"He who marches out of step hears another drum." ~ Ken Kesey
Let me guess. Static frames or panel lock mesh. Both that are factory stretched. Doesn't matter who you get them from, they all provide poor stretching alignment. They just do it too fast and don't pay close attention like you would if stretching in your own shop. Typically, you don't see this in the print on solid art (unless, it's drastic or large) rainbow like arches that can be noticed more easily. Small or tiny bands get buried and I think he stretching shops gear their quality for this type of work where it just gets hidden.
I've said this for a long time. The rush process of the stretching supplied mesh on panel frames or Static frames are rushed too fast. They don't have "perfect thread alignment" in mind for this type of supplier. Thats my hunch.
We are still getting random moire issues. I've put tape on the side of the ones that I've gotten moire or more like (mesh interference) from so I can be sure to confirm that my problem is the mesh.We coat the same, expose the same and I still get moire "randomly". Like 2 out of 7 frames will have moire if using any halftones. and it's not my angle (22.5). 70% of the screens provide great halftones at the same lip and same screen angle....while some don't. I've tried different angles (and get the same results). I've tried lowering LPI...and go through 3 screens to get one good one without moire. It's MESH alignment.
Ron,I re-organized your quotes for more clarity in the post. It was for the most part all in one quote as if I wrote it.[ quote ] to begin a quote in a new paragraph. [ /quote ] to close off the quote of a paragraph.I very much appreciate the education there in your post and I don’t mind at all, being corrected. I now know more.90% of my experience with this issues (and currently), has been on static frames from several different suppliers. I will say, at the last shop I worked at, we used Shurloc panels.I’m convinced your Co goes farther than other methods to assure consistency. Having said that, there have been times (at my previous place of employment) when I’ve come across the tops of panel frame stretched mesh that arched at the tops and bottom within the print location (the sweet spot). This would only be noticeable in the 5% dots of a 55lpi on a 305 mesh. Usually the most noticeable on high mesh, with 55-65lpi, and in the 5% range of tone. The results were to get a moire or distorted rainbow pattern in those 5% areas or near that %.This though, could have been (like you mentioned), the result of over stretching on the warp or weft of one or both ends. Hard to say now, it’s been too long, but that makes sense.Thank you for chiming in! I (and I’m sure we all do) appreciate you contributing and providing information straight from one of the horses mouth as they say.Dan