Pallet Lines

[ostrich99]

Jonathan,

Is there a previous video of yours that explains what each line is on your pallets?

I'm familiar with the center line and a couple lines near the top for where to put the collar etc while printing, but I'm curious what all the additional lines on yours are for.

I started with a starter 1 color table press at Christmas and just purchased a 4/4 Riley Hopkins press (gently used) so I'm curious if I should be doing more lines than just the few that I currently use.

Ostrich99
www.pinballshirts.com

[Catspit Productions]

Yes, I’m sure there is a video that does explain the pallet lines but I really don’t know which ones might cover that. I’m sorry, I have over 240 videos. But I do get this question often. Maybe I’ll do a quick tip video about this for next week.

Maybe this one would help some:



The simple truth is it’s just a cross hair or grid pattern to line up screens to. By putting many lines down the pallet I can use the best part of any given design to line the screen up, follow?

So if I only put lines near the top and I get a design with straight text at the bottom and asymmetrical elements at the top, then I wouldn’t have a good grid to work with. So by putting multiple lines up and down the pallet and even sometimes making a crest print center line I’m always prepared for any old silly piece of artwork I may have to print.

It is also helpful on big designs to see the stencil is lined up to the pallet from top to bottom. So that’s it. It’s just a big old bull’s eye so it’s easy to work with on any design.

[Catspit Productions]

Here we go. My memory had a spark. This is probably the video with the best pallet cross hair demo yet:



But I do think I'll make a new video to just address this.

[ostrich99]

Thanks for the detailed response. I had not made it back to 2010 in your archives yet. Each time I watched your recent vids I got more curious as to the specific markings you use.

The last few vids seemed to only have markings on one of your pallets. Do you normally do this on all of your pallets or just the one you use for lining up your screens? I'm assuming you put a centerline on all of your pallets, or with experience is that not really needed?

Between your videos and Ryonet videos, I've been pretty successful printwise so far (Good first screen coating and burning, Good first single color prints), but with my new 4/4 press and venturing into multi-color this could get interesting. At least the first couple multicolor shirts I'm doing don't need super tight registration as while it's multicolor, they are not butted up against one another.

For now I'm trying to stick with waterbased and discharge.

Thanks for taking the time to do the vids and forum for all of us newbies.

Ostrich99
www.pinballshirts.com

[Catspit Productions]

You’re very welcome. I only put cross hairs on one pallet. It is not needed on any other pallets because I only use the one to line up an initial screen. For a 1 color you just line up the screen to the cross hairs on the pallet. For a multi colored job we normally line up the black printer to the pallet lines and then register the subsequent screens to a test print of the black printer.

So you only need pallet lines on one pallet since we are only using them to line up screens during the initial set up. After that you won’t use the lines while printing.

I’m glad I could help out and please think of me if you need equipment or supplies. I’ll be happy to help out in any way and your patronage keeps the free information coming for years to come.