What
size frame do I need?
My Aluminum screens get dented from the press clamps
Plastisol
or Water Based INK?
Why
is the Plastisol so thick?
Printing with metallics and glitter
How
do I select the correct mesh count for my job?
I
use 10XX. Which monofilament do I need?
How
do I use the scoop coater to apply emulsion?
What
do I do if my order arrives damaged?
Why
should I use blockout tape?
What
is your return policy?
Do
new screens need to be cleaned before use
There is a small glue spot on the mesh
Two
frames were stuck together in the box.
What
tension do you stretch at?
How
long should I expose the screen?
Can
you restretch frames from other manufacturers?
Are
your products guaranteed?
What
size squeegee and coater do I need?
What
can cause the mesh to slip off the screen?
Why
am I having trouble reclaiming? The old emulsion wont
come off the screen.
What
size frame do I need?
Frame
size is determined by the size of your image. Generally, you
take the image size and add approximately 6-8 inches. That
gives you the inside measurement of the frame. You then add
the thickness of the frame bar. (Dont forget to double
this measurement, you have two sides on the frame) This gives
you the minimum size frame for your job.
Next,
look on our size chart and pick the best match. This is the
most economical way to size a frame. If you require an exact
custom size we can, of course, manufacture any size for you.
Example: Image is 12" x 16" add 6" to each
measurement, you get 18" x 22".
Add
3_" for two frame bars, you get 21_" x 25_". Result:
You can use a stock 21x27 or a 23x31 if you want a little more
room. See our frame selection page Here
My aluminum screens get dented from the press clamps
Current thin wall aluminum screens can dent from exess pressure from your press clamps. Our screens are made with a thicker wall than many competitors screens. Still, denting can occur from exess clamping pressure. The Fix: Make sure you put some pressure sensitive non slip material on the clamping surfaces of your press. Make sure you do this on the base of the clamp and also the screw plate. This will provide tight clamping without exess pressure which causes the dents.
Plastisol
or Water Based INK?
Plastisol
is used by most Pro T-Shirt printers because of it's higher
opacity
and open time on the screens but you need to cure the shirt at
305 degrees for 90 seconds
for the ink to dry. That means you need a dryer or flash cure
unit.
And solvents to clean up. Plastisol tend to sit "on"
the garment and can feel rubbery if heavy
We highly recommend heat curing for water based textiles at the same time/temp as plastisol ink. This will greatly increase wash fastness. Adding the included catalyst will give the ultimate wash fastness but catalysed in has limited pot life of ~24 hours.
Printing with Metallic and Glitter Inks
Metallic inks have a nice shine when printed on garments and are very opaque. They will not be very shiny though and will fade a bit after repeated washing. Printing metallic ink over a base coat rather than directly on the garment greatly enhances the shine. For really shiny results, most printers use vinyl or foil methods which are applied with a heat press. With foil, you screen print a base on the garment and heat press the foil on top then you remove the excess foil by hand. In the case of vinyl, you create your artwork on the computer and then send it to a machine which cuts the outlines. You then remove (weed) the non print areas from the transfer by hand and heat press the design on to the garment. Both of these methods produce much shinier results than direct printing with ink but have their own drawbacks such as specialized equipment, much slower production and limits on the intricacy of the design.
Bottom line: If you see a garment with super shiny metallic, It was most likely done with foil or vinyl, not ink.
Glitter inks have bigger shiny particles and are even more opaque and shiny than metallics. They require special coarse mesh counts of around 40 to allow the particles to go through the mesh. Glitter is much more shiny than regular metallic on the garment but is also heavier.
Why
is the Plastisol ink so thick?
Plastisol
ink will develop "false body" in the can and appear
too thick. The ink must be mixed vigorously before judging
it's true thickness. Plastisol will loosen even more on the press.
So don't judge your ink as it comes in the can. Many inks will
benefit from the addition of additives. Use extender/soft hand to get more transparent ink or a softer hand. Use reducer to adjust viscocity without losing opacity.
How
do I select the correct mesh count for my job?
