# Yellow Mesh Clogging Up



## oakesnd (Jan 11, 2016)

Hi there, I've been printing several years on a manual press using white mesh screens and recently I purchased an auto (Tuf Javelin) through Workhorse products. The installer/trainer/broker brought a dozen yellow mesh screens with the machine and I've started having issues with my white ink (texsource primetime white and white dream) clogging up in the 156 mesh screens. 

I've reclaimed and re-exposed them 3 separate times now and they continue to clog in the same areas. I get one clean print, one hazy print then nothing at all...completely blocked in the same locations. I did a reducer overkill to get the ink to a much thinner consistency and still had the problem. I don't think it's the ink. I am using a flashback with the machine but the radiant heat on the screen is not enough to dry/cure the ink in place or it would be clogging more than just a select area.

Is this a common problem with Yellow mesh? I've ordered more white mesh screens but they won't be here for a week or so...any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!


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## johnchesley (Jan 26, 2008)

There are a couple of potential issues. Make sure that the flashback is as close to the shirt platen as possible without burning the shirts. . The closer to the shirt it is, the farther away from your screen.This will allow you to increase the speed of your flash. Also make sure that the flash is running exactly parallel to the shirt board. Many times you don't notice it but the flash is closer to the shirt on one side than the other. Another issue is the higher the mesh count, the faster you can flash, thereby reducing the chance of ink curing in the screen. One last thing, and this is important because it solved ALL of our issues with the problem you are having. We put a small fan above the screen facing down onto the screen. Do not have the fan on high, just a little breeze going onto the mesh, especially over the area that is clogging up. This will keep the screen and ink from getting too warm. Make sure you do the things mentioned and I guarantee your problems will be solved. Oh, make sure that all of the ink that got "clumpy" in the screen AND on the squeege is thrown out.


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## oakesnd (Jan 11, 2016)

Awesome!! I have noticed that the screen is slightly lower in the back...I'll try to "shim" them up a bit on the back bracket and see if that helps. I've got a fan in place to try on the next run. I've also heard of other flashback owners using some kind of material as a shield over the heat bulbs...any idea what kind of material they are using?? I've tried heavy duty aluminum foil (burns out quickly) and aluminum flat-stock (warps badly) but haven't found a long term solution. Your thoughts??


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