Author Topic: Ink Not Clearing Through Screen  (Read 6225 times)

Offline eliteinkprinting

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Ink Not Clearing Through Screen
« on: January 15, 2021, 01:21:18 PM »
Been having a lot of screen issues on the press since we got our CTS. We used a 156 mesh (24 tension) for this print. I've messed with the angle, pressure, and contact. The ink is nice and warmed up. The edges aren't crisp and it's like ink gets stuck in certain parts of the stencil. I'll clear it out and boom 3 prints later same thing.The more I go over it to fill in, the worse it gets. Appreciate any insight of whats going on.
Thanks!
« Last Edit: January 15, 2021, 01:28:29 PM by eliteinkprinting »


Offline 3Deep

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Re: Ink Not Clearing Through Screen
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2021, 01:56:09 PM »
Just taking a wild guess I'm going to say your screen has an invisible film/residue or your ink has something wrong with it, I would try another color ink or white ink in that same screen, that will tell you if it's the inks.
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Offline eliteinkprinting

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Re: Ink Not Clearing Through Screen
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2021, 02:12:16 PM »
We've switched a couple of different inks, white, navy, red. Appears to be consistent which might be a good thing. I've shown some other printers and a couple pointed out it might be water film from not being vacuumed out? This would be awesome, since that's an easy fix

Offline Sbrem

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Re: Ink Not Clearing Through Screen
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2021, 03:53:56 PM »
I'll concur with Darryl, if not exposed all the way through, then some unexposed emulsion is left behind with some water, kind of like an invisible shield. You can bounce light off it if you hold it right. If small, we rub it out with spit. If it's large, then back in the sink.

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Offline Frog

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Re: Ink Not Clearing Through Screen
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2021, 04:08:12 PM »
We've switched a couple of different inks, white, navy, red. Appears to be consistent which might be a good thing. I've shown some other printers and a couple pointed out it might be water film from not being vacuumed out? This would be awesome, since that's an easy fix

The vacuum is only an aid to dry screens a little quicker. If properly rinsed, water film scum=underexposed emulsion=underexposure or d-max insufficient
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Offline screenxpress

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Re: Ink Not Clearing Through Screen
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2021, 12:29:06 PM »
If scum in the image has been discounted, any chance the platen has a warp (or dip) not allowing proper blade contact to complete the transfer of ink?  Manual or Auto press?
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