Screen Printing Forum

We recently purchased screen printing equipment (about 3 months ago). I was told by the "trainer" to coat the screens on both sides...twice on the shirt side and once on the ink side. Everytime my boss sees me doing this he throws a HUGE fit. He says that (back in the day) he only used one coat on one side. He also only used the sun to burn his screens. I'm tired of being called every name in the book except smart. Am I doing this right? This is a manual press and we use mainly 110 screens. I would appreciate any guidance in this matter.

Thanks.

I personally think that the "trainer" is correct......but...I don't sign your paychecks...get me? That's the way I was taught and the way that I do it, but if your boss doesn't want you to do it that way, I would probably listen. On the other hand it wouldn't be a bad idea to check the Manf. directions. That's my 2 cents. Good Luck!

greg67 wrote:We recently purchased screen printing equipment (about 3 months ago). I was told by the "trainer" to coat the screens on both sides...twice on the shirt side and once on the ink side. Everytime my boss sees me doing this he throws a HUGE fit. He says that (back in the day) he only used one coat on one side. He also only used the sun to burn his screens. I'm tired of being called every name in the book except smart. Am I doing this right? This is a manual press and we use mainly 110 screens. I would appreciate any guidance in this matter.

Thanks.

hi, I have been screenprinting for over twenty years. You are right your boss is wrong. There is one thing though, you should coat you screens with the sharp side of the trough, start with the back side of your screen, not the ink side, two coats on that side, one on the front, ink side. My preferance is that when I am done with the first side and I flip it to do the other side,I dont just turn the screen around, I flip it so that I am pushing against the way I did the other side to force the emulsion into the mesh. You are right though, he is the boss so what can you do.

good luck

Hi.

Filling a pinhole is CHEAPER than coating a screen 2+ times.
Your boss is a smart business man. Pay attention.


Thats my opinion on the matter.
-Zulu

"Back in the day" that may have been appropriate. Technology has changed and so have emulsions. I have my opinion but my suggestion is to check with the manufacturer of the emulsion you are using.

Screens tension and stencils are the most important variable to control in the printing process. Your new press will only print as good as the screens you put on them. Make the phone call and get your answer from the people that make the product.

Constantly plugging pinholes is not the answer as it only creates downtime from printing and that will certainly anger the owner. If you aren't printing, money is not being made.

If your boss still disagrees, you at least will know the correct answer and you must decide if you want to continue to work for someone that is not open-minded to changes. Good luck!

I have great success with:

Sharp edge of the coater for any mesh 110 and higher.
Rounded edge of the coater for courser mesh than 110.
One pass on the print side followed by one pass on the squeegee side.
Dry.
One additional pass on the print side if I am going to use the screen over and over. If it is a quick run of like, 12 dz or less I don't bother - taping a few pinholes is fine for a screen that will get reclaimed soon after anyway.

Conversely, for longer lasting screens I may even do two added coats on the
print side if it is a pre-print design that will see months (years?) of use.


So, you and your boss are both right, or wrong, depending on the durability you're shooting for...

once again we are all falling on the double edged sword....

Both 1 single coat and double coat have their advantages.
All depends on the job.
I like to have a nice THICK bottom stencil when i am working with white and athletic gold. I makes coverage ALOT EASIER for me.
But if you are doing some mass production for promo tees you can save some pennies here and there with a single coat (and I do mean pennies)

Always good to listen to the boss at his shop (even though he is REALLY CHEAP)..... until you get out there and decide you think you can do it better on your own

Read the original post again folks!

The "trainer" is correct and only this person knows their parameters to make such a suggestion compared to what the boss is requesting.

This person is saying that his boss is telling him to coat their screens ONCE ON ONE SIDE! This is very different than coating a 1:1. I'm certain that if a 1:1 coat is required (based on art work), they would be told to coat once on the print-side first, then once on the squeegee-side to push the emulsion back to the print-side. Then dry the screens print-side down. The goal is to create the proper thickness or gasket on the print-side.

A 2:1 method or 2:2 method would be done the same way if their artwork and light source permits. Lots of variables to consider, but the coating procedures are the same. Print-side first, Squeege-side second, then dry print-side down under proper drying conditions.

Coating the screen ONCE ON ONE SIDE is not enough to have the emulsion encapsulate the mesh properly for durability. This is incorrect. Such a thin coat will certainly guarantee an enormous amount of pinholes and stencil failure!

Do it right and contact either your emulsion manufacturer or the dealer that you purchased your emulsion from for help and guidance.

zulurose wrote:Hi.

Filling a pinhole is CHEAPER than coating a screen 2+ times.
Your boss is a smart business man. Pay attention.


Thats my opinion on the matter.
-Zulu

Filling one pinhole is easy, filling the small pinholes that are in the middle of the fine detail isn't so easy. Give it 3 coates. It will save the down time and the pinholing time. It will make up the cost of the emulsion with the time you save in not filling pinholes.

Of course you could always go with capilary and have no pinholes and have cleaner prints and faster cleanup... and it costs 4 times as much

Just this week I have had long coversation with an ink company I use. I don't use nothing under 156 mess and I was having problems with white ink pulling the fabric up. I only use 1:1 on most prints. They told me with white ink you should use 3:2 to get a better stencil so the white ink will flow though the screen. So it depends on a lot of variables so if the instructor told you something and you boss tells you different I would explain to him that you sent me to school and this instructor taught me this way and explain it to him.

Screw all that, go with Ulano indirect film. You can check the film before you apply to screen saving time and money!

in our shop it depends on the screen mesh... we have the little direction form from the emulsion company and its

2 coats on the substraight, 1 on the straight for 110 and lower
2 coats on each for 156 and higher...

so, I dunno about that whole "Back in the day" thing..

i was taught to coat each side flip 180 degrees coat again and then "scrape" each side..doesnt seem to get many pinholes.. i think its effective but not sure whether it would been seen as "wastage"

George is all over it.