Hats off to Murakami

[repogolfer]

As we are trying to build up our supply of newmans frames we find ourselves still ordering static frames on occasion. 

The last batch I received from a company here in California were not up to my liking.  They like sending them out at 18n and I like to throw them out once they get below 18n....so this obviously was not a good relationship.  Phone call to them did not go over so well...lets just say that.

Anyhow advanced screenprint supply in Arizona is where I get some of my goods from, so I called them since they are where I get my bolt murakami S mesh from...Asked them if they would stretch some statics for me with the S mesh...They did not, but they ordered them for me straight from murakami.  Murakami was closer to me than them..I would assume that is why.

Anyhow they arrived in 2 days and the tension levels were all at 23n-25n...and the max for the mesh count that I ordered is 28n so I thought that was quite good.   Anyhow, you guys probably already know that this is possible...but this was new to me that I could actually get what I want from a vendor...and not take what they offer.


http://www.advancedscreenprintsupply.com/store/index.html

[ZooCity]

No sir, I did not know that Murakami stretched their own.  Gonna check this out. 

[blue moon]

we got a batch from Murakami with the LX mesh and they were top notch. Very tight and solid construction.

pierre

[alan802]

I suspected that the statics from Murakami would be top notch.  It's their mesh and reputation on the line so it doesn't surprise me that they are good.  I've always thought a static that was properly tensioned with the S thread would be a winner for many shops.  They are truly a low elongation mesh and the abuse they take in the right hands is minimal since you can print with such little pressure.  Good to hear another member comment on them.

[Homer]

we had "S" mesh in our rollers, popped every damn one of them while cleaning. Poor handling I'm sure. I would also throw a guess that we didn't properly stretch them to the best of their abilities. I have a stack of old statics here I may toss a thought at having them stretched....I may give the rollers another shot once the new press arrives too...Maybe not with s mesh though.  I know nothing about mesh...

25 seems higher than the old statics we were getting from Pocono.....nice to know...

[Admiral]

Murakami mesh is awesome, last one I stretched is a 225S bolt mesh that I put in perfectly and started at 27N 5 days ago, has been cycled through twice and is at 25N.  It will probably work harden at 23N(or more) if I don't touch it but I will probably retension it once.  I use a roller table and quite a bit of time to practically work harden it before it's even used.

Let us know how much tension that screen loses over time, also how much more did that screen cost you than a standard frame of similar mesh count?

[ZooCity]

If Murakami could get screens in your door at 28-30 it would be a game changer.  I don't see much more than a 5 n/cm drop on this mesh if properly staged.  That would put your static frames all stabilized no lower than 22-25, right in the 24 n/cm sweet spot that seems to work nicely across most of the S meshes.   

They also know their product and aren't afraid to max it out I'm sure.

Homer, every single one of our M3s is stretched with S mesh and it lasts a good long time.  It's usually just wear and tear making a little hole somewhere in the image area that retires them but we get the occasional popped screen.  It's rare though.  Good mesh loading is crucial as is having every single place the screens will ever rest mesh safe.

[Homer]

yeah zoo, I think the main issue was improper handling and those damn clamps I was talking about. dropping one making the tiniest of holes and then hit it with the powerwasher and boom -there goes another...maybe I should look at stretching these again, I still have bolts of 230 & 305 someplace...this brings up another topic -which I know nothing about, that 2nd number on the mesh. I understand it has to do with the filiment size? so the smaller the number, the larger the opening  (smaller diameter thread) but more "brittle" the screen becomes?

[ZooCity]

#2 is thread diameter. 

If you compare a lower thread diameter (thinner) to a higher (thicker) one of the same mesh count then yep, more open area.

Can't say it has a thing to do with how brittle the mesh is, do you mean fragile?

You'll find that thin threads in lower mesh counts are the most fragile.  ex// we have 135/48, 150/48 and 180/48  The 135s will get a hole if you flick a booger at them, the 150 is fairly durable and the 180 very.  They stretch to 24, 26 and 32 n/cm respectively.  There's some kind of strength in numbers where the exact same thread diameter seems to hold up longer and can take higher tension when it's woven in a higher tpi.   

Sadly, the S mesh with the best open area can be difficult for any shop to keep alive.  135/48 and 310/30 are crazy open area, amazing meshes but I had to finally all but 86 both of them.  Their life cycle is just to short, even with proper handling.

[Admiral]

Sadly, the S mesh with the best open area can be difficult for any shop to keep alive.  135/48 and 310/30 are crazy open area, amazing meshes but I had to finally all but 86 both of them.  Their life cycle is just to short, even with proper handling.

135/48 is that delicate? I was going to switch to that mesh for large coverage white underbases.  What did you mean "but I had to finally all but 86 both of them"?

[JBLUE]

Sadly, the S mesh with the best open area can be difficult for any shop to keep alive.  135/48 and 310/30 are crazy open area, amazing meshes but I had to finally all but 86 both of them.  Their life cycle is just to short, even with proper handling.

135/48 is that delicate? I was going to switch to that mesh for large coverage white underbases.  What did you mean "but I had to finally all but 86 both of them"?

We have not had an issue with it. Ours sit around 35-40n.

[Admiral]

Sadly, the S mesh with the best open area can be difficult for any shop to keep alive.  135/48 and 310/30 are crazy open area, amazing meshes but I had to finally all but 86 both of them.  Their life cycle is just to short, even with proper handling.

135/48 is that delicate? I was going to switch to that mesh for large coverage white underbases.  What did you mean "but I had to finally all but 86 both of them"?

We have not had an issue with it. Ours sit around 35-40n.

18-29N recommended tension, you sure about that? even 150S I keep at about 26N...

[JBLUE]

Positive. Have 6 160 S mesh on 6 all running at 35-40 as well. Each one has a dozen or so jobs on them and so far so good.

[alan802]

Damn Blue, 40 newtons on a 135/48 is crazy good.  I can get ours up to about 32 and they pop almost immediately.  I can get most any mesh at least 10-15% higher than the max recommended and sometimes more, but I stopped playing that game a while ago.  It sucks busting a mesh just because you want to see how far you can stretch one before it busts.

[JBLUE]

I let them set for a while and bring them up really gently. I would not recomend it for production thoughin a super fast paced environment. There is no advantage that i can see from anything above 30n. I was lucky enough to get the mesh for free so I figured why the hell not try. I stretched them over a week and half period due to being too busy. I usually let mesh stand for 24-48 before bringing in up all the way but these sat and I just kept going up. I think working them slowly allowed it. 180 s also hold higher and I have that at around 30n give or take a Newton or two. Anything above 180 s better stick to the recommended tension. They are far more touchy and I am not as ballsy with those. That gets expensive pretty fast. I had a 305 S pop on me the other day mid coat. Scared the SH!t out of me.....lol