# seeking advice-mixed complexity print....halftones and block letters



## bassmanbad (May 27, 2007)

Hello all - I am going to attempt to print a shirt with an image of Ben Franklin from a scanned 100, with some block test. I have made the image in PS, and halftones Ben and saved at 300 dpi as a PDF. I have had success getting positives printed this way. 
My question(s) is about my screen: What mesh size? Do I need to consider emulsion thickness, exposure time, and any other factors I might not be considering?
HELP!


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## bassmanbad (May 27, 2007)

bassmanbad said:


> block test.


???!!!
Text
block text


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## 2020 PrintWorks (Apr 22, 2011)

The mesh count you want to use depends on what lpi you made the halftones. A general rule you can go by is take your lpi and times it by 5 and that's you mesh count. So say you have a 40 lpi halftone. You want to use a 200 mesh screen or higher. I usually go a little higher just to be safe. Sometimes when your doing halftones and block text its better to burn them on separate screens. That way you can use good pressure and get nice solid letters on the text screen, and on the halftone screen you can use whatever pressure and stroke gives you the best print. Whereas if they're together the pressure and stroke it will take to get those letters solid might make the halftones too dark. Not always the case but its something to consider.


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## bassmanbad (May 27, 2007)

Thanks. Had not though of that. I only have four screens atm, 3 160 and one 280, and only have one screen not shot for an ongoing print. I guess I will just try it on my regular procedure and see. Or buy more screens....


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## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

bassmanbad said:


> Thanks. Had not though of that. I only have four screens atm, 3 160 and one 280


 Try the 160 with a 42.5 lpi round dot 32.5 angle if you're not really comfortable with burning halftones and holding finer detail. Halftones don't absolutely require 280+ mesh. Depends on a lot of other factors. Be very particular on finding the correct exposure times for your emulsion and image prep/image adjustment is also important.


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## bassmanbad (May 27, 2007)

Shot it on 160 with a 25 min exposure. Using Ulano orange. Two curl fluorescent bulbs, one 60 one 100 watt.
The letters came out great, the halftone washed out mostly, when I increased water pressure, the exposed emulsion started peeling......help?


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