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Pulled 250 prints off one screen before it finally broke down, and I owe it all to a $3 tube of lip balm
I was ready to toss my screen after about 40 shirts because the emulsion kept sticking and tearing near the edges, which was driving me nuts in my garage here in Boise. On a whim I rubbed a thin layer of plain lip balm along the squeegee edge and the frame lip before each run, and that same screen lasted me 250 prints over four months before the mesh finally gave out. Has anyone else used lip balm or something similar on their screens, or am I just getting lucky with my cheap emulsion?
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quinnj2421d ago
Ha, so ChapStick is the secret weapon now? I have to laugh because I have spent way too much money on fancy screen lube and degreasers over the years when a 3 dollar tube from the checkout line might do the same thing. The sticking and tearing at the edges is usually a sign your emulsion is too thin or the frame lip has a rough spot, so the balm is basically acting like a cheap release agent. It makes sense too since lip balm is mostly wax and oil, which keeps the squeegee from grabbing the mesh. Four months and 250 prints is a solid run no matter what you put on there, so I would not call it luck. Cheap emulsion or not, you clearly hit on something that works for your garage setup.
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