"He who marches out of step hears another drum." ~ Ken Kesey
I can't remember where I got this formula, but if you take the mesh count and divide it by 4.5, you'll get the maximum LPI that the mesh can hold. For example: 230 mesh, divided by 4.5 equals 51.111111. So 51 LPI halftones is the highest you can go on that mesh. Also, look into S-Mesh (Smart Mesh) from Murakami. The thread diameter is thinner and you can hold smaller halftones on lower mesh counts than you can on regular mesh. I can hold 50 LPI on 180 S-mesh. It allows me to get good ink coverage and still have small halftones. You can get pre stretched S-Mesh screens from Spot Color Supply. $35 each if you get the permanent blockout around the edges. Hope this helps!
What mesh count do you guys use to make half tones? I've never done half tones before and I'm planning to order a big bulk of screens. I would like the include the screens necessary to make half tones. Thanks guys!!
Quote from: Cole on October 18, 2018, 09:12:22 AMI can't remember where I got this formula, but if you take the mesh count and divide it by 4.5, you'll get the maximum LPI that the mesh can hold. For example: 230 mesh, divided by 4.5 equals 51.111111. So 51 LPI halftones is the highest you can go on that mesh. Also, look into S-Mesh (Smart Mesh) from Murakami. The thread diameter is thinner and you can hold smaller halftones on lower mesh counts than you can on regular mesh. I can hold 50 LPI on 180 S-mesh. It allows me to get good ink coverage and still have small halftones. You can get pre stretched S-Mesh screens from Spot Color Supply. $35 each if you get the permanent blockout around the edges. Hope this helps!I agree that S mesh is the way to go, but in my opinion, not the mesh to start with. It is too fragile and if not experienced, those screens will only last few washes before they pop. Start with regular and after you get used to them move to the S mesh.On the other hand, if you don't mind breaking screens in the beginning, start with S. It will have a much steeper learning curve, but you will be learning on the best possible option. 'just be ready for some hair pulling!pierre
Quote from: blue moon on October 18, 2018, 09:16:26 AMQuote from: Cole on October 18, 2018, 09:12:22 AMI can't remember where I got this formula, but if you take the mesh count and divide it by 4.5, you'll get the maximum LPI that the mesh can hold. For example: 230 mesh, divided by 4.5 equals 51.111111. So 51 LPI halftones is the highest you can go on that mesh. Also, look into S-Mesh (Smart Mesh) from Murakami. The thread diameter is thinner and you can hold smaller halftones on lower mesh counts than you can on regular mesh. I can hold 50 LPI on 180 S-mesh. It allows me to get good ink coverage and still have small halftones. You can get pre stretched S-Mesh screens from Spot Color Supply. $35 each if you get the permanent blockout around the edges. Hope this helps!I agree that S mesh is the way to go, but in my opinion, not the mesh to start with. It is too fragile and if not experienced, those screens will only last few washes before they pop. Start with regular and after you get used to them move to the S mesh.On the other hand, if you don't mind breaking screens in the beginning, start with S. It will have a much steeper learning curve, but you will be learning on the best possible option. 'just be ready for some hair pulling!pierrePierre, Since you bring up S-Mesh along with lpi conversion (multiplying line count by 4, 4.5, or 5 to get lowest mesh count......) I have to ask, for S-Mesh, what's your conversion? Meaning, when you're calculating lpi on S Mesh, what do you use to calculate minimum mesh count per lpi? 4, 4.5, 5x? Thanks a bunch!Will
Quote from: BRGtshirts on October 18, 2018, 07:27:30 PMQuote from: blue moon on October 18, 2018, 09:16:26 AMQuote from: Cole on October 18, 2018, 09:12:22 AMI can't remember where I got this formula, but if you take the mesh count and divide it by 4.5, you'll get the maximum LPI that the mesh can hold. For example: 230 mesh, divided by 4.5 equals 51.111111. So 51 LPI halftones is the highest you can go on that mesh. Also, look into S-Mesh (Smart Mesh) from Murakami. The thread diameter is thinner and you can hold smaller halftones on lower mesh counts than you can on regular mesh. I can hold 50 LPI on 180 S-mesh. It allows me to get good ink coverage and still have small halftones. You can get pre stretched S-Mesh screens from Spot Color Supply. $35 each if you get the permanent blockout around the edges. Hope this helps!I agree that S mesh is the way to go, but in my opinion, not the mesh to start with. It is too fragile and if not experienced, those screens will only last few washes before they pop. Start with regular and after you get used to them move to the S mesh.On the other hand, if you don't mind breaking screens in the beginning, start with S. It will have a much steeper learning curve, but you will be learning on the best possible option. 'just be ready for some hair pulling!pierrePierre, Since you bring up S-Mesh along with lpi conversion (multiplying line count by 4, 4.5, or 5 to get lowest mesh count......) I have to ask, for S-Mesh, what's your conversion? Meaning, when you're calculating lpi on S Mesh, what do you use to calculate minimum mesh count per lpi? 4, 4.5, 5x? Thanks a bunch!WillWe don't convert. Not really sure it's necessary. I would imagine most here will agree that 305 mesh and 55lpi is the industry standard. 230S mesh for underbase will hold almost all of the 55lpi halftones (down to about 5%). In theory regular 305 will hold down to 3%, but we have not had much luck with that and stop around 5-7%. 330S has been good down to 3%, but it's not easy to get the smallest dots to open. I remember working the screens for up to 15 min to get everything to open. I should mention that this is with calibrated output so it is closer to 65lpi out of FilmMaker and AccuRIP before adjustments.45lpi looks pretty good and is much easier to hold even on lower count meshes. If you are trying to figure out what to do, start with 45lpi and make sure you hold down to 5-7%. If you are doing good with that, try 55lpi. We have won some awards with 63 and 61lpi, but to be honest, those were just done as marketing gimmicks and I can't see any customer needing that level of detail. We print 99% of our jobs at 55lpi and every now and then will go to 45lpi to make things easier.pierre