Water spots in screens

Post your questions, suggestions, ideas and advice to issues you have run into in your screen printing shop.

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Eric27
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Water spots in screens

Post by Eric27 »

I'm having some minor problems with water spots in our screens. We use compressed air to blow out most of the water,but the problem persists. A sales rep once suggested using a small wet/dry shop vac to clear the screen of water.Has anyone heard of this & does it work?
pink
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Drying Cabinet

Post by pink »

There are a lot things you can do... Just build a small box/cabinet that has filtered airflow through it. Or a bigger box with a dehumidifier. (got to watch heat build up though with this one - screens can get too close and get too warm.... which can cause other problems).

We had built a cabinet (big one) that holds all our screens and also has a dehumidifier in it. It really has helped. Ideally I want to build a better airflow system though for it - filtered coming in with positive air pressure on the inside to help keep dust out.... Just a thought. You need to have something to help dry the screens. Heck, even a fan moving air over them is better than nothing.... as long as you can somewhat filter that air so that you aren't blowing dust and lint into the emulsion.
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Post by pink »

the wet dry vac can be a part of the solution, make sure you get a nozzle that is designed for screens rhino has them, this will prvent stencil damage after rinsing stencils.

the air hose has one concern for me , while many shops use them with great sucess, they leave a chance of oil and comtaninates from the air lines and from the compressor being in the air at high pressure.

i would check you rinsing techniques and process, it may be as simple as an product such as Screen Perfect from easiway systems.

as for drying cabinets , brian is correct the main issue is air picking up dust from the floor .
commercial cabinets usually in my opinion are the higher the price the better the product . very functional ones can be made.

good luck i hope this helps
Anonymous

Post by Anonymous »

I use a hair dryer. Takes only a few seconds each side and you do not have to touch the screen.

Do not use a heat gun. You will melt your screen. :shock:
perimus
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UV Light

Post by perimus »

I made the mistake of trying to let my screens dry by leaving them under the exposure light for an hour. I think it caused issues with reclaiming.
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ROADSIDE
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Re: Water spots in screens

Post by ROADSIDE »

Eric27 wrote:We use compressed air to blow out most of the water,but the problem persists.
do you have a filter dryer on your compressor? if you do not.... it might not be water spots they may be OIL spots. Most air compressors use oil in some fashion.
Eric27 wrote:A sales rep once suggested using a small wet/dry shop vac to clear the screen of water.Has anyone heard of this & does it work?
It works.... but if you dont have the right tools you may tear a few screens. especially when you have employees that could care less about those little spots

I converted a closet to a screen room that holds 24 screens in the drying stage. and another 24+ ready to be used screens. I was once an HVAC mechanic so I ran a filtered supply vent into the screen room along with a filtered return air duct. Works GREAT! In the winter the screen room is nice and warm and in the summers its room temp. Climate control is KEY especially in the Jersey Humidity
.... I can give you my opinion but I can't tell you if it's right or not.
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