![]() This will take some practice, but is well worth mastering not only to produce good prints but to reduce operator fatigue as well. It does not take a huge amount of force to drive the ink through the stencil. HOW HARD SHOULD I PULL THE SQUEEGEE? A question often asked is how hard should I pull the squeegee? The rule of thumb is don't push down so hard as to cause the squeegee blade to bend. The mastery of an effective “coating” stroke takes some practice and will not work with all inks and every type of artwork or mesh count. The coating stroke's purpose is to just “cover over” a 1st or 2nd stroke to achieve an acceptably opaque print on a dark shirt without having to flash cure. The difference is that a “coating stroke” is applied with lighter pressure than a flood stroke. Below are the main types of “stroking” techniques for manual screen printing.ĬOATING STROKE A stroke known as a “coating stroke” is around 20-30 degrees, like that of a flood stroke. Remember this rule, the more that you “angle” the squeegee downward (assuming equal pressure in each stroke), the more ink that will be deposited on the substrate (and the darker or more opaque the print becomes.) As a manual screen printer, you want to become a “master” at how to use a squeegee. SQUEEGEE ANGLES The angle that you hold the squeegee during the stroking process is important. See photo (the squeegees shown are “ergo handle” types.) “COMFORT” GRIPS & “ERGO” SQUEEGEES You can purchase “comfort grips” that you place on your squeegees to make them more comfortable. ![]() Gripping too tightly will become painfully obvious (literally) on long print runs and the best way to avoid that is to be mindful of your grip and “loosen-up” when necessary while printing. THE “DEATH” GRIP To avoid premature hand fatigue with any squeegee, avoid gripping the squeegee with a “death grip.” Only use as much gripping power as necessary when printing. With smaller sized squeegees, place your hands in the most natural or comfortable way possible. When using smaller squeegees, you will not have that option. Holding the squeegee this way allows for a good balance for most print applications. In our experience, the best way to hold a full size squeegee (10” to 16” sizes) is to place your hands approximately one inch in from each end of the squeegee. HOW TO HOLD THE SQUEEGEE While holding the squeegee properly should be intuitive, a few tips may still be in order, especially for those who have never used one.
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