# How much halftone detail can a 158 mesh screen hold (Epson 1400 blackmax)



## Markermagic (Mar 3, 2010)

Just wondering how much detail i can get out of lower mesh count screens..


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## ole Jobe (Jun 16, 2009)

The rule of thumb is: Mesh count divided by 4.5. This give 35 for 158 screen. This will vary some depending on emulsion thickness. I coat 2/2 and 35 lpi works fine for me. God Bless.


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## Markermagic (Mar 3, 2010)

okay cool.. just kinda brain farting.. t'anks mon!


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## iwhdesigns (May 29, 2010)

what is lpi


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## ole Jobe (Jun 16, 2009)

lpi-lines per inch, from lithography. The lower the lpi, the larger the dots.


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## iwhdesigns (May 29, 2010)

how do you set the lpi in photoshop/illustrator


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

In photoshop, convert the separated layer(copy and pasted to a new file) to grayscale then bitmap. Converting to bitmap, you will be asked for the lpi, angles, etc.

In corel you must have a postcript printer or at least a driver. Illy should be the same.

Get a RIP software.


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## varsityink (Jul 29, 2009)

I use an Epson 1400 and people can't believe the amount of detail they see when they come into our shop, and we only use manual presses. I only use 2 size screens on a daily basis and have had much success. 160's and 230's. The 230's I use for CMYK job, and the 160's pretty much everything else. It holds a great halftone all the way down to about 20% if it's nice and tight. Use a 60 line screen setting and an elliptical dot and your good to go. Most important thing is to make sure your screens aren't racking from corner to corner, and lie extremely flat on the exposure unit when burning halftones. Also, the best angle to use is 52.5 degrees if you have that option.


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

Holding down to 20% isn't very impressive :-( You could really do with a 300tpi or so for 60lpi.
If you have a RIP, choose a postscript printer in AI, choose separations, print to file and open/print with your RIP. The lpi is an option under Output.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Or use ghostcript if you don't have a RIP. If you look at the technical specs, the 1400 is the better printer.


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## RobertG (Oct 13, 2010)

I started to experiment with this.
I read somewhere that the kind of scraper matters.
Any more info on this?

Thanks, Robert


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

Do you mean the squeegee?


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## varsityink (Jul 29, 2009)

Personally I think a 20% halftone is pretty good on a 160 mesh screen, but can definitely go lower, just have no use for it on 160's. If I need more I'll use a 230 or 350.


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## RobertG (Oct 13, 2010)

PositiveDave said:


> Do you mean the squeegee?


I gues so, was not sure about the english translation.
In Dutch we call it "rakel", its the rubbery thingy with the handle to push the ink trough the screen.

Thanks, Robert


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Then your "rakel" is squeegee in english.


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## Screenanator (Feb 14, 2007)

varsityink said:


> I use an Epson 1400 and people can't believe the amount of detail they see when they come into our shop, and we only use manual presses. I only use 2 size screens on a daily basis and have had much success. 160's and 230's. The 230's I use for CMYK job, and the 160's pretty much everything else. It holds a great halftone all the way down to about 20% if it's nice and tight. Use a 60 line screen setting and an elliptical dot and your good to go. Most important thing is to make sure your screens aren't racking from corner to corner, and lie extremely flat on the exposure unit when burning halftones. Also, the best angle to use is 52.5 degrees if you have that option.


you sound EXACTLY like us......customers sometimes swear we run autos....


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Those are also printed on 230s?


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## varsityink (Jul 29, 2009)

HAHA, I have to argue with vendors sometimes, they just don't understand how much better quality you can get when your printing by HAND! 230's are the perfect screen for CMYK! Another reason I like the 160, 230 combo is when you run out of one, the other will surely work, no matter what halftone your trying to produce...


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## Screenanator (Feb 14, 2007)

BroJames said:


> Those are also printed on 230s?


 160 screen white filament...output 36 lpi 60 degree on black...42 on other colors. Eliptical dot.Atlas vacuum black light exposure unit..35 second exposure on 2/2 coat Ulano QTX. Printed on a 6/4 manual machine 70 duro squeeges.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

varsityink said:


> HAHA, I have to argue with vendors sometimes, they just don't understand how much better quality you can get when your printing by HAND! 230's are the perfect screen for CMYK! Another reason I like the 160, 230 combo is when you run out of one, the other will surely work, no matter what halftone your trying to produce...


My earlier frames are all 180s. My new ones are all 230s. So I guess mine are 180/230 combination.

Why do you say *"they just don't understand how much better quality you can get when your printing by HAND"*?

Thanks Ronnie.


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## RobertG (Oct 13, 2010)

BroJames said:


> Why do you say *"they just don't understand how much better quality you can get when your printing by HAND"*?
> 
> Thanks Ronnie.


Yes, I was also confused about that one.

Regards, Robert


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## varsityink (Jul 29, 2009)

I just mean a lot of these suppliers come in the door and can't believe the stuff we've got on display was printed by hand, and a lot of them comment on not seeing stuff that good printed on an auto, that's all...I feel like I have more control over the print than a machine doing all the work...just my opinion


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## RobertG (Oct 13, 2010)

Oh I see.
I guess its because people posses more love then machines do. 

Regards, Robert


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## CNClark (Mar 2, 2010)

There are bad operators that run auto's too. just like there are people who can't manually print worth a flip. 

It's safe to say a good operator on an dialed-in auto will put out a much better product than a good manual printer...and they'll do it faster. Like with anything else, it's the indian, not the arrow.

As for the halftone stuff, 4.5 is the rule, but we break it frequently. This week we ran 40lpi down to 15% on a 110, for a one hit white gradient we needed. Worked great...


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

I now see what you mean Daniel.


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## InkChemist (Aug 19, 2010)

Great info. I've gotten into printing halftones lately and this helps a lot.


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