# Warped Palette



## strikeoutwear (Mar 30, 2015)

Question?
Is it possible for a warped palette to correct itself? 

I am a newbie that have been experiencing registration and off contact issues. So thanks to members of this website I checked out my palette. And sure enough when I placed a carpenter's square across my palette there was about an 1/8 of an inch gap in the center of the palette. I removed the palette. A couple of days later I remeasured that same palette, and now that 1/8 in clearance is gone. Is this for real, after I have gone and purchased an aluminum palette?


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## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

Interesting. Could be real. Can't imagine why it would correct itself. Maybe moisture/humidity?
I'd guess if it warped/unwarped, it may do it again so if you're purchased aluminums, then good riddance 

Be careful with the aluminums particularly when flashing.


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## strikeoutwear (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks Tygeron
Could you give a little more detail about flashing and the aluminum platen


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## veetwincowboy (Mar 14, 2015)

Aluminum pallets hold the heat a little more, they wont warp but they can get pretty hot on a big run...


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## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

veetwincowboy said:


> Aluminum pallets hold the heat a little more, they wont warp but they can get pretty hot on a big run...


 http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-articles/t49459.html


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I love aluminum. Make sure you keep a close eye on your flasher while your boards are warming up. you'll notice they start flashin faster after doz or two shirts.


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## strikeoutwear (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks Everyone
I really appreciate all the input. So being without a palette or anything to do screen printing I took the old palette that I thought had the warp issue and re-installed it, and began test printing a 2 color project. I was using the print-flash-print-cure method. during the flash stage my flash unit is about 1.5" from the garment. It takes my unit about 30 sec. to get that tacky feel before I can make a second pass. After about a couple test sequences, guess what, the palette had that 1/8 inch warp back in it. Can someone explain to me the approximate distance the flasher unit should be from a cotton tee shirt to flash in between pass and curing distance


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## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

That's pretty subjective. Depends on ink type, color, garment type, moisture content, unit output, type and a bunch of other factors.

I will say that 30 seconds to just _flash_ (gel) sounds a bit long, but with identical set ups you'll get different suggestions and times.

Mine is pretty set at about 3" and on average will flash at about 5 seconds.

And sounds like you should nix that janky that platen


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Is this a 1,2 or 4station press?


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## strikeoutwear (Mar 30, 2015)

This is a 4-1 blue eagle


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I was asking cuz the main advantage of 4 station over 2 is the cooldown time for your boards between flash next print. If your using wood it really helps to put a fan on the otherside of the press facing a board, but not you, your flash or your dryer. with a one station, your boards not really getting a chance to cool other than a few seconds between prints. I think your gonna love that metal board.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

If you get a pallet overly hot you can actually semi cure the ink in the screen and clog it. I have a single station press and this has happened to me once or twice and it's a huge time waster because the clogged screen is a b*tch to clear out so that you can resume printing. If you don't have a cool down station you need to flash your print at a lower temperature for a longer time to keep the pallet from overheating. I'd imagine this would be even more prevalent with aluminum.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I saw a guy over flashing and his screen pretty much cured to the shirt. when he peeled the shirt of the screen it took half the emulsion with it. If the print is too hot to lay your hand on and leave it, it's too hot for another print.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

One time when I was still new to screen printing I (for some unknown reason...) flashed a screen that was in the down position. DOH! There went that...


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I've completely melted the rubber pads on a few metal boards over the years, cuz they drifted under the flash while I was out of the room. talk about stinky. that reminds me, that's another advantage of metal, I've never seen the pads ignite, just bubble an smolder. I've heard many stories about wood lighting up, and when they walked in the flames were just about to ignite the ceiling. I know one place that did burn down for sure. SAFTY FIRST!


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