Stocking Screens and Permanent Hardener

[ebscreen]

We have a number of jobs that seem like we print almost weekly. Some of them high color count, and during tours,
constantly rotating.

We've never stocked screens because in my early days as a press op re-using "old" screens always grossed me out. But now I'm seeing
the amount of effort going into making new ones for every run and it seems a bit much.

I'm considering one of two options:

1. Store screens exactly as they come off press, IE leave taped but pull majority of ink. Our reg system is good enough
that if we paid extra attention (or even stored readouts and used same heads) we could just reload and go. Most labor
saving/economical option but also least cleanly.

2. Pull ink/tape and wipe down with press wash. This is probably what we'll end up doing, seems like a good tradeoff between the above
and re-making entirely new.


One concern I have is emulsion breakdown. We use bulletproof SP-1400 and expose it on 8k MH so the dudes are tough, but constantly
printing/cleaning/printing/cleaning is going to wear anyone down. Would permanent hardener help in this situation? I've never used it.
We use roller frames exclusively so re-meshing when she's done for isn't that big of an issue.

[Maxie]

I have screens I re use.    I don't like storing screens with plastisol on them, prefer washing off color and retaping.
Never used hardener, if I have very big runs I sometimes post expose in the sun and use filler to stop pinholes.
I use PHU but your emulsion and lamp should be excellent.

[ebscreen]

I have screens I re use.    I don't like storing screens with plastisol on them, prefer washing off color and retaping.
Never used hardener, if I have very big runs I sometimes post expose in the sun and use filler to stop pinholes.
I use PHU but your emulsion and lamp should be excellent.

I appreciate the input.

Are you washing ink fully in the booth with water etc, or just a rag wipedown with press wash?

[ABuffington]

Use Murakami A&B Hardener for permanent screens on SP1400.  Mix equal amounts and use within 24hrs.  Apply to both sides like you are waxing a car and use a hot box or sun to heat the screen.  Heat improves the hardener's effect.  An 8k lamp?  yeah that will definitely give you complete exposure and eliminate a lot of headaches.  We had to library many of our jobs and found cleaning the ink off a big plus.  Workers liked handling them over ones with ink that eventually migrates everywhere and can pick up a lot of dust during storage.

Al

[ebscreen]

Use Murakami A&B Hardener for permanent screens on SP1400.  Mix equal amounts and use within 24hrs.  Apply to both sides like you are waxing a car and use a hot box or sun to heat the screen.  Heat improves the hardener's effect.  An 8k lamp?  yeah that will definitely give you complete exposure and eliminate a lot of headaches.  We had to library many of our jobs and found cleaning the ink off a big plus.  Workers liked handling them over ones with ink that eventually migrates everywhere and can pick up a lot of dust during storage.

Al

Excellent, thanks. I'll get some hardener on order and give this a whirl. At least the screen gal will be happy(er).

[Frog]

At Andy's, we kept hundreds (if not thousands) of screens for the pre-print line, all cleaned, (many by yours truly), but not with a dip tank.
I can not imagine the mess if they were still inky.
As a side note, these screens were cleaned using Xylene which I believe also had the off-label effect of hardening screens, especially screens which were a little underexposed.

[ebscreen]

At Andy's, we kept hundreds (if not thousands) of screens for the pre-print line, all cleaned, (many by yours truly), but not with a dip tank.
I can not imagine the mess if they were still inky.
As a side note, these screens were cleaned using Xylene which I believe also had the off-label effect of hardening screens, especially screens which were a little underexposed.

Ron was just regaling me on the joys of xylene use the other day. That's one old-school aspect of this industry that I'm glad to have missed.
At the very least it seems like you would want a solvent with a bit more "open" time for what we do.

Unless I'm mistaken, hardeners are typically acids, though I'm not sure about the permanent stuff as we've never used it.
I do recall vinyl flatstock screens being very difficult to reclaim though, having been cleaned with the "safe" acetone alternative.

[3Deep]

Customers that I know are going to reorder pretty regular I don't remove any tape I just clean all the ink out the screens and store than, but after so much use I will reclaim them and refresh them.  Just seem like to much to reburn if they are going to reorder in a few weeks.

[ebscreen]

That's just it right, you never know what is going to be re-ordered. Tour stuff we're pretty sure on, but back dates
change, and sometimes what you think will sell a million sells five.

About like washing your car and rain I suppose.

[3Deep]

I get your point and been there also, big seller the first time second time alright third time lousy, some customer I just about know they will re-order so I tell them I will keep the screens for a few weeks and after that they get washed out and a re-setup fee is charged.  Cleaning the ink out the screens while there on press and a little more cleaning after we remove them from the press is what we do, saves on tape and emulsion at least that is my thinking.

[Maxie]

We remove tape and wash the ink off in the sink.
With a 8 k lamp and good emulsion you shouldn’t need a hardener

[Colin]

small tidbit to always remember:

If your mesh is not work hardened or close to it, over time it can/will relax and loose more tension.  This can make really tight registration difficult as the image can start to distort from the relaxation of the mesh.  This is most noticeable on taller designs or with fine dot on dot/fine line type work.

[ebscreen]

small tidbit to always remember:

If your mesh is not work hardened or close to it, over time it can/will relax and loose more tension.  This can make really tight registration difficult as the image can start to distort from the relaxation of the mesh.  This is most noticeable on taller designs or with fine dot on dot/fine line type work.

Good point, not something I had even thought of. That would suck if it relaxed and the emulsion had been permanently hardened.
The type of jobs I'm considering this for are indeed both fine line and oversize...

[brandon]

As mentioned above the two part hardener works very well for us with regards to certain clients. We usually get about 6 to 8 production runs out of them. Also mentioned above yes screen tension can fall and that's it. Pop it and make a new screen. The emulsion ain't coming off.

[Sbrem]

We have a couple of customers that constantly reorder, so we do keep those most popular jobs on hand. A number of years ago we used an autotype hardener, I recall is was pinkish in color, and you applied with a paint brush. The open mesh of the image would evaporate, and the emulsion was pretty permanent. We tried reclaiming one, and it simply wasn't worth the time to get it done. So, yes, they work, at least that one did.

Steve