Mesh
counts range from 16 lines per inch up to more than 400 lines
per inch. Here are some general guidelines for mesh selection.
Glitter
and metallic inks - Usually 16-60 check with ink supplier. VF glitter works well with 40 mesh. VF Metallics work well with 110 mesh
T-Shirts,
Standard designs on light colored shirts - 110 to 195
T-Shirts,
Multi colored fine designs 156-230
T-Shirts,
Light colors on dark shirts 60-110
T-Shirts,
Process Color - Number of lines per inch on the artwork x
4 230-305
(T
shirt artwork is usually made at 45-65 lines per inch) example:
55 line artwork x 4 = 220 (230 mesh is good)
Nylon
Jackets 156-195
Signs
on metal- 195-230
Paper,
wood, plastics 195-355
Please
call for further information 800-255-5335
I
use 10XX. Which monofilament
do I need?
XX
is a designation of strength that was used when Silk Screen
Printing actually used silk. This was carried over to multifilament
polyester when it began to replace silk. Today Monofilament
polyester is by far the most popular mesh used in screen
printing. The approximate equivalents are: 6XX = 60-83 8XX=
76-92 10XX= 92-123 12XX= 123-175 14XX= 156-195 16XX= 195
How
do I use the scoop coater to apply emulsion?
The
Victory
Factory scoop coater is designed to allow even
application of liquid emulsion to screens. First, degrease
the screen with VF Degreaser. Dry the screen taking care
not to allow dust or dirt to adhere to the screen. This is
critical to avoid pinholes. Next, Hols the screen by hand or lean the screen against
the sink back or wall in a near vertical position. Pour a
small amount of emulsion into the coater. Apply the emulsion
to the printing (substrate) side of the screen first. Place
the coater along the bottom of the screen, lean the coater
up against the screen until the angled plastic sides come
up against the screen. (Try the rounded side of the coater
for best results.) Now, slowly but smoothly bring the coater
up the screen to the top. Lean the coater back and scoop it
off the screen with a short, quick swipe. Dont worry
about small blobs of emulsion at the top, bottom or sides
of the screen, you wont be printing there anyway. Now,
turn the screen around and apply another coat to the squeegee
side of the screen. One two coats are usually ok
for most work, more can be applied if desired but always apply
the last coat to the squeegee side because you want more emulsion
below the screen on the print side and less on the squeegee
side. After coating, place the screen in a horizontal position
with the squeegee side facing up. If you dont have a
drying cabinet, you can use a clean cardboard box. You must
avoid light and dust contamination while the screen is drying.
The screen must be completely dry before exposure.
What
do I do if my order arrives damaged?
If
your order arrives with obvious damage to the packing material,
do not sign for it. Open the box and examine the contents.
If nothing is damaged inside the box, youre ok. If there
is damage that obviously occurred in shipping, you should
refuse delivery or sign fot the delivery as "Damaged".
Call us immediately and we will do our best
to help rectify the situation. If there is damage that is
not apparent when the order is delivered, you must call us
within 1-2 days of delivery. We will arrange for return and
repair or replacement of the damaged or defective goods.
Why
should I use blockout
tape?
Blockout
tape should be used to cover the edges of your frame, both
inside and outside. This not only protects the uncoated edges
of your screen, but it prevents ink and solvents from getting
to the frame and glued area. Make sure the tape is applied
to both sides of the mesh. Tape applied to only one side of
the mesh will not hold up as well.
What
is your return policy?
Any
product may be returned if it is unused within 14 days of
delivery. Please call 800-255-5335 if you have any specific
return questions. We take customer service very seriously
and will do whatever we can to help.
Do
new screens need to be cleaned before use?
We
recommend cleaning screens with VF Degreaser or Ulano #23 before coating. This removes any
dirt, grease or contamination that may be on the mesh from
the manufacturing process.
Glue spot on screen
If your screen arrives with a small glue spot on the mesh, this can be removed by using the corner of a clean squeegee as an eraser. Rub the spot gently and it will come off. Acetone can also be used to clean small glue spots on the screen.
Two
frames were stuck together in the box.
