Boydiver:

You have a very interesting questions that I'm sorry to say I can not answer. However, I have not seen a problem using the RhinoScreen even when there appears to be a lighter amount of toner in some areas. So ......... I would like to know the answer, if you do not have any of the product I would be happy to send you some sheets to try with this Non UV Block (which I'm not sure it is ... different terminology). Of course I would like more details on the product you are referring to.

Regards
Gregory

Hi Gregory,
Firstly don't forget I am in the UK.

So, Bear with me here.
When I am making a stencil for sand-carving I print onto Accublack film to make my exposure. Before I discovered accublack I had to print onto two separate transparent films and double it up to make a denser black for an exposure or I could spray picture framers "re mountable spray mount" onto a single sheet (In the USA you might know it as artists fixative?). This spray turns the black ink deposited onto transparent film a denser black. The spray has to be non UV blocking otherwise where the spray has covered the unprinted part it blocks there also.

I am led to believe that using spray mount on vellum or frosted acetate film that has been printed on a laser printer is an old trick, so experimentation with the same fixative on your stencils is something worth looking into. It would have to be re mountable so that once sprayed and placed onto the transfer sheet it can still be removed.

Hope that's making sense so far?

Boydiver:

Yes I'm following you so far .......... However, I have not seen the need to increase the density of the toner as we are not exposing to ultraviolet light. We are simply transferring the toner along with the transfer sheet coating to the screen. The transfer coating is what gives us our durability on the screen for printing.

Gregory

Ok, my question came from the statement in the video that some printers might not lay a dark enough layer of toner.
Hence my suggestion.

By the way, I contacted the UK supplier you suggested and their prices are $200 plus shipping for a pack.
I have a feeling that for once it might be cheaper to buy from you in the states !!!
Will do some more math.

We can ship from here if you desire, if the cost is to high. Please let me know the size and quantity you will need and I will get a quote for you.

Greg

Hi Greg,
I am working on getting some of your product to test, but unlike Leadfoot I am a noob on the bottom rung of the ladder, so my test assessment will reflect my lack of experience.

What I would ask is if there is a video of the system being used to make a four colour print that I could view please?

Excellent video on the dry stencil method. I had no idea this was an option to traditional screenmaking. I use a single color 12 x 18 HP5000 1200dpi laserjet printer to output offset plates on polyester plate material. The fuser temps are tweakable and were developed in conjunction with a leading polyester printing plate plastics manufacturer for this purpose I am told. It has a postscript driver and makes nice controllable halftones. I look forward to trying this method right away. Since the image is heated to the fabric side of the screen, does the stroking action from the ink side push away the toner from between the mesh thereby degrading the image? How many strokes should you get from this method before image degradation occurs? Thanks in advance

Thank you for your interest & questions regarding RinoScreen Dry Stencil System. Please remember that not all laser printers are created equal and that is why we recommend the OKI Data printer. The fuser in this system retains appropriate heat on larger format printing; the standard toner in this printer works better than others on the market.

The toner is the stencil. The unit you have might work, but you’ll have to do the in-house testing. As far as durability goes, customers have reported that they have performed print runs of over 1,000 (using Plastisol ink). We have had no feedback using automatic printers. I have test printed up to 500 prints with Plastisol Ink and 250 using water- based inks. The screen remained intact.
Hope this helps. If you have other questions, please feel free to call me directly at 651-686-5027 x 2.

Thanks for the info on the Oki LED laser. I sent the request for a sample today. I am most interested in testing out Postscript halftoning and the quality after heating twice in the heat press. I hope to share my results here. ...peace

Since most laser printers that are capable of handling an 11 x 17 sheet will also handle a tabloid sized 12 x 18 sheet (for registration marks, density bars, and 11x 17 bleeds) why did Rhynotech decide not to package the larger tabloid size? Thanks in advance....peace