Custom Exposed Screens are one of our best selling items.
They are at the heart of screen printing and we take a lot of care and pride in making the best screens we can.
So that you can get the best from your screen it will need a little bit of looking after.
Essential Screen Care products
You will need these to keep your screen in tip top condition.
Screen wash.
Screen Tape
A soft cloth x 2 (one for cleaning, one for drying)
There are a couple of simple but must do practices to keep your screen in great condition and making great prints time after time.
Before printing, tape up your screen (if you need to) using good quality screen tape. Its low tack and will come off more easily after printing leaving less adhesive on the screen. The longer you leave it on the harder it will be to remove it cleanly. Cheap packing tape will leave a right mesh. We recommend using Blue Screen Tape.
During printing keep your screen flooded between prints so that ink does not dry in and block the screen. One of the biggest threats to emulsion is the repeated process of trying to clean blocked screens due to ink drying in the mesh.
If screens get blocked during printing, wash out with water while the ink is still wet and then dry thoroughly but gently with your dry cloth. Make sure the screen is properly dry before printing again. Damp emulsion is soft and will damage more easily.
After printing wash out your screen right away. Waterbased ink will rinse off pretty easily if it has not been allowed to dry. Dry with a soft cloth and don't rub too hard.
Staining of the mesh by the ink is common. Don't worry too much about it. As long as you can see through the mesh it will generally be ok for use. You can reduce the amount of staining (also known as hazing) by using some screen wash.
Cleaning will break down the emulsion over time. So being gentle, using the right products and staying away from using anything abrasive will slow down this decline.
Sponges, brushes, pads etc will break down the emulsion. A jay-cloth or your hand works best for getting waterbased ink off the screen.
Keep it clean when it's not in use, try to keep it dust free and at a relatively stable temperature. Idealy in a not too humid place. The emulsion is hydrophilic. it will suck up some of the moisture in the air which may lead to it softening. if it is stored in a damp place then maybe move it to a dry area for a hour or two before use.
Once the photo emulsion reaches the end of its life, as long as the screen is in decent condition the emulsion can be completely stripped and the screen can be coated and exposed again!
