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screen printing => Screen Making => Topic started by: Shanarchy on February 14, 2013, 03:05:07 PM
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What is your film of choice? I've been using waterproof film from Faxxon's for a while. It's a good quality film.
I've been thinking though that non-waterproof film, being more clear, must have a better dmax/dmin or whatever you gauge it by. Would it be safe to assume that non-waterproof film would give the best results for halftones?
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I use waterproof film from inkjetfilm.net
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Short answer, yes, if dot shape and d-max is at least equal, a lower d-min is desirable.
However, the coating on the "waterproof" films is often more receptive to a wider range of inks.
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Used to use non-waterproof when waterproof was 2x the cost.
Then everything switched around. Now I can't find a non-waterproof
that works worth a damn.
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It depends on the ink in your printer.
Pigment base works best on waterproof while dye inks work best on non-water proof,
I use dye and non-water proof because I don't like the cloudiness of w-proof films, that and tape leaves a residue.
Just don't get ur non wterproof films wet or the dye will run.
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It depends on the ink in your printer.
Pigment base works best on waterproof while dye inks work best on non-water proof,
I use dye and non-water proof because I don't like the cloudiness of w-proof films, that and tape leaves a residue.
Just don't get ur non wterproof films wet or the dye will run.
He is right. I have some customers who only use non, and others who only use WP. It's all about the ink
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Good point, John. I probably should have mentioned I use an Epson 1400 (dye based).
Which non-wp film are you using?
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[/quote]
He is right. I have some customers who only use non, and others who only use WP. It's all about the ink
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Mav,
You sell both, which do you recommend for halftones on an Epson 1400 (dye based)
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Just don't get ur non wterproof films wet or the dye will run.
I posted this a while back. My non waterproof film after about 8 hours can handle just about anything. Its Kimoto Silkjet film. I use a canon printer. I have sprayed screen opener on them and the ink did not run or come off. Really amazing since screen opener will eat just about everything.
Here is the origianl thread....
http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,2707.0.html (http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,2707.0.html)
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Shanarchy,
The Kimoto Silkjet SC4 is the best stuff for dye based. If u need some samples let me know
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Good point, John. I probably should have mentioned I use an Epson 1400 (dye based).
Which non-wp film are you using?
I'm using film from stuff for printers. Its the same film someone else sells here for about the same price, I'm paying $61 per 17" roll.
Its good film, haven't had to many stretching issue and combined with blackmax dye ink and refill carts I've kept my costs to about .65 cents per foot of film.
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Different films have different dot gain when they print. So you should find one that has the least amount of dot gain when doing half tones if you have not linearized your printer or cant linearize your printer. It does make a difference on which film you use. Price should not be the focal point.
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Waterproof --- Epson 3000
non WP seems to want to run I got a roll for cheap !!
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You have to adjust your droplet weight.
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the least amount of dot gain when doing half tones if you have not linearized your printer or cant linearize your printer.
This can't be stressed enough. Stock Epson printers, heck any brand tend to have heavy gain in the midtone range and fill solid above 75% as their main use was not intended for what we as printers need, accurate and perfectly produced halftones to burn a screen vs art on the wall.
Anyone who is even thinking of printing 1/2 tones really needs to calibrate and Linearize their RIP settings.
Accurip and Wasatch users, maybe other rips, allow you to enter tonal readings to produce accurate halftones from YOUR printer.
My old Epson R1800 was producing and exposing 3% tones on a 272 mesh.
You need a densitometer, go buy one or ask around to borrow as some have one.
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the least amount of dot gain when doing half tones if you have not linearized your printer or cant linearize your printer.
This can't be stressed enough. Stock Epson printers, heck any brand tend to have heavy gain in the midtone range and fill solid above 75% as their main use was not intended for what we as printers need, accurate and perfectly produced halftones to burn a screen vs art on the wall.
Anyone who is even thinking of printing 1/2 tones really needs to calibrate and Linearize their RIP settings.
Accurip and Wasatch users, maybe other rips, allow you to enter tonal readings to produce accurate halftones from YOUR printer.
My old Epson R1800 was producing and exposing 3% tones on a 272 mesh.
You need a densitometer, go buy one or ask around to borrow as some have one.
color me stupid but -how do you go about this? I have accurip and 4800, I'm not really too sure where to start. Do you basically run off films with different percentages, give them a print and compare?
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We primarily use our Epson r1800 for film positives and stock Epson oem ink. The film brad sells(wp) works super good. I know there are several other guys on the board here that use his same product with great results. Whatever your choice of film please consider brad as your supplier. He is a small business and is always grateful for our orders. As john said its not always about price. I'm a unpaid spokesperson. Lol
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I switched back to non-waterproof some time back.
Silkjet stuff.
Takes longer for ink to fully cure, but plan accordingly.
( if you're in a bind you can use them right away, but it will wreck the positive in the process )
The waterproof was skidding in the feeder after time due to the coating transferring to the wheels ( I assume )
The waterproof's coating can get damaged when taping a positive down to a platten, and somehow just isn't durable.
