Think I could cheat the "underbase" here?

[Gilligan]

The print is 10" wide by 3.25" tall.

I'm thinking I could either half tone the underbase a bit OR just full on the red and let the grey stand on it's own.

Maybe go with a "lighter" shade of grey and let the shirt darken  it?

I'm deferring to you guys because I have ZERO experience with this sort of thing.

Hell, I haven't had a flash hooked up since I got my dryer!  Before that I only did one PFP job and it was just white on black.

[JBLUE]

You could do this a couple of ways. On the manual PFP white, then gray and red wet on wet using the that way it's only twice around. Depending on the gray I would. Of even base it.

Second you could print white, flash, gray, red, highlight white and only go around once. This is what I would do if it were me. On e around and done in half the time.

[Gilligan]

My issue is two large jobs for this client and not enough screens with the correct tension.

I have 5 20x24 screens at 16n and 2 at 12n and then I have 1 21x31 at 16n and 2 at 12n.

I have this job and another 3 color job that needs to hold decent registration.  So I'm trying to jam the grey on this one with another image from the other shirt which would keep the 16n 20x24 for the multi-color jobs and then I can put all the single color stuff (both backs are just white) and the booty shorts/thongs (I probably could put those together on a single screen)... so I'll have a couple of 12n screens left over but I don't think I should mix one of those in with the 16n's.  *shrug*

This all needs to be printed tomorrow if possible as it is for a big "4/20" celebration.  Granted, I can deliver SOME during the day if I have to... not like the "4/20" crowd is known to be early risers.

[Admiral]

could do:
gray underbase
red
white high light

[Gilligan]

Would one print of the grey be enough?

[Binkspot]

could do:
gray underbase
red
white high light

IMO that's how I would do it. One good hit of light grey flash then the rest. Even if you have to mix a little black with some good white to make a good base.

Don't get caught up in screen tension, its important but not the only thing to consider. Look at your mesh size and how you actually print. I think you would be surprised what you can print with soft screens. Run the whole thing with low mesh counts around 110 and concentrate on how you flood and print with the squeegee. Try different angles to get the job done. I have a bunch of screens that actually sag from the weight of the emulsion and ink but still use on occasion on the manual.

[Homer]

buy more screens.

[Frog]

*Note *Homer was somewhat more succinct in the same message I was trying to make, and get it out there while I was trying to sound clever.

On a related note, get a couple dozen more screens into your rotation.
This is screen printing, after all.

Tension meters are slick, and often invaluable, but they don't get that image on the shirt like an old funky screen does. If, in fact, you have a bunch of screens deemed unusable, have 'em re-stretched. If you are going the roller only route, bite the bullet and buy enough to get you through those times when you have four five screen jobs at once.

[RICK STEFANICK]

white(underbase the red only)-156m
flash
same
flash
red-230m
grey-110m  (no base)

[Gilligan]

*Note *Homer was somewhat more succinct in the same message I was trying to make, and get it out there while I was trying to sound clever.

On a related note, get a couple dozen more screens into your rotation.
This is screen printing, after all.

Tension meters are slick, and often invaluable, but they don't get that image on the shirt like an old funky screen does. If, in fact, you have a bunch of screens deemed unusable, have 'em re-stretched. If you are going the roller only route, bite the bullet and buy enough to get you through those times when you have four five screen jobs at once.

Like about 60?

Got it!

Time and room to learn how to stretch them?

Working on it, but jobs have to be printed first.

[Gilligan]

...Even if you have to mix a little black with some good white to make a good base.

Is there anything wrong with doing that to make grey in general?

That was what I was planning on doing for grey all the time... was I informed incorrectly?

[Frog]

There are grays, and there are grays (and don't even get me going on "greys")
Sure, white and black will get a gray, but most grays have a lot more going for them.

When I ran a die stamping press (engraving), I used at least a half dozen different grays on business cards. My foreman showed me the trick of scraping an ink sample on a piece of paper or card stock to really see what was in it. As the deposit got really thin, the reddish or greenish components appeared.
Grays were actually quite complex.

So, if they don't have a name brand gray in mind to start with, show your client your repeatable home recipe gray(s) and leave it up to them.

[Gabe]

forget newtons, focus on getting a jump off the shirt print
if you are a manual shop you can be more creative
is not rocket science, is what looks good
making that first impression to your client is what counts

[JBLUE]

I also have to ask the question "these are due tomorrow and you are just now dealing with this?"....

[Frog]

*Note *Homer was somewhat more succinct in the same message I was trying to make, and get it out there while I was trying to sound clever.

On a related note, get a couple dozen more screens into your rotation.
This is screen printing, after all.

Tension meters are slick, and often invaluable, but they don't get that image on the shirt like an old funky screen does. If, in fact, you have a bunch of screens deemed unusable, have 'em re-stretched. If you are going the roller only route, bite the bullet and buy enough to get you through those times when you have four five screen jobs at once.

Like about 60?

Got it!

Time and room to learn how to stretch them?

Working on it, but jobs have to be printed first.

I have nothing against re-tensionable screens and the folks, especially newbies, who want to use them as the "state of the art" critters they are, but I also see some folks a little like the high school kid, with a really cool car, that is always up on blocks awaiting some trick rear end, or a special grind cam, while the girl of his dreams is going out with the guy who can actually pick her up and drive somewhere in his running Camry.