When printing without a vacuum table...

[ozworkz]

I'm printing without a vacuum table, and this particular screen has a large ink coverage area on 13x19 paper.
The problem I'm having is the whole sheet sticking to the screen when lifting, and of course it looks like crap after peeling it off. So I used spray tack with some success, but it seems the ink was still laying down too thick. The screen was about 1/4 inch off-contact from top to bottom. I hate using the spray tack, gets all on surface and wears out after 5 prints. So anyone that prints without a vaccum have any advice? should ink be thick... like straight out the speedball jar or should it be thinned with water?

[JustinHelton]

Whats your screen mesh? May have to do with how much ink is laying on the paper...

[boatdreams]

Without a vacuum table, you'll want spray adhesive, but get the fancy spray adhesive. The stuff that shirt printers use. It'll be more expensive, but that stuff is pretty much magic in a can.

[40ozGraphics]

I use a repositionable spray adhesive (probably a 3m product). I spray the surface down, let is sit for a few minutes while I do something else so it's dry enough not to fuck up the 1st print. I usually can get a good 20 - 40 prints before respraying.

[ozworkz]

Whats your screen mesh? May have to do with how much ink is laying on the paper...

mesh count its 230... 23x3(something) frames.

Without a vacuum table, you'll want spray adhesive, but get the fancy spray adhesive. The stuff that shirt printers use. It'll be more expensive, but that stuff is pretty much magic in a can.

I use a repositionable spray adhesive (probably a 3m product). I spray the surface down, let is sit for a few minutes while I do something else so it's dry enough not to fuck up the 1st print. I usually can get a good 20 - 40 prints before respraying.

yea I think I was using the same 3M stuff probably (I think its "3M general adhesive").

Thanks for the replies. One more question... I originally taped a stack of business cards under the screen frame at the bottom ends to get the 1/4" off-contact. Then, I thought I should raise the top of the screen also... so I put the same amount of cards under the top of the screen frame (between the frame and the hinge clamps). Should I only do this at the bottom?

[Andymac]

some tricks....although building a vacuum table is the easiest trick of all....

ON big square prints with lots of coverage, either turn the image on the screen, or start your stroke with the squeegee at an angle. this allows the first part of the image to peel, because it is not a big area being sticky all at once.

make a flap at the top that holds down the top of the print - so you have a bit of border under an overflap of paper that is taped along the top. this will hold the paper down at the start of the print so it can peel.

thin your ink, this reduces the stick

sharp squeegee, this reduces your flood thickness and sheers the ink better

Good tension - the better your tension, the easier it is for the screen to sep from the paper.

[ImJustRickG]

Yeah, you can fight this and be frustrated or build a vac table. Shouldn't take more than a couple hours and $50.

Otherwise, WAAAAAAY more off-contact and turn it like 20 degrees as Andy says.

[DenisMutter]

try a little flowtrol - and maybe use a little tape on your corners to hold it down - but yeah - andy's right - building a vac table is so easy, that was the first thing I did.

[ozworkz]

cool, all good info. thanks. I do think 230 may be too low of a mesh count, just seems like too much ink on the paper... it dried both ends curled up.

[loco]

What type of paper, is it light wieght or more of a card stock?

I use 3M feather disc adhesive or something like it. It's used to stick sanding pads (round) to sanding pads for sanding cars

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might not work if the paper is light weight

-loco