110 or 156

All about screen printing mesh. This is where you can discuss mesh counts, nomenclature and how to choose the correct mesh count for the print job.

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harpo103
Screen Trooper
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Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 3:58 pm

110 or 156

Post by harpo103 »

Hi.
I'm doing some fine text about 72 point (one inch high) and just wondering what would be best mesh count.
I saw Ryan from Ryonet say that try to use the highest count possible because it saves on ink.
I guess you want a balance between ink use and ink coverage.
Black ink on white would cover more easily than white ink on black.
So can you use the same mesh count either way?
I like the idea of a thick emulsion.
So many variables to consider.
Thanks.
ApeShirt
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Re: 110 or 156

Post by ApeShirt »

General rule of thumb is the higher the mesh count the less ink passes through the screen. Therefor, you may have to hit it more in order to lay enough ink to meet your needs. The more open the mesh count, the more ink it will lay. 110 mesh is generally good for simple spot color, such as text. The more detailed the art is the higher mesh count you should consider. You can use 110 mesh for black or white ink. Now, I'm assuming you're referring to plastisol inks. Waterbased ink has different parameters, I think.
Greg
If you're not going to go all the way then why bother going at all.
ApeShirt Apparel Printing, LLC
harpo103
Screen Trooper
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 3:58 pm

Re: 110 or 156

Post by harpo103 »

ApeShirt wrote:General rule of thumb is the higher the mesh count the less ink passes through the screen. Therefor, you may have to hit it more in order to lay enough ink to meet your needs. The more open the mesh count, the more ink it will lay. 110 mesh is generally good for simple spot color, such as text. The more detailed the art is the higher mesh count you should consider. You can use 110 mesh for black or white ink. Now, I'm assuming you're referring to plastisol inks. Waterbased ink has different parameters, I think.
Plastisol ink.
It appears to be the standard.
Screenprinting is a sticky business from the technical aspect.
Seems like a bit of trial and error.
ApeShirt
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Re: 110 or 156

Post by ApeShirt »

There is trial and error involved. It doesn't have to be excessive error thanks to a helpful community. Another thing I want to point out is squeegee angle. That plays a role also in how much ink is transferred. A more vertical angle lays more ink then a lesser angle. That and pressure along with stencil thickness are big factors to keep in mind as well.. Good luck and here's to much satisfaction one can have screen printing :D
Greg
If you're not going to go all the way then why bother going at all.
ApeShirt Apparel Printing, LLC
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Catspit Productions
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Re: 110 or 156

Post by Catspit Productions »

You don’t necessarily want to use the highest mesh count because it saves ink. The reason it saves ink is because it prints less ink. In most cases with white being printed on dark garments we want nice opacity and a bright white. That normally means laying down more ink when printing. So we tend to use a more open mesh to print white ink on black tee shirts than we might if we printed black ink on white shirts.

I would actually suggest perhaps a “this mesh” screen. Most 110 mesh has a thread diameter of about 80 microns. But you can use a 125 mesh with 70 micron thread diameter and obtain pretty much the same ink flow but with the ability to get more detail. I can get a 1 point line off on this mesh with a multiple bulb exposure unit.

You can get these 125/70 screens from Integrity Print Supply:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/in ... plies.html

Now the other thing that will affect your ability to obtain high detail is stencil thickness. Generally a thinner stencil means higher detail. Higher mesh counts create thinner stencils as lower mesh counts tend to hold more emulsion than higher counts. So at a certain point yes, by trial and error maybe, you have to move up in mesh count if you find you can’t get the detail you want.

Also use a high quality emulsion and a very dense film positive. A point source exposure unit will give better detail than a multiple bulb unit like an industrial black lamp machine. But you can get great detail with both with a little experience. There are many variables to consider and in the end it will take a little experimenting to dial in where you need to be with the equipment, film and emulsion you are using.

But generally speaking the 156 mesh will be able to get more detail out than the 110 mesh. On the other hand it will also be harder to get the amount of white ink printed onto the tee shirt with the 156. That’s why I suggest maybe the 125/70 mesh.

You might want to take a look at this article:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/hi ... ounts.html

I hope that helps a little rather than confuse you more. In the end ApeShirt is correct in that you have to try it to see what works best for your particular situation.
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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