Newbie help... is this possible for a beginner

[bearpaw]

Complete beginner with screen printing here. I would like to print the attached design (6cm by 9cm) onto card stock. Is this possible for a beginner... I am concerned that some of the detail in the lines/font may be too fine? What should I look out for, and what kind of inks and screen mesh should I use?

Thanks,
bearpaw

[royster13]

Why are you screen printing it?...

[Frog]

First off, welcome. Though apparel is the main focus of the members here, there are some folks here who do work with flat stock, and you should be able to get some specific answers.
I've taken the liberty to display your file.

At 6cm x 9 cm (2.36" x 3.54") you have certainly given yourself a challenge! I do not think that you will have much of a chance holding the reversed out type at the bottom.
I think that this particular art is better served by offset or digital reproduction.

That is assuming that you could even hold the detail on the screen. The first question I have would be "what equipment do you have"? (Actually, the first question that came to mind, as to Royster's was "Why?")

If you truly want to get involved with screen printing, I suggest "cub" steps. The problems encountered with a difficult project may prove frustrating and sour your experience.

[TCT]

I by no means am a "expert" when it comes to flat stock, but I have done some. There are certain niche markets that want actual screen printed posters, tags, invites, ect. But I usually let someone more experienced handle those job requests. I do have to say the small amount of flat stock printing we have done, the ink seems to be extremely thin. I can only imagine that would add to the complexity of such a small design. Guess best advice I would have is a no brainier but- high mesh 355+. I will now shut up before I embarrass myself further!

You got a doozie  

[Get Shirts]

The results will depend on the equipment used to expose the screen.  Aside from the reverse at the bottom, which is still definitely possible, printing would be cake.   305 mesh with basic water based black would do the trick.  But again, it all comes down to the burn.

[royster13]

There are certain niche markets that want actual screen printed posters, tags, invites, ect.

Most of the folks that make inquiries like that to me come to their senses when I give them quotes that include their method and my "much more economical" suggestion.....

[StuJohnston]

Well, I typed a bunch of words about printing and some about design, but I thought better of it. More important than a lecture on the finer points of flatstock, what about you? What kind of equipment and experience do you have?

One thing that I will point out is that you have a 0.166pt line in that there design, that is going to cause headaches.

And true, the price of screenprinting ephemera doesn't fit into everyone's budget, but there are things that I can do that aren't possible otherwise. To be completely honest, this particular design isn't something that would be improved much by screenprinting over digital press. depending on the materials I suppose.

[Sbrem]

You could do this, but it's not going to be easy. However, you'll get about 50 screenprinting lessons for free out of it, all totally frustrating. Multi purpose (air dry) inks, with modifiers like a reducer and a retarder. Use a screen mesh fine enough to handle the detail, I'm thinking 305 or higher. After a print, give a flood stroke to help keep the stencil from drying in (your fine lines freezing up) and keep moving; you stop, you freeze up. You also will probably need to heavy up the detail in the bottom so it stays open in the print. These are the most basic things to think of. Give it a try, and get to learning. If you have a specific problem, ask us...

Steve

[Inkworks]

305 or higher mesh.

You must print on larger than finished size card stock and then trim to size. You can't print right to the edge, ever.

Once you start, you gotta keep moving, starting and stopping are your enemy, as is wiping the screen. Have everything ready before you put ink to screen. Thinned ink, rags, newsprint, solvent, racks/dryer, puller, everything ready.

You'll need some sort of vacuum table or tack-table to hold the product down.

Have ~5% extras for an experienced printer. 50%+ extras for a newbie.

Pretty straight forward for someone who's done that sort of stuff, but probably a world of hurt for someone starting out.

[ZooCity]

That's screen printable at size but won't look very different from digital.  I agree with everything else said here.

I have to second the notion that your exposure is going to be key.  If you don't have a tight expo setup, pay a local shop to shoot this for you. 

Sharp, hard squeegee and a perfect, clean push stroke (presuming you are doing this manually) will do it.  Try to run a friendly ink like Speedball or, if you are into it, a solvent ink and retard the living hell out of either.  The fine detail is going to want to dry in on you and you'll need to move fast.  Always flood after the print stroke, keeping the screen wet the entire time.  Get a crap ton of extra material and just go. 

[Sbrem]

Geez, it's like we all took the same class... at the school of hard knocks.

Steve

[bearpaw]

Thanks for all the replies everyone... I like pushing boundaries but think I may have gone a bit too far... especially as this is my first attempt. So I think I will remove some of the detail - get that sorted and move up from there.

[mimosatexas]

We print quite a few wedding invites and other small format, detailed designs using screen printing.  My suggestions would be:

get a spray bottle and mix 40% 409 (yes the cleaner) and 60% water.  Spray this on your screen and use a paper towel or a rag that wont leave any lint on the screen to coat the entire screen with this solution prior to putting ink on the screen.  This will do three things: wet the mesh so it won't suck moisture from your ink with the first pull, prevent ink from drying on the emulsion and making it difficult to reclaim, and coat the emulsion with glycerine which will make the squeegee slide across smoothly.  Your first pull will be a mess so use test paper, but after that you will experience fewer issues.

use 280+ mesh and a 1/1 coat of emulsion.

Be sure you have a vacuum platen.

Use a sharp high durometer squeegee and a high angle on your pull.  Do only a single stroke.

Use small off contact.



This design would not necessarily be a problem to screen print (except the thinnest lines in the reverse text), but it is black and white.  Unless you want white ink on black paper, there is no reason to screen print this.  If you are going to use screen printing, take advantage of the process.  Use bright inks on dark paper.  Use metallics.  Layer colors and use opacity for interesting effects.  Otherwise you are just spending more time and money for no reason.

[StuJohnston]

That's good advice mimosatexas, I kinda forgot how to print waterbased flatstock. Though I would add, make sure there's a decent flood at all times possible.

[mimosatexas]

yes, when "flooding" with waterbased ink, you don't actually flood the stencil.  Your goal should be a thin layer of ink across the entire screen (at least where your squeegee is touching).  Basically you shouldnt even see your stencil, just a giant thin block/layer of ink.  This will keep the tiny details from drying in as the layer of ink provides much more moisture than the tiny dot of ink just the thickness of the emulsion would if you hard flood it like you would with plastisol.