Fancy squeegee rubber.

[docsscott]

How many of you have moved from traditional rubber to ones with beveled edges and all sorts more.
Why? Which would you recommend and for what applications?

[tonypep]

Here comes Sonny!

[alan802]

We have, and have done it for many years.  I can't remember the first time I got a double beveled blade but it must have been 7-8 years ago.  I love different profiles but if you don't have a printer that will use them properly then they are worthless.  With the new press we got new traditional blades and I use them for vanilla prints, some top color work on underbases and simpler prints, but I use the specialty edges and Joe Clarke's designs for all white ink printing and/or process type prints.  I love using blades where there is a bevel built in because it allows you to print with some angle without having your blade angled and risking the edge buckling.  Running at a 90 degree angle but the bevel providing some angle allows us to print with much less pressure than a traditional blade.  We also can print faster with that setup.  A traditional blade set at a 70-75 degree angle running at 30"/sec will probably hydroplane and not shear the ink.  You don't have that problem with a beveled blade rather it be a double bevel or something like Joe makes where one side is a traditional straight edge and the other side has the bevel.  You get 2 blades in one, and they'll deposit vastly different amounts of ink when used correctly.  You'll never get that type of versatility with a traditional blade. 

[Shanarchy]

When using a beveled blade, would you be looking to use a harder duro?

[alan802]

A double beveled, yes, usually helps to be a little higher duro material.  A really soft blade and as sharp as a double beveled can be, might not provide enough resistance to shear the ink.  I'd not go any softer on a double bevel than 75 and you might still have some issues with higher mesh counts and thicker inks with a 75. 

[3Deep]

double beveled and 135 s-mesh is a great a marriage with the right white ink brand

[Prince Art]

For anyone wanting a good visual reference for this topic, I'll save you the googling: http://www.decotechgroup.com/screen-printing/polyurethane-squeegees/

[islandtees]

We have, and have done it for many years.  I can't remember the first time I got a double beveled blade but it must have been 7-8 years ago.  I love different profiles but if you don't have a printer that will use them properly then they are worthless.  With the new press we got new traditional blades and I use them for vanilla prints, some top color work on underbases and simpler prints, but I use the specialty edges and Joe Clarke's designs for all white ink printing and/or process type prints.  I love using blades where there is a bevel built in because it allows you to print with some angle without having your blade angled and risking the edge buckling.  Running at a 90 degree angle but the bevel providing some angle allows us to print with much less pressure than a traditional blade.  We also can print faster with that setup.  A traditional blade set at a 70-75 degree angle running at 30"/sec will probably hydroplane and not shear the ink.  You don't have that problem with a beveled blade rather it be a double bevel or something like Joe makes where one side is a traditional straight edge and the other side has the bevel.  You get 2 blades in one, and they'll deposit vastly different amounts of ink when used correctly.  You'll never get that type of versatility with a traditional blade.

Looks like the smiling jacks are not being made anymore. I emailed Joe and that's what he told me.

[ol man]

in Sonnys Defense, ive used his bevels for a year or 2, and they work well for certain applications - top white - both plastisol and hsa... i have not used smiling jacks

[bimmridder]

I'd suggest...fine craftsmen rarely have only one tool in their tool box

[Prince Art]

I have no experience with beveled sqeegees, so here's a question: Is the effect similar to using a push stroke with manual printing, or is it completely different? Or could the answer be "yes" for a shallow bevel, and "no" for a steep bevel?


And a quasi-related question: Is it possible on [some] autos to set a negative angle on your squeegee, to get the equivalent of a push stroke? I never experimented with this when I was auto printing, but since doing manual full-time, I've converted almost exclusively to push strokes. I'm curious whether there is any benefit to this on an auto. Perhaps in certain situations?

[tonypep]

in Sonnys Defense, ive used his bevels for a year or 2, and they work well for certain applications - top white - both plastisol and hsa... i have not used smiling jacks

We kid because we love Certainly not a bad idea to have a specialty squeegee or 2 around to save the day in a pinch (or use all the time!) Some of these can be difficult to sharpen once the blade is compromised so take extra special loving care

[bimmridder]

Yep, we know Sonny can take a little ribbing. If you don't know Sonny, he has a few years of experience in the business and a wealth of knowledge. Now if I could get that beer he owes me.....

[ebscreen]

Anyone ever use the bull nose? Looking at you guys that were around before the invention of the flash dryer....

[bimmridder]

Used bull nose for puff inks long ago