Dont
panic! This happens occasionally. Take the frames out of the
box together. Do not pull them apart, rather, tap them on
the floor gently at a slight angle. This should separate the
stuck frames without damage.
What
tension do you stretch at?
We
stretch our frames at the following basic
tensions:
16
195 mesh - 27 newtons
230
mesh - 24 newtons
240-305
mesh - 21 newtons
330-470
mesh - 20 newtons
Stretching
tension and printing tension are different. The tension on
your screen at the press will be the stretching tension, less
the natural loss of tension due to frame bar deflection after
stretching. See the discussion below.
Tension
is a very interesting (and hotly debated) topic in our industry.
The best tension for screen printing (measured in Newtons)
varies with the mesh count, frame size, frame material and
substrate. All frames are not able to support the same amount
of tension. All mesh counts cannot be stretched the same.
Every printing situation doesnt require the same tension.
Our philosophy on tension is based on 35 years of screen production
in the real world of printing and may differ from some pundits
concepts, which are sometimes based on ideal conditions and
laboratory testing which do not necessarily translate to real
world situations.
Observations
on screens and screen tension by Victory Factory:
- Wood
frames
(static) lose the most tension after stretching due to deflection
of the frame bars. They are also the most inexpensive to
purchase and to store in a screen library for later use.
Further, they can be produced quickly in exact shapes and
sizes to fit any printing setup. Although they can last
many years in good storage conditions, they are still wood
and can warp and change due to humidity and other environmental
factors.
- Aluminum
frames
(static) can hold 2-5 newtons more tension than wood depending
on frame profile. They tend to stabilize at a higher retained
tension after use. They will not warp and are unaffected
by moisture.
- Roller frames and other retensionable frames hold the highest tension due to their
ability to be retensioned after use. Roller frames, although
they also suffer from some degree of frame bar deflection,
achieve the highest tension because they can be tightened
between uses. Roller frames can be tricky to stretch evenly.
The mesh must be placed evenly in each roller to achieve
an even stretch. They are the most expensive frames but
can be restretched on site. They are also heavier than static
frames and require some type of dam to prevent ink from
traveling to the rollers. Although they are capable, theoretically,
of very high tensions in the central area of the screen, the tension drops off near the edges and sides and does not always give a consistent tension across the entire screen.
- Large
frames hold less tension than small frames due to being
progressively more and more under engineered as they get
larger. To illustrate this point, start with an 18"x20"
frame made from 1-1/2" stock. Imagine what size frame
stock you would use on a frame that
measures 48"x96". To achieve the same relative
strength as the 18"x20" frame you would need about
6"-10" wide frame bars! This would make the frame very
heavy and almost impossible to use. So, traditionally, large
format frames have more deflection than small frames and
can not hold the same tension.
- Finally,
we believe that there is a good use for all three basic
types of frames in the modern screen printing shop. It is up to the printer
to decide which frame is best for each situation.
How
long should I expose the screen?
It
depends. It is useful to remember that screen exposure means
the amount of light and the type of light that
the screen gets, not the exposure time. Screen exposure is different
for every setup. Some of the factors that greatly affect your
particular correct exposure are listed below:
- The
type of light you have.
- The
distance from the screen to the light
- Color
of mesh. Dyed mesh can take up to 50% longer to expose.
- Color
of stencil. See #3.
- Type
of stencil. Some emulsions expose faster than others due
to color or formulation.
- Thickness
of coating.
- Mesh
count. The lower the mesh count, the more emulsion it holds.
Therefore, longer exposure.
- Remember
the golden rule of exposure: Perfect exposure is the best,
but slight over exposure is better than under exposure,
so when in doubt, give it a bit more time. Under exposure can lead to reclaiming problems. Don't go to press immediately after exposing and washing out a screen. Give the stencil time to dry and harden.
Because
of all these factors, every screen exposure system MUST BE
CALIBRATED. Whether it is a $50,000 high tech setup or you
are running outside and holding the screen up to the sun.
(Dont laugh it works!)
Calibration,
in this case, means that you find an exposure time that gives
you a good screen on your setup and you retain those settings.
