Pressure, flood and edge care
Start here: The lightest pressure that clears the ink in one stroke (the zero point), then add a little at a time.
Zero point: start at the lightest pressure and add a little at a time until one stroke clears the ink from the open mesh cleanly. Use that as your baseline. Extra pressure causes dot gain, smearing and misregistration, and wears out screens (Screen Printing Magazine; dot B).
Flood stroke: fill the stencil openings with ink before the print stroke, especially with water-based ink, so it doesn’t dry in the mesh.
Push or pull? Both work. Pushing uses body weight and is easier on wrists, with less angle control; pulling gives better angle control but strains wrists and shoulders (ScreenPrinting.com).
Edge care: nicked or rounded edges print unevenly. Sharpen or replace the blade.
Sources for this guide (17)
- Printavo, Screen printing pricing
- Lawson Screen & Digital, Understanding off-contact printing
- ScreenPrinting.com, Functional off-contact
- ScreenPrinting.com, Sizing strategies for large shirt runs
- ScreenPrinting.com, Squeegee durometer and angle
- Chromaline, Understanding squeegee durometer
- ScreenPrinting.com, Everything about squeegee durometer
- ScreenPrintingNow, Guide to choosing a squeegee
- Screen Printing Magazine, Squeegee consciousness
- dot B, Low printing pressure: what is zero point?
- ScreenPrinting.com Help, How much off-contact do I need?
- Lawson Screen & Digital, Plastisol ink FAQ
- ScreenPrinting.com Help, What pallet adhesive should I use?
- Impressions, Troubleshooting screen printing (2018)
- Ink Kitchen, Why out of register? Let me count the ways
- ScreenPrinting.com Help, Should I push or pull a squeegee?
- ScreenPrinting.com Help, Squeegee blade durometer
Where sources disagree, the page says so.