# What mesh count and kind of ink should I use to make yard signs on coroplast?



## jangele84 (Apr 4, 2008)

What's up guy i dont know if someone has asked this questions before but since I'm just getting into screen printing I don not a whole lot about it. So here I go, I would like to start making screen printed yard signs but I wanna know what mesh count I should use for just big text, no detailed images. Should I use 24, 38, 60, 86, 110 mesh.........? and also what kind of ink would it go with it? water based? plastisol? 

I would appreciate any input from you guys....

Thanks in advance....

Juan


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## gerry (Oct 4, 2006)

i HAVE A COUPLE 4X4' screens here from a retired signmaker and they are 160, and it looks like he was using an enamel with retarder.
Im sure youll find what ink is best here.
Good luck, im thinking of screening some of the large repetitious jobs that come thru here, so I'm curious too.


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## gerry (Oct 4, 2006)

Also I have some materials here from a retired screener...and he was using one shot enamel for fridge magnets.


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## chuckh (Mar 22, 2008)

We use Saati Hi-Tech 230 mesh, 25-30 Newtons.
Naz Dar has a specific air dry ink for corrugated plastic.
This is the ink to use.


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## jangele84 (Apr 4, 2008)

Thanks chuck, I really appreciate your input. Im gonna look into that!!


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

Ditto Chuckh's advice. The air-dry solvent ink Nazdar sells is called Corogloss. You also have to get the appropriate thinner/retarder to mix in at 10% - 15%, and keep your screen flooded between print strokes. And, get an all-purpose graphic ink cleaner to clean the mess out of your screen and off your squeegie. After that, your usual ink degradent in your washout sink and water will finish it up.
And, work someplace where there is plenty of ventilation, and it doesn't hurt to buy a respirator from Home Depot made for solvents, unless you want to wind up like those guys that huff aerosol paint from a paper bag . . . permanently stupid.
Get everything together before you mix your ink and start, including your cleanup materials, and have a place cleared to lean the signs up while they dry. The ink will start setting up in the screen if you aren't printing a couple of signs a minute or more. And you can't stack the signs immediately. The ink typically is dry to the touch in 10 minutes or so, but I've read if you stack them too soon, the ink continues to breathe out the solvent and can rewet itself when stacked. I like to let mine sit overnight, or I put them outside in the sun for awhile if I have to deliver quickly.


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## jangele84 (Apr 4, 2008)

All right, Thanks for all these tips Tom. It looks like theres a lot for me to learn. Thank you so much


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## JeridHill (Feb 8, 2006)

I would also suggest a minimum of 230 mesh.

I've printed with Corogloss and it is the nastiest smelling conventional ink I've ever printed with. It is extremely strong, so be sure to have an extremely well ventilated area. I know I've used extremely (now three times), but I can't stress it enough.


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## tman07 (Nov 14, 2007)

I use Rust-Oleum oil base paint on my yard signs using a 156 mesh. And here's why:

1. It's cheap
2. It sticks to the sign
3. It won't dry in your screen like the high price "inks"
4. It is easy to clean up
5. It doesn't smell as bad

Disadvantages

1. It takes longer to dry so you might have to do one side
in the morning and the other side in the afternoon.


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## bkowen2000 (Nov 23, 2010)

Say Thank you for your post!! I would like to ask you what you use to  clean up with and what type of emulsion do you use on your screen. I'm new here and just getting started on yard signs. Thanks again  





tman07 said:


> I use Rust-Oleum oil base paint on my yard signs using a 156 mesh. And here's why:
> 
> 1. It's cheap
> 2. It sticks to the sign
> ...


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