Wow, Screen Tape Costs!!!

[Prosperi-Tees]

I for one am using too much dang tape at the moment, I gotta round the ends of those sharp ass squeegees!

[TCT]

So, that's a "no" on the PMI tape from people then huh?
The more I use it, the more I start justifying the added cost.

Now, if they only made a  replacement for scotch tape...

[Homer]

one thing we took into consideration was not so much the cost of the tape, but applying and removing it. all that time adds up, mostly removing. those costs add up fast...and if we can crank out a few more screens in washout by not dealing with tape, we come out far ahead...however, we do have some tape on hand for waterbase stuff but thanks to Mr Tees - I have some waterproof blockout to purchase! anything to make our job easier....

[tonypep]

Bingo! This is a perfect example of the type of thing many "consultants" will overlook. Generally speaking most will find that application labor dollars far exceed the cost of the raw material. Most screen printers/makers over apply tape as insurance when there are several steps that can be taken to minimize the need for this, regardless of what product you use.

[balloonguy]

I have a question for the "no tape" people. Are any of you using roller frames? It seems like a nightmare to get ink under the rollers.
Matt

[Homer]

I have a question for the "no tape" people. Are any of you using roller frames? It seems like a nightmare to get ink under the rollers.
Matt

no rollers for us. all S mesh statics and panel frames that we stretch in house.......Rollers just didn't fit in our shop....


I know, I caught hell from sam already, no need to dish more....

[Sbrem]

I have a question for the "no tape" people. Are any of you using roller frames? It seems like a nightmare to get ink under the rollers.
Matt

Our best manual printer does not tape the insides on the sides, only the top and bottom. I know I would make a mess, but she doesn't, and this girl can print like hell. So, if one doesn't have that kind of control, it's best to tape up. And yes, it is a pita to get ink under the rollers...

Steve

[tonypep]

I have a question for the "no tape" people. Are any of you using roller frames? It seems like a nightmare to get ink under the rollers.
Matt

no rollers for us. all S mesh statics and panel frames that we stretch in house.......Rollers just didn't fit in our shop....

ritical

I know, I caught hell from sam already, no need to dish more....

Sold all our rollers. A tight frame is just that; square or round. Plus we're WB so tension less critical.
So statics and no tape. Clean with water. No residual adhesive to fight and no pricey rubber tape.

[Mr Tees!!]

...I do use statics only, and I can see how that could be a problem if it gets WAY under there on a rollerframe. We do get ink on the inside area of the frame, but it just gets scrubbed off during reclaim or the de-inking process I mentioned earlier.

[mimosatexas]

So, that's a "no" on the PMI tape from people then huh?
The more I use it, the more I start justifying the added cost.

Now, if they only made a  replacement for scotch tape...

I'm going to keep using their split tape.  The ease of use and speed more than justify the extra expense for me.  I got sick as crap of pulling little shredded pieces of tape off my screen every time or having ink leak under or react with the adhesive on other brands and make clean up a pain.

[alan802]

I've got about 12 rolls of the split tape and it's great stuff but I do not think it's worth the cost because it doesn't come off much easier than the tape we currently use at half the price.  So several minutes a day maximum (on our heaviest reclaim day) would be saved by using PMI here at SRI.  Our screen tape doesn't shred for whatever reason and usually all four sides comes off in one pull, all together in one piece.  It doesn't come off as easy as the PMI, but some of the issues that some have with their screen tape doesn't happen here for whatever reason.  Could be the adhesive of the tape we use, or more likely the thickness/mil of the tape we use is higher than the 1.7-1.8 mil that a lot of shops use.  I love the 2.4 mil stuff and there is no way it would split when pulling off.

On the subject of permanent block out:  I've printed a few jobs recently without taping up the insides of the screens but I wouldn't trust my guys to be able to do that and not make a mess.  Without tape there on longer runs the ink would creep under the rollers and good lord what a mess that would make.   

[ZooCity]

Not being able to permanently block out roller frames is maybe the only negative thing about them.  It drives me mad how much we "waste" on the tape and the labor to put it on, pull it off.   That video from the German dude with the statics built with a bevel to drain water, permanent blockout on perimeter, just coat and go, that's the goal in my opinion for best possible throughput. 

This topic alone makes me seriously consider stretching our own statics. 

[mimosatexas]

can you buy those beveled frames in the states?  They looked awesome...

[Admiral]

What frames are you guys referring to?

[Socalfmf]

ok so I have thought about this for a while.  your tape cost is 1% if you do 300k in screen printing.  So we are all worried about 1%?  now if you do 600k well you see where this is going. 

now I do not know how much he does in sales volume for screening but 300k is not that much for the staff he has. 

thoughts?

again it is only 1%.  so really it isn't that big of deal right?