Tape Residue

This section is all about how to reclaim screens by removing the stencil with emulsion remover. Topics include working with emulsion removers, pressure washers, trouble shooting and waste disposal concerns.

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upperhandprinting
Senior Screen Printer
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Tape Residue

Post by upperhandprinting »

Hello everyone. I've been on the road,and I apologize for my absence from the forum. Anyway, here's what I'd like to discuss.

I did a 6 color print job for my band right before we left on the tour. With doing tour shirts that are dated, it's a big guessing game. You don't want to do too many and be stuck with shirts no one will want after the tour is over, but you also don't want to run out either. So, we decided on a number and went with it. Because I'm printing the shirts, we decided to leave the job on the press. That way when we had our week break, before we went out on the second leg, we could easily print more if we needed. Well. They've been selling, but I think our original number is going to work just fine, so I've moved on to other jobs and decided to reclaim the screens. This is where I've ran in to issues.

I taped the inkwell side of the screen, as well as 3 sides of the substrate side. Then a final piece of tape on the bottom to block my registration marks. I printed the job, left for 2 weeks and came back to it. I know that leaving it set up is going to make cleaning and reclaiming more fun than normal, but it's been a nightmare. The tape has left a really bad residue on the screen. When I try to clean it off, it wants to get stringy, smear, and then block other parts of the screen. So. 2 questions.

Does anyone know any ways to get this off without damaging the glue used to attach the screen to the frame?

Does anyone know what may have caused this? The only thing I can think of is tape being on both sides of the screen and holding on to each other for those 2 weeks has made it hard to remove. Or while I was printing the job, the flash dryer sitting under the frames caused the tape adhesive to heat up and kind of "seep in" to the mesh. Any one have any guesses?

I've never had this issue before, and I'm guessing its a mixture of things coupled with the fact that I let them sit for two weeks. I've managed to clean a few, it's just taken hours. I would love to be able to avoid this in the future.

Thanks!!
Craig
Upper Hand Printing - Custom band merch
http://www.upperhandprinting.com
Trumpet The Harlot - My band
http://www.trumpettheharlot.com
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Catspit Productions
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Re: Tape Residue

Post by Catspit Productions »

Yes, aren’t you passing through my neighborhood in November? For another band tour yes? And printing 6 color designs already? Artwork creation, film output too. Nice job, I love it. You really dove in head first huh? It seems you learned a lot very quickly and are doing well. I am very happy to hear that. You should post a few pictures of these multi color print jobs. I’d love to see them. I don’t often get to do such a job. And feel free to post about artwork creation in that section. Maybe you can help others learn as fast as you did. Now on to your issue...

Basically a decent ink solvent, ink wash or press wash should remove tape glue pretty easily. You can even use paint thinner if you like. Lacquer thinner will do the job also if nothing else works. Lacquer thinner would be the harshest solvent I would use on polyester mesh. I think acetone would be too aggressive on the mesh. But I use ordinary masking tape on the substrate side of my screen and I combine ink and solvents with my tape glue and most of the time whatever I can’t get off when I pull it off comes off with the pressure washer when I reclaim.

Now if there is an extraordinary amount of adhesive or it is stubborn to come out of the mesh I would suggest changing tapes as well. Honestly it sounds like packing tape because that stuff leaves adhesive on everything it touches. I have actually used screens for some time then let them sit for a year with the masking tape on and I never had a problem with tape adhesive coming off when I reclaim.

The culprit here sounds like the tape but you should be able to clean them up a bit faster with a proper solvent.

Make sure to remind me when you’re in town. I’d defiantly like to meet up.
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatspitProductions
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upperhandprinting
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Re: Tape Residue

Post by upperhandprinting »

Jonathan,
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, the same tour starts back up on the 8th and our last stop is in Phoenix. I planned on contacting you a few days prior. I understood the process pretty well before I got the equipment, now I'm just learning ways to be more efficient and better at it. I'd be glad to post some pictures of the stuff I've done.

As far as the tape, I used 2" masking tape from Home Depot. Just the normal beige tape. That's why I was so surprised to see it being so stubborn. I will try paint thinner today, just wanted to make sure it wouldn't harm the screen.

Thanks for the help and I'll post a few things later on and describe my process. Take care and see you later on this month.

Thanks!
Craig
Upper Hand Printing - Custom band merch
http://www.upperhandprinting.com
Trumpet The Harlot - My band
http://www.trumpettheharlot.com
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Catspit Productions
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Re: Tape Residue

Post by Catspit Productions »

You’re welcome my friend. I just finished checking out your string of posts and they were excellent. Thanks for contributing. to the forum in such a generous way.

Being familiar with the process defiantly helps some. But you did take on some more complex work to start with. Gotta give you credit for that.

The tape thing is interesting because I get my masking tape form Home Depot too. I think it’s 3M tape when you buy the five pack. So it’s probably a combination of things as you said that is causing the problem. But maybe the paint thinner or lacquer thinner, if you need to try it, will do the trick for you.

I look forward to meeting up with you. Again, best wishes and good luck!
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatspitProductions
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Leadfoot
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Re: Tape Residue

Post by Leadfoot »

I have had this issue as well with the same tape from Home Depot. It was suggested to me by Chris at Rhino Tech to use clear packaging tape...it has really helped with the glue residue being left behind. The only contributing factor I can think of is heat. I work in a smaller area so the heat from my flash unit gets the room above normal temperature so I think that would be part of it. But it is likely the tape as well, has a tendency to get gummy when it gets chemicals like ink, press wash, etc exposed on it then the heat on top of it.

Great job on everything you are doing!
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Catspit Productions
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Re: Tape Residue

Post by Catspit Productions »

That's interesting LF.

I do recall you having an issue with the same masking tape I use. I have always had very good results with it. For some reason packing tape always left a lot of adhesive behind for me. But it may have been due to excessive solvents as you suggest.
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatspitProductions
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ppdlao
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Re: Tape Residue

Post by ppdlao »

As far as the tape, I used 2" masking tape from Home Depot. Just the normal beige tape. That's why I was so surprised to see it being so stubborn. I will try paint thinner today, just wanted to make sure it wouldn't harm the screen
In the time I have been printing I've tested several tapes brands when trying to "economize" things out (with very bad experiences over all of them) knowing all this time that 3M is the best brand, I highly recomend this adhesives brands, I've tryed both Masking tape and "clear" tape (I buy them for $1 dollar each one), and never had that kind of issues anymore, since 3M is a global brand I think I'm having the same quality of product that you guys could have buying them there in US

I hope you were able to resolve this issue Craig, see you guys
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