Possibly the only reasons any screen printer can give for not introducing retensionable frames to their workshop would be the costs. And all the time involved in maintaining mesh tensions. Having used Newman frames for nearly a year now, we can only wonder where we would be without them. Retensionable frames have surpassed all our expectations with many unforeseen benefits being added to the list of ‘fors’ and the ‘against’ list has now been thrown in the bin. First and foremost we invested in Newman screens for faster set up times, using the pin registration system. This has worked like a charm not only in reducing set up times, but also the knock on effect of  a better organized art department who now take full responsibility for the artworks placement on the screen.

More accurate placement of artwork on screens also allows for more control of halftones, high mesh tensions allow for finer meshes when printing water based inks, these two things combined have allowed us to produce screens extremely quickly, with very predictable results. We are never left trying to compensate for screen errors on press, our T-shirt printers are now faster, and much happier. The times where these improvements really make themselves known are on repeat orders where retensionable frames were not in use, this 3 colour water based discharge print previously had to be registered by eye, and then, after the first print, adjustments were made with great haste for fear of ink drying in the screen. Once up and running many adjustments were made to print and flood speeds to compensate for dot gain, or not enough ink down. This week we put the screens in their predetermined positions filled them with ink and printed a test print which was spot on registration. The job was then printed with zero fine tuning of print flood speeds. A retensionable frame removes so much frustration on press (especially when working with water based inks in the summer) that the time required to maintain them is more than worth while.

This print was produced for The Alarm who are presently touring the UK.