That's what my experience was with it. Used 2 packages, so..200 sheets?
Don't really have any complaints about the non-wp. Silkjet stuff again.
I use stock 3000 ink.
Films printed years ago, and re-used regularly seem to stand up just fine.
I don't use a RIP per se, but there is a tone-curve adjustment in SimRip,
and I've tweaked the driver some.
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the least amount of dot gain when doing half tones if you have not linearized your printer or cant linearize your printer.
This can't be stressed enough. Stock Epson printers, heck any brand tend to have heavy gain in the midtone range and fill solid above 75% as their main use was not intended for what we as printers need, accurate and perfectly produced halftones to burn a screen vs art on the wall.
Anyone who is even thinking of printing 1/2 tones really needs to calibrate and Linearize their RIP settings.
Accurip and Wasatch users, maybe other rips, allow you to enter tonal readings to produce accurate halftones from YOUR printer.
My old Epson R1800 was producing and exposing 3% tones on a 272 mesh.
You need a densitometer, go buy one or ask around to borrow as some have one.
color me stupid but -how do you go about this? I have accurip and 4800, I'm not really too sure where to start. Do you basically run off films with different percentages, give them a print and compare?
Jay it really depends on RIP that your are running. They print out a test film from 0-100% tonal range squares. You then use a desnitometer to adjust the different percentages to bring them to their true percentages. For those that have not linear used their printers will be surprised out how far of they are as far as halftone density. For the guys that think they are holding a 5% dot right now will be pissed when they see that dot was truly more like a 15-20% dot on a densitometer. Once you linearize and see a real 5% dot you will be searching for a high detail emulsion.
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thanks blue, I'm going to check this out some more. I see all the settings in accurip but I never really touched anything. Once I align my print head on the 4800, I'll see if I can get this done too.
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I switched back to non-waterproof some time back.
Silkjet stuff.
Takes longer for ink to fully cure, but plan accordingly.
( if you're in a bind you can use them right away, but it will wreck the positive in the process )
The waterproof was skidding in the feeder after time due to the coating transferring to the wheels ( I assume )
The waterproof's coating can get damaged when taping a positive down to a platten, and somehow just isn't durable.
That's what my experience was with it. Used 2 packages, so..200 sheets?
Don't really have any complaints about the non-wp. Silkjet stuff again.
I use stock 3000 ink.
Films printed years ago, and re-used regularly seem to stand up just fine.
I don't use a RIP per se, but there is a tone-curve adjustment in SimRip,
and I've tweaked the driver some.
Just curious as to why you would ever be taping a positive to the pallet?
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Just curious as to why you would ever be taping a positive to the pallet?
That's how I align the job.
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Ok ..don't u find that more time consuming and counter productive than other ways of press set up? And the fact that your valuable film is on the production floor?
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We primarily use our Epson r1800 for film positives and stock Epson oem ink. The film brad sells(wp) works super good. I know there are several other guys on the board here that use his same product with great results. Whatever your choice of film please consider brad as your supplier. He is a small business and is always grateful for our orders. As john said its not always about price. I'm a unpaid spokesperson. Lol
hi RStefanick, was wondering is the setup on the Epson r1800 easy and good? have an opening to probably get a used one at about 120bux. wondering if its a worthy investment as i'm just starting out.
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We primarily use our Epson r1800 for film positives and stock Epson oem ink. The film brad sells(wp) works super good. I know there are several other guys on the board here that use his same product with great results. Whatever your choice of film please consider brad as your supplier. He is a small business and is always grateful for our orders. As john said its not always about price. I'm a unpaid spokesperson. Lol
hi RStefanick, was wondering is the setup on the Epson r1800 easy and good? have an opening to probably get a used one at about 120bux. wondering if its a worthy investment as i'm just starting out.
this is like my 5th one and we use it everyday with screeners choice rip..It works good enough for what we are producing.. the stock epson ink works great with the waterproof film sold by maverick graphics.whatever you do stay with a inkjet.. the epson 1430 is also a good option and new those babys are in the 300 range.. there are several pros on this forumn using those. as far as set-up they are very simple as any desktop printer.. thanks
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You have to adjust your droplet weight.
Do Share please!!!
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On Accurip got to File and click on droplet weight (Density) Test print. Once it prints you will need to look at the film and determine the section that lays down the least amount of ink that produces the darkest (dense) print. You will see some of them too light all the way to almost dripping off the film. You want to pick the one with the least amount of ink that will get you a dark enough print with the least amount of dot gain. It is still not as good as linearizing but it will clean up the mid tone range that tends to fill in on press.
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We have not with the screeners choice rip. Jerrid that developed it was on my system though and set everything. It prints clean and absolutely dense.
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FastRip 9.0 came with my printer, is there any way to size the droplets within that program? I have looked but have had little luck. Thanks
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FastRip 9.0 came with my printer, is there any way to size the droplets within that program? I have looked but have had little luck. Thanks
The only settings with that are single doeble and triple density. with process work single will probably get you best results