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Mesh & screens · 5 of 5 · 1 min read

Prepping mesh

Degrease both sides before coating. A clean screen sheets water evenly; water that beads up shows contamination, which leads to pinholes later (Chromaline).

Abrade new mesh only, lightly and once. Don’t abrade reclaimed mesh. Catspit Productions sums it up: new mesh gets abraded, degreased and dried; used mesh gets degreased only, after reclaiming and de-hazing. Next step: Emulsion & exposure.

Sources for this guide (18)
  1. Vastex, Screen frame information
  2. ASI Central, Wood vs. aluminum screen frames
  3. SPSI, Feeling the tension
  4. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How do I pick the right mesh count?
  5. ScreenPrinting.com, Which mesh count is right for me?
  6. ScreenPrinting.com, Everything you need to know to print an underbase
  7. Atlas Screen Supply, Mesh count chart
  8. Avient, PAGEJ100 Crystalina tech data sheet
  9. Dragonfly Colors, Mesh selection in screen printing
  10. International Coatings, Catalyst 900 (nylon)
  11. Vastex, Mesh information
  12. Screen Printing Magazine, Tensioning screens for smoother setups
  13. Chromaline, Causes of pinholes during screen making
  14. Catspit Productions, Proper emulsion performance
  15. Avient, Print technique guide, 2023 (PDF)
  16. ScreenPrinting.com Help, What’s considered good mesh tension?
  17. Impressions, Troubleshooting screen printing (2018)
  18. Ink Kitchen, Why out of register? Let me count the ways

Where sources disagree, the page says so.