Installing Shurloc panels manually???

[screenprintguy]

What's the trick to getting these things to hold so that you can stretch manually? Or, can they only be installed if you have a roller master or accelerator? Any info on this would really help since I just bought a butt load of panels.

Thanks guys!

Mike

[ScreenFoo]

It's been a while since I threw in a few samples--but I indexed the rollers and they just snapped in.  If I remember correctly, they can only go in one way--try flipping the panel if it doesn't want to seat.

[screenprintguy]

Ive been able to get them to seat, but trying to get a side to stay in while rolling one side, they keep popping out. Sam mentioned setting up a bar to try and hold in place.

[screenprintguy]

Got a couple rolling, slow but got them going, first figured out the actual direction of the dang things, then made a backstop and a toping block to hold down the back end of the screen. I see some sort of stretching device in need. I like the roller master, but we have a wide variety of screen sizes, even some odd sizes, so that shurloc accelerator might be the ticket but I'm thinking of handing the plans and pics of the home made accelerator that Northland made and posted on another forum, over to my pop who has welding stuff at this shop and see if he can come up with something functional till we make up our mind on which permanent fixture to buy. If we go with the roller master, then we would probably sell off any odd sizes and replace with 1 size. who knows, just need to get these that I just bought in the production line. Thanks for the reply screenFoo!

Mike

[tpitman]

It's usually with square bar frames that it's tough getting the piece into the roller opposite the square bar. I work it in from the middle, then start turning the roller by hand as much as I can while reaching for a wrench to snug up a bolt. It isn't much easier on a roller master if the plastic pieces were glued on so that the tolerances are tight.

[alan802]

I used to do these on a flat table all the time and I'm not sure I understand where you're having a problem.  I'll read again to see if I missed something.  If the rollers are turned right, they shouldn't pop out on you, they may be tighter than they used to be and the rollers have to be turned too far inwards so you might have to work the rollers a little bit at a time. 

I always kept the roller bolts fairly tight so they wouldn't roll back, but with some muscle or a cheater bar attached, you could turn the rollers the right way and not have any of the other rollers come back on you.  I think Gilligan saw me do a screen manually and it was kind of funny the way I do it.  I have to throw a leg over the wrench while holding the back end down and turn the socket all at the same time, but it's fast and accurate.  I would do a video but I look like a tool doing it and I have somewhat of a reputation to uphold.  Just trust me, it can be done without a roller master and it can be done quickly.  I do prefer the roller master though, and I'll keep an eye out for a used one for you.

[screenprintguy]

There isn't much "extra" mesh with these panels like i've been used to cutting my own mesh. The flat table I stretch on has a backsplash that I always butt the frame up to. I took an old aluminum frame and cut a side off, screwed that piece to the backsplash just above where a roller frame would sit so that I can slide the frame under it and against the backsplash. That's helping me hold the back down. One of my main problems was that I wasn't putting the strips in right, so as I'd turn the roller, it would pop right out. Still the panels are pretty tight so the unmoving roller has to be in the right spot to give enough play to snap the other side in. I got it, but it's no faster for now that cutting my own mesh. I guess with a roller master or an accelerator , it would be super fast.

If you do come across a roller master table, please let me know. I'll be all over it!!

Thanks man

Mike

[starchild]

Charlie Taublieb has a 60 minute video for rent on smartflix on the various ways of
stretching roller frames it's 9 bucks to rent/copy/return.
http://smartflix.com/store/video/2380/Using-Roller-Frames

[screenprintguy]

Thanks Starchild, those vids are pretty much the same thing that shurloc posts on youtube for free viewing. My issue was installing the actual pre-softened panels by hand, not having any type of device. The Charlie vids show him using a stretching table and standard mesh. Thanks though, good resource to keep on hand.

[starchild]

Thanks Starchild, those vids are pretty much the same thing that shurloc posts on youtube for free viewing. My issue was installing the actual pre-softened panels by hand, not having any type of device. The Charlie vids show him using a stretching table and standard mesh. Thanks though, good resource to keep on hand.

Yea that vid answers your questions exactly "how to stretch panels and bolt mesh by hand" it's just that it also shows how to do it using the accelerator and roller master as  well.. hence I said  "various  ways". Topics such as staging and getting flat frames when doing it by hand are good too.