How important is micro registration?

[Hank Stamper]

I just built a vacuum table as per Andy Mac’s specs in his (quite good) book. I weld, and so built a hinge system using inexpensive bearings mounted onto brackets, etc. It works very nicely--it lifts/lowers as smooth as silk with zero play. After some consideration I have a mental sketch for fabricating a micro registration version. I am a beginner screen printer with minimal experience—all printing so far has been one screen/one colour; no registration required. Do I really need a micro registration hinge for multi-colour work? With my minimal experience, my thinking says “no” and that I can accomplish micro registration by a) close attention to positioning the burn of each particular colour image on each screen prepared for the printing job and b) micro positioning each screen by hand in the hinge clamps. Can I expect to do decent multi-colour printing (on paper—not t-shirts) without micro registration?

[k8bit]

I printed multicolor for years in a lab with no micro registration, When i built my studio, I built it into my printing table, but since have used it maybe twice. You certainly don't need it, although I can see how having one of those expensive fancy systems could save some time.

[Josh Rickun]

i just put one into my new vacuum table. it's really nice for quick adjustments. like when the screen lines up with the reg marks on the film but not on the dried ink for the next color or when registration is off halfway thru the run.

[IVARTON]

I built mines into my press, but have never used it. A register to a sheet of mylar and them I'm off to the races.

[Andymac]

or move your tabs, I use repositional tabs. I use the micro on my big press all the time, but the table moves, not the screen.

[k8bit]

I'm a dirty mylar user as well. I don't comprehend how some of you wizards can just look through the screen on the table and know its lined up. I call black magic.

[paul204]

Andymac, what do you use for tabs? Where can I get some?

[Hank Stamper]

Ah, thank you all. I'd like to tackle the problem of building a micro registration system but I can now save my brain for other challenges.

[Andymac]

You can do this when you are drunk.

4 pieces of sticker material. 3"x6"? it just doesn't matter, and they only have to be roughly the same size, you will fuck up sticking them together evenly anyway, so don't worry. Peel and stick 3 of them on top of the one you leave the backing on.

Cut with a straight edge and exacto knife into 3/4x3/4" squares. From a few scraps of vinyl, you have like 50 peel and stick tabs.

I keep a schwack in a guitar string plastic pouch taped to the front of the press, or close by

when the print is in position, stick two in a near corner, and one along one of the sides. Too fucking easy. and they are soft enough they won't rip the screen, unless you are nailing it.

If you have to adjust for register, leave the vac on with the print in position. check which way you need to move it, and how much. move the tab in that direction. Use the edge of the paper as your reference point. they peel up easy and reposition. keep 'slightly' adjusting the location until you are in, and don't make any big movements, like all 3 at one time.

And think about which direction you are moving the print. when adjusting the tabs, you are moving the paper/dried image towards your new colour.



For quick setup, with the vac table design with the floating back bar, mount the screen and hook up the counterweight. Slack your adjuster bolts/nutz a bit so all will slide and move screen and the registration bar so the big holes in your back bar are centered on each lock bolt.

Lift the screen and slip the print, with the posi taped in position on it under, and move it within 1/4" of register - look for the space between the posi and the stencil image.

Turn the vac on, so the paper stays put. this is important!

Move the screen until it's lined up. Don't put your finger on the screen to see how it lines up on the positive and try and move the screen at the same time, or you will move the posi too. Push to look, then remove your hand, then move. If you have any kind of a press with micros, don't hold the screen down and adjust, it fucks it up. Just sayin'.

tighten your lock bolts half snug

check for register - no white showing all around the design.

give the register bar a few love taps if it needs to go one way or another.

If it is in, still with the vac going, lift the screen and put your tabs on.

You're more or less in register, although there a lots more things that can fuck you up.

If that setup takes you more than one minute, you are doing something wrong or you are too fucked up, you should have a nap.

You will probably have to adjust once you start printing, due to deflection, or the screen settling in. you can easily move the tab a few thousands towards you, just look at the gap between the edge of the paper and the tab, and move it, with the paper sucked down. If you have to move the tab toward (under) the paper to adjust, put your next print down moved in the direction you think it needs to go, then print it.

If it is good, then move the tab against the edge of the paper.

Done? Keep you misregistered ones separate so you know where they are.

Tape the tabs down on long runs, and change them often - the glue eventually gives out.

Adjust the tab height for your paper, it should never be higher.

If you don't have vinyl sticker material in your shop, go to the local sign guy and ask if you can have some offcuts from the trash.

[SkatRadioh]

I'm a dirty mylar user as well. I don't comprehend how some of you wizards can just look through the screen on the table and know its lined up. I call black magic.

I work on a steep inclined table with no vacuum. It's simple. You initially give yourself some measurements to line artwork up with and draw those guides on your paper. Put some painters tape on the back at the corners and sides along with double sided tape around the edge (I definitely used much more than needed in the past). Now, you just hold the paper up to the screen and line it up, working by putting the corners down first and shifting it into the right spot and re-setting them until it's right.

The best part is just locking in the screen now and doing a mock print with no ink (hands work too). The paper should have transfered from the screen to the table. Finally, if you can avoid cutting yourself, the back side of an x-acto blade works perfectly as a registration tab for 100 cover stock. Tape it down with painters tape. You can reposition it as andymac described. I usually have some decently tacky double sided tape on the table holding paper down. Proceeding colors can be registered in relation to previous layers.

Micro regristration? pffftttt, only if I ever get paid to use it. An important thing to consider in registration is preparing artwork with an appropriate trapping.