Am I missing anything for coroplast

[Poorboy]

Got a job to do some political signs. 18x24 with step stakes. I've pulled a few squeegies years ago and had a best friend that was a screen printer that I hung out with nights and helped for several years so I'm not clueless about it but am not set up for it. I've read every thread I found here and here's what I'm planning.

2 - 230 mesh 23x31 screens (is that inside or outside?)(two colors)
NazDar 7900 coroplast ink
Ulano stay sharp water adhesion knife film (will be cut on plotter)

All else will be home built including vac table. I already have a vac pump.

Abrade screen (is there anything besides true screen abrader I can use?)
Degrease screen
Apply stencil/film
block out around film (I was going to use vinyl, film will be larger than substrate)
set up, 3/16-1/4" off the surface
register
Screen yellow
register
Screen blue
.080" overlap on colors


Squeegie I've read sharp. Is that as in one that comes to a point as opposed to one with a squared off end? Or just nice, new and sharp.

Any special durometer hardness? (I was going to go with 70)

Pull direction. I've read both and all I've ever done was MDO and aluminum blanks. It's 18x24, vert flute for the step stakes and I'm undecided so I was just going to get a 26-28" squeegie and try with the grain first. If it didn't come out good I could chop the squeegie down and go the other way. I imagine it's a matter of touch, ink viscosity, mesh etc anyway.

This is a small job 50-100 and will be ongoing after that. It's also kind of a favor for someone I know. That and the fact that I'm not already set up for it are the reasons for wanting to do it on the cheap. Which reminds me, any alternative reducers for 7900 ink? I can probably look at the label, give it a whiff and get an idea. Xylene or toluene most likely.

Since it's still hot and humid here and I don't have an air conditioned place to do it I'll probably do one color on one side per evening to avoid cob webs and screen drying.

Thanks

 

[screener24242]

flood stroke after you print is a must. do not use vinyl for blockout, 7900 is aggresive and will eat through it. 70 duro is fine. mineral spirits for retarder is ok too.

 

[Mosh]

Thin the ink, even if it is not hot. I go 80 dur on my squeegies but 70 should work. I use 156 mesh, any higher the ink dryes in the screen too fast. Pull direction- I push, my employees pull, don't notice a difference as long as you do it the same the whole way through the run (I am 6-2 and they are 5-9 or so) Print fast, and do not have a fan blowing near the screen or the ink will dry in and on the screen. Use the naz-dar retarder NOT mineral spirits, ms slows the drying time down ALOT. I always have at least one person help the printer to unload and put the printed signs in the rack, cuts the time in half. One last thing, open all window and doors, that corogloss ink is some toxic stuff, you will feel AWESOME after the run!

 

[royster13]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPrNNE3ZBDw

 

[Mosh]

My "employees" go twice that fast, I tell them I.C.E. is on the way so they have to......

 

[Bill Modzel]

I hate the corogloss ink. Like everyone said, it drys FAST in the screen, even with retarder, and that's on a semi automatic press.
I've been using NazDars 9800 poly ink for probably 15 years on coro. It adheres well and prints soooo much easier. It's thin enough to use without additives and has much easier handling characteristics than the 7900.

I've printed both with and perpendicular to the flutes. It's really dependent on the coro itself. Some versions have pretty deep grooves which really make it hard to get ink to the bottom without "squirting" out at the back side of the image.

 

[RICKMAN]

Rickman

Dang the guys looked pretty fast to me. Maybe I could hire them for cheap, or are they inmates dressed in stripes? I just kidding!

 

[vinylbarry]

Wow good info guys.
I testing runs myself and thats some good info.

 

[Farmboy]

Poorboy...all good info. Let me offer up one more piece of advice, find a good wholesaler to print these for you in case your contraption doesn't pan out. I'm not saying not to give it a try, just saying to cover your bases.

 

[Locals Find!]

Poorboy...all good info. Let me offer up one more piece of advice, find a good wholesaler to print these for you in case your contraption doesn't pan out. I'm not saying not to give it a try, just saying to cover your bases.

+1

Supersigns.biz is a pretty good wholesaler of screen printed political signs and if I am not mistaken is a Merchant Member here I believe.

 

[gaterspit]

fumes and more dead brain cells.

Go get a respirator at Lowes. If not when you start feeling kinda flush and sweaty go outside for some fresh air. Retarder is a must or don't even start. Make sure you have plenty of lay out space. A fan on the wet prints will dry them really fast but DO NOT I say DO Not have any wind whatsoever on the screen while printing. Have all your sheets stacked and ready and don't stop until the last sheet is done. I usually push on coroplast. Flood then push. 23x31 is outside dimensions and that is close to the edges. Low off-contact, tite screen. I made a platen out of a sink cut out and is mounted on my manual press. Have a great printing experience and save brain cells by using a respirator, you'll be uh duh glad you done did.

 

[Brandon.McCarter]

Sericol makes a much better product but is a little more money. They have a CP line that has every component you would need. Tubelite is in your area and has everything you would need.

 

[Farmboy]

So how did this turn out??