Any change to time, emulsion, mesh count, distance from light
source etc. will change your exposure time. You can use our Exposure Calculator to test your
screen exposure. This is a piece of film that is placed on
the screen and exposed along with the artwork. After washout,
you can read correct exposure from the patterns on the calculator.
Can
you restretch
frames from other manufacturers?
Yes.
We will be happy to restretch any flat, sound screen. Restretching
prices are the same for wood, aluminum or steel. Frames returned
to us for restretching must be clean. All old mesh and wet plastisol ink must be
removed. We will resurface if necessary and restretch to original
tension with the mesh of your choice. There is a cleaning charge
for screens returned uncleaned. We do not restretch roller
frames. (Thats your job!) Call 718-454-2255 if you have
any question regarding our restretching policy.
Are
your products guaranteed?
Any
product purchased from Victory Factory can be returned within
14 days of delivery if found to be defective. If you have
any questions regarding our return policy, call 718-454-2255.
What
size squeegee
and scoop
coater do I need?
Coaters
are usually sized to be approximately 1" less than the
inside measurement of the short side of the screen. Most printers
like to coat as close to the edge of the screen as possible.
This reduces the amount of liquid
blockout or blockout
tape needed to seal the screen. Unlike coaters,
Squeegees are chosen according to the size of the printed
image. The squeegee should be no larger than needed for the
job.
What
can cause the mesh to slip off the screen?
There
are three main causes of mesh slipping off the screen.
1.
Printing too close to the inside edge can pull the screen
off the frame. Make sure you have sufficient space around
your design and use the correct size squeegee.
2.
Printing too high off contact. Make sure your screen height
above the print is not too high, forcing the squeegee to pull
down the mesh too far.
3.
Chemical interaction with the screen/frame interface. Keep inks
and strong solvents such as acetone, MEK, lacquer thinner etc
away from the frame. Haze removers can also remove the mesh,
so use sparingly. Solvents such as mineral spirits, VF
Ink Wash and water and standard emulsion removers will not affect our glue.
IMPORTANT MESH FAILURE MESSAGE:
Haze removing chemicals may contain components that keep the chemical from drying out or evaporating. This quality makes these chemicals work well, but it presents a problem if you do not wash the chemical off the screen COMPLETELY when you are finished cleaning. We recommend degreasing your screens after using these chemicals. If you leave residue of these or soy or citrus type cleaners on your screen, you run the very real risk of mesh slipping off the frame. Ironically, super fast evaporating solvents like MEK, Lacquer thinner and acetone although they are more dangerous and we do not recommend them, acually pose less of a threat to mesh because they evaporate before they can break down the mesh/frame bond. Please use degreaser to wash your screens before storage. Wash the frame too, not just the mesh!!
If you have any questions about mesh failure in your shop, please contact us by phone as soon as you notice a problem. We can help, it's usually a simple adjustment to your cleaning process that is needed. 800-255-5335
Why
am I having trouble reclaiming? The old emulsion wont
come off the screen.
Many
things can cause reclaiming trouble. The most common cause, however,
is underexposure of the screen and/or under cured emulsion. If
the emulsion is not completely dry before exposure, the soft,
wet emulsion remains inside the dried outside surface like a sandwich.
This uncured emulsion will react with inks, solvents and other
chemicals during the printing process and chemically lock onto
the screen. This will make it very hard to reclaim the screen
later. Other factors that promote easy reclaiming are proper exposure
and cleaning the ink completely and then removing the ink wash
with degreaser.
Also, if you are having trouble reclaiming and see early breakdown
of the stencil, you are probably underexposing. Try Post
Exposing your screens:
Expose normally, wash out as usual, dry and then put the screen
back on the exposure light again (without the artwork) this post
exposing step will serve to harden the emulsion completely for
a longer lasting stencil that will reclaim more easily.
You can also just leave the screen in daylight for a few hours or in the bright sun for a few minutes. If you take a screen directly from exposure to the press, you run the risk of poor reclaiming later. Make sure your screen is hard before printing.
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