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Stencil Strip Wont work so are the screens scrap?
Hi first post and perhaps a bit of background. My wife got me the bits to do some silk screen printing (I help organise a cycle event and wanted to do some nice Correx signs – we use about 200 for the event). All went well at first but classic newbie problem that I don’t have enough experience to know how to fix things when they go wrong.
I have three screens that I used "PERMACOAT Water and Solvent Resistant Emulsion" on and now I have tried to clean them I have hit some odd problems. I used a High Strength Stencil Strip [recommended for Ulano, Murakami, CDF Direct Film (capillary film), no-developer indirect system photgraphic films, and Ulanoline (direct/indirect system stencils)]. 1 screen cleaned perfectly, the other left some patchy areas of emulsion over about 9"*9" of the screen in one corner, and the other screen it won’t shift anything. When I burnt the screens they where not as crisp as the first ones I did so could I have done something to the emulsion.
Any ideas how I can reclaim the screens or do I have to bite the bullet and get them remeshed. Thanks
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4 Replies
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Hi, we don’t use water based ink, so I can’t be sure…
Water based emulsion can be permanent so you have to Ramesh every time, or can be recycle able. As the name of your emulsion is called permacoat, I suspect it’s the first option.
You could try to reclaim them again, or you might need to use a haze remover which gets rid of ghost images on the screen.
Getting the screen really clean for the next job is most important or that job will not have the print quality etc.
Depending upon the size of screen, it should be around £10 to Remesh.
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After softening with the remover use a high pressure water jet. Don’t hold it too close or you will rip a hole in the mesh.
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Yup, as said, you need to use a pressure washer. Also, once the stencil strip has been
put on, do not allow it to dry out before pressure washing, as it will oxidise, and you
are then buggered. As Denise says, you can use something like Pregan paste, but this
is nasty stuff, so make sure you use gloves & goggles. -
quote Jamie Wood:Yup, as said, you need to use a pressure washer. Also, once the stencil strip has been
put on, do not allow it to dry out before pressure washing, as it will oxidise, and you
are then buggered. As Denise says, you can use something like Pregan paste, but this
is nasty stuff, so make sure you use gloves & goggles.Thanks to all of you who posted. I am "buggered" and realise what has happened. I put the stencil strip on all three at the same time and then pressure washed them separately. Obviously the stencil strip was drying (it was a warm day) and explains why I ended up with a perfect first one, almost clean second and a one that would not clean. I even soaked the really bad screen but obviously all I was doing was making the emulsion even harder. Looks like it is a case of strip the screen and get it remeshed.
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