Author Topic: screens  (Read 2237 times)

Offline yoonbokim

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screens
« on: September 21, 2018, 04:28:59 PM »
Hey guys

Where do you guys buy your screens in bulk?
I need to order screens since my sabre 8/6 is coming in
planning to get 110 and 160 mesh thats 23x31

Amazon doesnt have them in bulk and the shipping is so long

you can just copy and paste the link in which you purchase your screens from please and thank you :)


Online Frog

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Re: screens
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2018, 04:54:45 PM »
First off, are you saying that you don't yet have a supplier (or suppliers) for your daily needs?
Man, that was step 1.1.

Perhaps one of our members closer to you will have a suggestion, otherwise I'd suggest Tubelite in New Jersey right off the top of my head.
I'd also think about your screen mesh choices as most of us have not used a lot of 110's in a long time because white inks have changed greatly. 160 is as low as I usually need to go. I'd suggest some 160's and 200's to get started.
Assuming plastisol inks, 160 for whites, and 200 for most dark colors. You'll eventually probably go as high as 260 (or even 300)

You seem to resist my suggestion of starting at the beginning, and mastering a simple one color print on both light and dark shirts.
Using a 160 for white on the dark shirt and 200 on dark ink on the light shirt on your manual will teach you a lot about ink and mesh characteristics. You will also soon learn that on autos, you can often jump up one mesh count than you're used to using on a manual. Thing is, I suggest that you keep your purchases like screens to a minimum until things start coming a little more into focus.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2018, 05:14:04 PM by Frog »
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Online Frog

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Re: screens
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2018, 05:42:32 PM »
Back to screens and where to get them. Any TSB'ers getting screens through Victory in NY? Any good?
Yoon, if nothing local comes up with good recommendations, I have heard good comments about static screens from Spot Color Supply and River City Graphics.
These guys could also probably help recommend some meshes to start with.
That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

Offline Atownsend

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Re: screens
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2018, 06:50:32 PM »
Yes.... + 1 on Spot Color or River city. Go thin thread and forget about 110's. But dont listen to me, do yourself a favor and do some research on mesh before you order anything.

We are screen printers.... screen comes first... ALWAYS. You can have the best top of the line equipment but if you cant make a good screen, or understand the variables of whats going on with them then you are going to be SOL. Props for doing it right and starting with an auto. Just hope you paid cash as it's going to be a learning process and could be a bit of time before you are profitable. Good luck!

Online Frog

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Re: screens
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2018, 06:58:26 PM »
Yes.... + 1 on Spot Color or River city. Go thin thread and forget about 110's. But dont listen to me, do yourself a favor and do some research on mesh before you order anything.

We are screen printers.... screen comes first... ALWAYS. You can have the best top of the line equipment but if you cant make a good screen, or understand the variables of whats going on with them then you are going to be SOL. Props for doing it right and starting with an auto. Just hope you paid cash as it's going to be a learning process and could be a bit of time before you are profitable. Good luck!

I worry a bit with a newbie handling the far more fragile S thread (thin thread) screens. They take a bit of finesse that has not yet developed.
A torn or popped screen is no screen. As it is, the higher tensions we (mostly) see today make all screens more delicate than they used to be.
That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

Offline Atownsend

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Re: screens
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2018, 07:16:33 PM »
Yes.... + 1 on Spot Color or River city. Go thin thread and forget about 110's. But dont listen to me, do yourself a favor and do some research on mesh before you order anything.

We are screen printers.... screen comes first... ALWAYS. You can have the best top of the line equipment but if you cant make a good screen, or understand the variables of whats going on with them then you are going to be SOL. Props for doing it right and starting with an auto. Just hope you paid cash as it's going to be a learning process and could be a bit of time before you are profitable. Good luck!

I worry a bit with a newbie handling the far more fragile S thread (thin thread) screens. They take a bit of finesse that has not yet developed.
A torn or popped screen is no screen. As it is, the higher tensions we (mostly) see today make all screens more delicate than they used to be.

I agree on the mesh popping, but I think that if you start with S-Mesh you'll forever respect the screen after the first two or three "mess-ups" and it might be a quicker learning curve overall. A large portion of newbie print questions relate to improper ink transfer. Thin thread wins on ink deposit every time. Subtract 2-3 other headaches and add one (mesh popping).

All of this is just my opinion though. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Research and learn. TSB has helped me immensely, you can drown in knowledge here. Search tool is your friend.

Offline Maff

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Re: screens
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2018, 09:57:28 PM »
Back to screens and where to get them. Any TSB'ers getting screens through Victory in NY? Any good?
Yoon, if nothing local comes up with good recommendations, I have heard good comments about static screens from Spot Color Supply and River City Graphics.
These guys could also probably help recommend some meshes to start with.
We are in NY and we used to get screens from Victory many years back, but a couple years ago switched to Spot Color Supply and sMesh screens. If I had to start over again I'd go straight to sMesh or another thin thread mesh.  Might as well learn on them especially if you are printing on a on auto right away, that's a pretty amazing deal!

Offline mooseman

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Re: screens
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2018, 10:39:06 PM »
Notso sure I agree with going with smartmesh right out of the box.
I learned a ton about mesh not so much about printing through it more about handling it remeshing rollers tight corners repairs etc.
I can only imagine the same learning curve on smart mesh would have convinced me the task was impossible.
Let me put it another way just because you can buy a sophisticated set of golf clubs does not make you tiger woods.......you got to puttaround alittle first :P
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DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES COMPLETELY WITHIN MY CONTROL YOU SHOULD GET YOUR OWN TEE SHIRT AND A SHARPIE MARKER BY NOON TOMORROW OR SIMPLY CALL SOMEONE WHO GIVES A SHIRT.

Offline Maff

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Re: screens
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2018, 12:00:34 AM »
Yeah I mean learning the basics is obviously very important, and time and experience is really the only way.  But pre stretched static frames would be an easy way to start, even with thin thread mesh.  I'v never stretched my own screens or used rollers, so I can't relate to learning that process.

Offline Homer

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Re: screens
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2018, 05:49:54 PM »
feel like we're being trolled here fellas...
...keep doing what you're doing, you'll only get what you've got...

Online Frog

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Re: screens
« Reply #10 on: September 22, 2018, 06:31:26 PM »
feel like we're being trolled here fellas...

not the first to suggest that.
That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

Offline mooseman

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Re: screens
« Reply #11 on: September 22, 2018, 06:38:22 PM »
I can't disagree but look at it this way either way everybody has stepped up and made a contribution,.why because everybody gets a fair shot here and the best possible help in the business here PERIOD.
At some point a man needs to learn to fish or have a nap with the fish

where is Sam when you need him  ;)
mooseman
DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES COMPLETELY WITHIN MY CONTROL YOU SHOULD GET YOUR OWN TEE SHIRT AND A SHARPIE MARKER BY NOON TOMORROW OR SIMPLY CALL SOMEONE WHO GIVES A SHIRT.