Adjustable tension frames

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BoliMan
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Adjustable tension frames

Post by BoliMan »

Any advice on adjustable tension frames? I've heard good things about Newmans. What others should I check out? Any cheaper imports that look promising?

We want to print finely detailed high-res multi-layer images on glass. Should we be using high-tension and adjustable frames?

How easy are they to use? Can you really retension after multiple printing runs without messing up the image or registration?

Also, is a 34" x 48" frame too big or not close enough to being square to work well? We would lay up 10-15 duplicate images to print and then cut out later. The size is close to the max of our current press.
Anonymous

Re: Adjustable tension frames

Post by Anonymous »

BoliMan wrote:Any advice on adjustable tension frames? I've heard good things about Newmans. What others should I check out? Any cheaper imports that look promising?
Newmans are the way to go. They will last for years and have a patented system that works better than the other brands. I also like using Shur-Loc mesh panels with my roller frames as it allows me to be sure that my mesh is square to the frame and will not rip at high tension.

BoliMan wrote:We want to print finely detailed high-res multi-layer images on glass. Should we be using high-tension and adjustable frames?
Yes. Roller frames will allow you to have much higher tension in your mesh than traditional aluminum or wood frames. This higher tension will allow you to achieve greater accuracy and consistent registration throughout the course of a long print run.
BoliMan wrote:How easy are they to use? Can you really retension after multiple printing runs without messing up the image or registration?
No. You should not retension the mesh with emulsion on the mesh.
Reclaim the screen, retension the mesh, recoat and reburn your design.

I have found that after a few print runs and subsequent retensionings the new mesh will reach a point where it will retain tension and you will be able to keep the mesh with stencil thoughout multiple print runs.
BoliMan wrote:Also, is a 34" x 48" frame too big or not close enough to being square to work well? We would lay up 10-15 duplicate images to print and then cut out later. The size is close to the max of our current press.
There are companies that use screens over twice the size of that and they use roller frames. If they did not they would not be able to achieve a consistent off contact due to the mesh sagging over that distance.
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Post by javaboy »

You are wasting your money if you purchase anything other than Newmans. They are the best retensionalble frame on the market and always will be.
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andymac
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Post by andymac »

hmmm I have used both Newmans and Diamond Chase, they both work well. I also use stretch and glue standard frames in larger sizes - what do you know, they do the job too!
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workshy
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Post by workshy »

I have used Newman frames for a patriot machine with an 18 foot print stroke.

They are definitely the way to go. All mesh stretches slightly on the press. With newmans you can take up the slack over first 3-4 reclaim cycles so you have (in theory) a screen with the same tension of a brand new one.
Especially important on large screens with multi colour jobs as different mesh counts will sag at different rates and mess up rego.

Also if you do have misfortune to tear a screen, inifinitely easier to re mesh than a solid frame.

The newman system is so well sorted after years of fine tuning that any cheap import will cost you in the long run.
(get it? long run. oh my sides)
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Post by ROADSIDE »

I think it all comes down to your level of production.

I own some roller frames (RARELY USE THEM)

I get all my wood and rigid aluminum frames from Mel-Ray.
We print so many shirts that are simple 1 color jobs that it is quicker and easier to just order wood frames.

I use my rollers only when they situation calls for it.
.... I can give you my opinion but I can't tell you if it's right or not.
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Bill Hood
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On Newman Roller Frames

Post by Bill Hood »

I cringe when I hear people state that wood frames work well, that stretch and glue frames work well or that they use retensionable frames only when the work warrants their use.

People generally get confused when speaking of frame choice. The only job of the frame is to hold the mesh in place. Of course, to do that well, it must remain stable, i.e., corners must remain at 45 degrees to one another, the frame must lie flat, remain parallel to the print surface, withstand the forces of the tension on the sides, withstand the forces of printing and handling, as well as reclaiming process, have good chemical resistance, hold the mesh in tension, be easy to use and reclaim, and of course in addition a frame must, as with all equipment purchases, have a good return on investment.

The more important aspect to consider is the mesh that must be stretched on the frame and how the mesh is controlled. The way in which the mesh allows ink to be transferred should be of paramount importance as it is the tension level and mesh opening that ultimately control the ink transfer. These variables must be controlled if the ink transfer is to be controlled.

All mesh applied to a stretch and glue frame will relax and lose tension from the very first squeegee stroke. In order to maintain the level of quality in your printing, you must increase the off-contact distance as you lose tension. As you increase off-contact, you will need more pressure on the mesh to push it down to the substrate. This further decreases the tension as well as pushing the ink through the mesh openings prior to the mesh coming into contact with the substrate. This ink is extruded out of the back side of the mesh and then spread outward as the mesh comes into contact with the substrate, eliminating all detail and edge definition. On porous textile items the ink is pushed through the substrate and a second or third pass must be made to fill up the wells of the fabric and give the desired opacity.

As mesh loses its tension, the mesh opening becomes smaller and thus the ink transfer is decreased. When mesh is first attached to a frame, one pass may be sufficient to produce the desired color and opacity. As the mesh mesh opening decreases it will require more strokes to achieve the proper ink color and opacity. After only a few uses it may be necessary to make two or more passes to achieve any level of opacity. It may become impossible to accurately reproduce the required color and thus new ink must be color matched using the lower tension mesh. Next time you print the same job you will have to alter the ink color again.

All these variables can be quickly and easily eliminated by the use of a retensionable frame and specifically by the use of the Newman Roller Frame.

Put another way, would you buy wheels for your car that didn't allow the tires attached to them to be inflated more than once? How would your car handle if the air leaked out of the tires and they were deflated? Would you be able to drive at higher speeds? Would you really have control over the handling of the car?

What if the air leaked out of the tires after a few trips to the store and you were forced to replace the tires? What if you could purchase wheels that had an air valve that allowed you to inflate the tires back to their correct inflation over and over again? Is it really so strange that all wheels come with such a valve. We are fortunate that we have a frame that allows our mesh to be retensioned to the correct tension level over and over again! Of course, we should use this frame over others that do not allow that option.

Draw bar frames have been around since the 1920s and their use is well understood in the graphics industry. The Newman Roller Frame was first introduced in 1982 and its attributes have been well recorded by some of the top printers in the world. Why are we still having this conversation of retensionables versus stretch and glue frames.
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