Press pressure setting and Squeegee pressure settings?

[Stinkhorn Press]

MAKE sure everyone in the shop KNOWS that the depth adjusters adjust depth AND to never ever again call them pressure adjusters. (sure they can adjust the pressure, but so can off contact settings and no one calls off contact "pressure."

A depth stop is a depth stop.

[Colin]

We will never change the depth of the squeegee blade.

We will change the pressure according to the mesh/ink type/type of print (halftones vs. spot)/etc..

I will go up to 40-50 pounds for sim process work.

I will go up to 50-60 pounds for "vintage" thin ink deposits.

I will be at 20-30 pounds for some top colors.  But sometimes I need to go up to 40... it depends on how the ink is behaving...

We are all a part of a craft industry.  There is no  Absolute right or wrong way to make things work.  But only sticking to one way of doing things will lead to failure.

Go with the flow and be in the moment. Ink is zen

What? there is no absolute one best way to do everything? Blasphemy I say

 

[alan802]

I've locked our depth adjusters with the set screws.  We haven't touched those on the RPM in 5 years and once I had the G3 dialed in they won't ever move.

As far as the PSI settings, we print as fast as possible which means our pressure settings will vary a great deal from one job to the next.  With the different inks and mesh counts our squeegee speed also changes, but I've learned that when using high shear speeds you can get away with using more pressure (you kind of have to).  A print done at 4"/sec and 18 psi doesn't have near the opacity and smoothness as the same print done at 30"/sec and 45 psi. 

[Maxie]

I'm not sure I understand.
Do you lock your squeegees at the lowest point and adjust the pressure with the air gauge and this works on all substrates, T shirts, sweatshirts?

[Maxie]

Dan I like your questions.     Soon you'll be able to publish a guide to printing on a automatic based on the answers.

[alan802]

I'm not sure I understand.
Do you lock your squeegees at the lowest point and adjust the pressure with the air gauge and this works on all substrates, T shirts, sweatshirts?

Not it's lowest possible distance, just low enough so that it is always going to travel far enough to bring the stencil into contact with the substrate.  Imagine if the pallet wasn't there, I don't want the squeegee to travel an inch or two further than where the pallet would have stopped it, but rather far enough so that the squeegee will do it's job.  Maybe that distance is 1/2", or 1/4", I'm not real sure, but I know that it doesn't have to be set to it's maximum distance to be effective.

[244]

I'm not sure I understand.
Do you lock your squeegees at the lowest point and adjust the pressure with the air gauge and this works on all substrates, T shirts, sweatshirts?

Not it's lowest possible distance, just low enough so that it is always going to travel far enough to bring the stencil into contact with the substrate.  Imagine if the pallet wasn't there, I don't want the squeegee to travel an inch or two further than where the pallet would have stopped it, but rather far enough so that the squeegee will do it's job.  Maybe that distance is 1/2", or 1/4", I'm not real sure, but I know that it doesn't have to be set to it's maximum distance to be effective.

this is the correct thought process. As long as the cylinders do not bottom out on full stroke the front regulated will do its job.

[Dottonedan]

I'm not sure I understand.
Do you lock your squeegees at the lowest point and adjust the pressure with the air gauge and this works on all substrates, T shirts, sweatshirts?

Not it's lowest possible distance, just low enough so that it is always going to travel far enough to bring the stencil into contact with the substrate.  Imagine if the pallet wasn't there, I don't want the squeegee to travel an inch or two further than where the pallet would have stopped it, but rather far enough so that the squeegee will do it's job.  Maybe that distance is 1/2", or 1/4", I'm not real sure, but I know that it doesn't have to be set to it's maximum distance to be effective.

this is the correct thought process. As long as the cylinders do not bottom out on full stroke the front regulated will do its job.

RICH,

Our new guy here reminded me that it was older presses where you would adjust the depth adjusters to adjust squeegee pressure. (back last time I worked in a shop was at Disney) and was seeing people cranking on those top depth adjusters. That was 15 years ago (and those presses weren't brand new either. In fact, that's when I first met you. It was my error in assuming we still did that. (much has changed since then.).  LOL.

[docsscott]

This is an interesting topic.
We have a Tas and only ever adjust squeegee pressure by winding knobs that heighten or lower the squeegee and flood bar. Is there a difference between this and pressure from regulators (if that's what you call it)? If at all adjustable on a TAS  they are not in a user friendly position to give you the impression they should be adjusted.

[244]

I'm not sure I understand.
Do you lock your squeegees at the lowest point and adjust the pressure with the air gauge and this works on all substrates, T shirts, sweatshirts?

Not it's lowest possible distance, just low enough so that it is always going to travel far enough to bring the stencil into contact with the substrate.  Imagine if the pallet wasn't there, I don't want the squeegee to travel an inch or two further than where the pallet would have stopped it, but rather far enough so that the squeegee will do it's job.  Maybe that distance is 1/2", or 1/4", I'm not real sure, but I know that it doesn't have to be set to it's maximum distance to be effective.

this is the correct thought process. As long as the cylinders do not bottom out on full stroke the front regulated will do its job.

RICH,

Our new guy here reminded me that it was older presses where you would adjust the depth adjusters to adjust squeegee pressure. (back last time I worked in a shop was at Disney) and was seeing people cranking on those top depth adjusters. That was 15 years ago (and those presses weren't brand new either. In fact, that's when I first met you. It was my error in assuming we still did that. (much has changed since then.).  LOL.

That old oval didn't even have angle adjustment. Much easier prints back then!

[heray11]

 Guys. some printing problems have nothing to do with the type of ink or what your printing on. Sometimes it's just good ole maintance.
 It could be anywhere from a slightly warped platen to a warped squgee and metal fatigue.
 Water sometime gets into the air supply lines, causing the volume of air to fluxate ever so slightly, that is almost impossible to notice.
 Its not always pressure, but volome also. Unless its an all elec press. But even motors get weak.
  Just food for thought.
  anyways...I am here for you   Howard Ray  713 344 8604
  So, after saying this.. keep a eye on your press also, espically more mature ones( its better than saying old ones_))
  Also..different temps inside your shop causes printing problems

[Orion]

That old oval didn't even have angle adjustment. Much easier prints back then!

I ran an old electric Precision oval in early '90s. We had squeegee holders that had the blade mounted in a slotted cylinder. That cylinder could be rotated to change blade angle.

[tonypep]

I remember those!

[RICK STEFANICK]

I remember those!

We are getting old Tony.