Screen printing hack of the day

[Croft]

Would love to see a thread of hacks we're using to get the job done. Usually the simplest thing help the most

Heres one for us running smaller automatics with no space for a cool down.

We had been running box fans to help for years but I picked up a few of these and noticed how focused they are , so I had some stands made that put the fan at a perfect height
between the screen and platen, they worked great . We ran a large multi colour fleece order yesterday with no pickup or ink issues they defiantly made a difference .

[blue moon]

if you decide to make/sell them, I'll take at least 2!

pierre

[3Deep]

Neat idea, We've did the box fan for years as well, can I ask does that move the the shirts, can't really see it moving a hoodie because they are pretty heavy.  Those fans have a speed control I'm sure High, Medium, Low?

[Croft]

we've done regular tees, ringspun and poly athletic shirts so far with no problem , with the box fan we would sometimes have the arms flip up but not with this set up so far

[Croft]

Neat idea, We've did the box fan for years as well, can I ask does that move the the shirts, can't really see it moving a hoodie because they are pretty heavy.  Those fans have a speed control I'm sure High, Medium, Low?

no problem with movement, fans have 3 speeds . They are the shop vac brand fan

[Croft]

Found another use for this , just printing 10K polypro bags with lots of errant threads , since its focused we have it blowing the threads off the bags , has worked excellent only have to stop about once every 700 so far.

[inkman996]

Thats a great idea, I also use box fans but find it frustrating because box fans have a dead spot in their flow. Befor3e covid hit I was planning on building a redneck cool down station. using an old screen frame. Fill it with 140mm fans and a fan controller and power supply. Still may get to it some day. But of course that still requires a free station.

[Croft]

Thats a great idea, I also use box fans but find it frustrating because box fans have a dead spot in their flow. Befor3e covid hit I was planning on building a redneck cool down station. using an old screen frame. Fill it with 140mm fans and a fan controller and power supply. Still may get to it some day. But of course that still requires a free station.

we were box fans as well , I'm not sure why I had never noticed these before but no going back now they work so well can print right after a flash when needed.

[zanegun08]

I'm surprised no company offers this as an option on their presses. 

There is already air in the arms / squeegee holders, seems like to add some holes on the bottom of the flood bar and a valve to turn air on wouldn't be that difficult.  Flip the valve to have air spray, and set your flood bar stroke speed.  Could even have the valve open and close so it's only spraying air while moving.

We have some copper "sprayers" that were built to use compressed air but have to have a separate air line hooked into them.  Also surprised Action doesn't make something like this or I'm missing it?

These are more for cool down that lint sprayers.  Also could use the air pressure to possibly make a vacuum that could vacuum up lint in a similar "attachment"

We don't have this issue much, but as we do more HSA, not having large enough presses for cool downs becomes more of an issue.  Who's gonna drill holes in their presses to prototype?

[ericheartsu]

I'm surprised no company offers this as an option on their presses. 

There is already air in the arms / squeegee holders, seems like to add some holes on the bottom of the flood bar and a valve to turn air on wouldn't be that difficult.  Flip the valve to have air spray, and set your flood bar stroke speed.  Could even have the valve open and close so it's only spraying air while moving.

We have some copper "sprayers" that were built to use compressed air but have to have a separate air line hooked into them.  Also surprised Action doesn't make something like this or I'm missing it?

These are more for cool down that lint sprayers.  Also could use the air pressure to possibly make a vacuum that could vacuum up lint in a similar "attachment"

We don't have this issue much, but as we do more HSA, not having large enough presses for cool downs becomes more of an issue.  Who's gonna drill holes in their presses to prototype?

you crazy, you don't need the pallets to cool down for HSA!

[zanegun08]

you crazy, you don't need the pallets to cool down for HSA!

Tell that to my crew, we only have infrared flashes, so heat builds up too much and then the inks will be tacky on the bottom of the next screen or so hot that we have dry in issues.

I know that you can do the wet on wet method with multiple screens but we haven't perfected that yet, we still take 3 screens to do a white we feel is good quality. 

The struggle is real, but... real worth it in my opinion.  Next time you're in Portland come teach us the best method, we probably need to "science" our inks better as well, not using S thread currently, come give a seminar, Homegrown Smoker on me!

[BP]

I'm surprised no company offers this as an option on their presses. 

There is already air in the arms / squeegee holders, seems like to add some holes on the bottom of the flood bar and a valve to turn air on wouldn't be that difficult.  Flip the valve to have air spray, and set your flood bar stroke speed.  Could even have the valve open and close so it's only spraying air while moving.

We have some copper "sprayers" that were built to use compressed air but have to have a separate air line hooked into them.  Also surprised Action doesn't make something like this or I'm missing it?

These are more for cool down that lint sprayers.  Also could use the air pressure to possibly make a vacuum that could vacuum up lint in a similar "attachment"

We don't have this issue much, but as we do more HSA, not having large enough presses for cool downs becomes more of an issue.  Who's gonna drill holes in their presses to prototype?


M&R makes a Kool-Mist!