Anyone use block out pens?

[Prosperi-Tees]

I have always taped off reg marks and pin holes but find if I have to wipe the back of the screen some residual ink will catch on the tape edges and will transfer to the next shirt being printed. I know some use old emulsion but normally when I have a screen washed out and dry, we go to print immediately so waiting for old emulsion to dry would suck. I see some blockout pens have a dry time of 30-90 seconds which isnt to bad. Would just like to hear your thoughts and what you do.

[ebscreen]

Yes but not for what you are describing. I don't know how the pen would react
with ink. They're great for hard to hit pinholes.

[jasonl]

i use the pens for small pen holes SOMETIMES!  ONLY if its in a place I cant get scoth tape on.  Other wise I always use tape. 

[Prosperi-Tees]

Maybe I should try scotch tape. Thinner and may not catch residual ink?

[Frog]

I seem to remember looking at them many years ago and not seeing a great benefit (to justify the expense) over a little block out on a toothpick or small brush, or my old stand by, some of Homer's out of fashion color nail polish.

And Gerry, any tape has the potential to catch wiped ink. I always try to run a junk shirt print after a wipe. That's where the fastest drying press washes excel.

[Printhouse]

I have the green block out pens here and they are alright for small pin holes away from the image but they really lay some content down.  I prefer red coat block out for my pin holes.  t dries very quickly.  If we need the screen right away it is ready to go with about 25 seconds of hair dryer applied.

[Screened Gear]

I used them but stopped. I have had pin holes or larger holes open back up that I used them on. I like tape when on the press. You don't have to wait for dry time. The block out pens are water based so they only work with plastisol.

If you wipe a screen use screen opener. It breaks down the ink alot better then press wash. This way the tape you covered holes with don't transfer ink as easily. Still a good Idea to run a test shirt.

[Gilligan]

Speaking of nail polish... I've had some spots that I could have used it on but was reluctant because of reclaiming concerns.

Does the nail polish come off when reclaiming easily?  Anything I need to do different?

[Frog]

I have the green block out pens here and they are alright for small pin holes away from the image but they really lay some content down.  I prefer red coat block out for my pin holes.  t dries very quickly.  If we need the screen right away it is ready to go with about 25 seconds of hair dryer applied.

Watch out for forced drying precisely registered screens. I have seen them shrink or stretch enough to not line up.

In fact, there was an ultra fast block out with methylene chloride or something that could knock a critical screen out of whack if enough was used.

And Gilly, the tiny spots of nail polish blast right out because for the most part, they are sitting on reclaimed emulsion, not mesh. The polish doesn't penetrate and sandwich the mesh like the emulsion did.

[Doug B]

  For small pinholes on short runs, I have used White-out. From what you guys are
describing, should work as good as something more expensive. Drys fast and usually
holds up for a couple hundred impressions. It is only good for pinholes- not registration
marks or large areas.

[shellyky]

I like them for when a highlight white sim process screen turns out to be "too much ink"....i can artfully "sketch" out the bad areas and you'd never know because it doesnt leave a clean line and block everything like tape would.

[ZooCity]

We have a contact solution bottle of our emulsion.  Works great but requires a quick post expose. 

I have a green water soluble pen and it's nice for tight spots on plastisol screens.

[alan802]

We have them and my printer uses it  but I don't.  I just put tape on the pinhole or whatever because I don't have to worry about dry time or what usually happens is the blockout pen works for a few hundred impressions then opens back up. 

[Sbrem]

I've been using a brush for so long that when I tried out the pens, they didn't have the control. I guess they're fine for the larger holes, but getting at the middle of a design needs a finer tip... I like a sable brush, but I don't really do this anymore, I'm in the office 99% of the time.

Steve

as far as ink on the tape, we just wipe more carefully before we start up again

[Admiral]

I used them but stopped. I have had pin holes or larger holes open back up that I used them on. I like tape when on the press. You don't have to wait for dry time. The block out pens are water based so they only work with plastisol.

If you wipe a screen use screen opener. It breaks down the ink alot better then press wash. This way the tape you covered holes with don't transfer ink as easily. Still a good Idea to run a test shirt.

We use block out pens and it holds up fine, has lasted over 10k prints before just fine.  It's also usable for water-based ink screens.

Pinholes are blocked right after screen is taped which happens when it's dry on the rack after the stencil has been washed out. 

We don't have many pinholes though because we use a CTS now.  Only have to check on 200+ higher mesh counts.