of the gasket created on the back or substrate side of the screen... Second is the mesh count...higher mesh counts let less ink thru....you have to press harder on the squeege to get the ink thru as mesh count climbs.... and last the thickness of your ink..... These are all variables that you can play with...but keep in mind that when you change one it effects the others....a little time an experience will get you used to which combinations... work best.... as you play with them you'll notice that you will also have to adjust the speed at which you pull the squeege across the screen..... Good Luck Printing

 

[Solmu]

As well as what squirts said above there's the amount of passes/pulls you do, and the durometer of the squeegee. Squeegees aren't all the same (by design, not accident), and depending on the hardness of the rubber more or less ink will pass through the screen.