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screen printing => Newbie => Topic started by: noiseloops on March 07, 2013, 06:31:21 AM

Title: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: noiseloops on March 07, 2013, 06:31:21 AM
Made a rookie mistake in letting letting the reclaimer dry on the screen. Is there anyway to salvage this situation? Will a pressure washer help? Currently I'm juz using a garden hose.
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/07/enu5u3uh.jpg)

Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: blue moon on March 07, 2013, 06:37:04 AM
in most cases pressure washer will take it out. It might take a while to get it out though, you'll have to chip away at it. . .

pierre
Title: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: noiseloops on March 07, 2013, 06:40:55 AM
Thanks Pierre. Was in the process in obtaining one. Guess its in the priority list now. Cheers!
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: stitches4815 on March 07, 2013, 06:46:10 AM
Take it to a car wash, those have more pressure.
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: Frog on March 07, 2013, 07:49:57 AM
When you do pressure wash, concentrating on the inside (squeegee side) will help. Also, some haze removers will also help a little, and I have also applied alcohol and let it soak a bit for a little more marginal help.
Your screen looks like just a small portion is affected, or I would just say to scrap it because, as long as you have sufficient stock of screens,  it often is not worth the time.
Title: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: noiseloops on March 07, 2013, 08:11:03 AM
When you do pressure wash, concentrating on the inside (squeegee side) will help. Also, some haze removers will also help a little, and I have also applied alcohol and let it soak a bit for a little more marginal help.
Your screen looks like just a small portion is affected, or I would just say to scrap it because, as long as you have sufficient stock of screens,  it often is not worth the time.

Thanks for the advice. But that as not the only frame affected. There's another one that is badly affected as well. ????
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: Frog on March 07, 2013, 08:20:26 AM
When you do pressure wash, concentrating on the inside (squeegee side) will help. Also, some haze removers will also help a little, and I have also applied alcohol and let it soak a bit for a little more marginal help.
Your screen looks like just a small portion is affected, or I would just say to scrap it because, as long as you have sufficient stock of screens,  it often is not worth the time.

Thanks for the advice. But that as not the only frame affected. There's another one that is badly affected as well. ????

Well, like I said, sometimes you are better off replacing the mesh. Time is money.

Whatever you do, make sure to really inspect the mesh for complete cleanliness. After all of the extra work it would really be a bummer to find some residue after you get it on press again.
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: broadway on March 07, 2013, 11:37:34 AM
If you have the time, try haze remover or your emulsion remover at 100% if you use a concentrate. I would personally move on and hopefully you can use one of the screens as  a left chest image only. You can buy a good electric pressure washer for about $500, which should last for a very long time.
Title: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: noiseloops on March 07, 2013, 12:19:44 PM
If you have the time, try haze remover or your emulsion remover at 100% if you use a concentrate. I would personally move on and hopefully you can use one of the screens as  a left chest image only. You can buy a good electric pressure washer for about $500, which should last for a very long time.

I would love to move on. But thought ill exercise some options before moving on. Kinda tough to go back to the shop to get it re-meshed.

Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: ebscreen on March 07, 2013, 01:07:40 PM
I've often wondered if a super long soak in plain old water would be of benefit. Luckily I've never
had occasion to test it. It is the universal solvent you know.
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: cleveprint on March 07, 2013, 01:42:04 PM
i bet the haze remover would do it. we have done the same thing here...
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: 3Deep on March 07, 2013, 05:11:19 PM
If the emulsion is not blocking the mesh your still good to go...sometimes emulsion just kinda dies the mesh with out blocking it, I've had some like that.

Darryl
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: jsheridan on March 07, 2013, 06:52:05 PM
Static frame??

Cut mesh and go about your day. The time and materials required to save the screen will outweigh a re-mesh.

Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: mooseman on March 07, 2013, 08:04:57 PM
couple of things..you may be chasing a ghost and the screen is lost. Given the picture you show I would try soaking the screen with lacquer thinner just brush some on and let it set a while.Or you might raid the laundry room for some chlorine bleach (Chlorox) and soak and pressure wash. Just one note Chlorine eats aluminun for breakfast so be careful where it gets to.
As for pressure washers try some from lowes here is one under $200.00
 http://www.lowes.com/pd_458100-32638-AR383_4294747237__?productId=4439883&Ntt=pressure+washer&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dpressure%2Bwasher&facetInfo= (http://www.lowes.com/pd_458100-32638-AR383_4294747237__?productId=4439883&Ntt=pressure+washer&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dpressure%2Bwasher&facetInfo=)
Stay away from the Karcher brand they suck. I have one other brand from lowes paid under $200.00 for it when my second Karacher washer crapped out and it is now over 3 years old working fine.
mooseman
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: screenxpress on March 07, 2013, 09:21:45 PM
I got a decent (small) electric Black and Decker (1700 psi) from Sears for about 149. 

I'm not going to knock (directly) the ones from Lowes or Home Depot, but I suggest you draw your own conclusions reading the reviews on the ones sold at both places like I did.

Oh, by the way.  Leaving the reclaimer on the screen till it dries?  Been there, done that, tossed the screen - but that was way back, before I got a pressure washer....so give it a shot.  But don't waste too much time on it.
Title: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: noiseloops on March 08, 2013, 01:19:17 AM
@mooseman yikes. Didn't know karcher was a bad product. Was really edging ok that one than the makita washer. Basically due it's product warranty.
Ill try the bleach option if its doesn't wash out.
@screenexpress well it was a torrid time or me yesterday as this is my first time reclaiming screens. The first one went well while the second and third screens were a nightmare.
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: screenxpress on March 08, 2013, 09:01:04 PM
Don't overwork it.  As long as you're not locking ink in the emulsion (from printing when emulsion was not exposed long enough), use an emulsion remover (basically Sodium Periodate), then a ghost remover for any stubborn spots, make sure you don't let anything dry before you wash it out. 

Some emulsions are so easy to remove where you need not much more than a hose and it falls off.  Others not so much. 
Title: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: noiseloops on March 09, 2013, 04:34:33 AM
Alright! Bleach and pressure wash did the trick. Phew! That's a relief. Thanks all!
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/09/ry6yjapa.jpg)
Title: Re: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: ScreenFoo on March 09, 2013, 01:21:52 PM
They look beautiful.  Nothing like keeping something useful out of the garbage.

Another trick if you catch them right away is using a little caustic--either sodium or potassium hydroxide based cleaners will take care of just about anything--at the price of a very thin layer of your mesh threads.
Title: Rookie mistake on screen reclaiming help!
Post by: noiseloops on March 09, 2013, 11:04:02 PM
They look beautiful.  Nothing like keeping something useful out of the garbage.

Another trick if you catch them right away is using a little caustic--either sodium or potassium hydroxide based cleaners will take care of just about anything--at the price of a very thin layer of your mesh threads.

Ahhh, sounds a bit on the extreme side though. Hahahhaa

Thanks anyway for the heads up!