PSA: Learned my screen tension trick the hard way at 3 AM

Was doing a four color job in my garage studio around midnight. Mesh on my 230 count screen started sagging halfway through the run. Tried to tighten it with a heat gun but burnt a hole right through the emulsion. Lost 20 shirts and $60 worth of ink on that mistake. Now I always check my tension with a meter before starting any run over 50 prints. You guys use a specific brand of tension meter or just go by feel?

2 comments

2 Comments

susan3505d agoRising Star

Tension meter saved my ass after I ruined a batch of hoodies.

lindaw295d ago

and then my friend jenna borrowed my machine last year, totally ignored the tension gauge, and ended up with hoodies that looked like they had a bad perm. @susan350, i swear it took her three tries to get a straight stitch after that disaster. she finally broke down and bought a tension meter, but by then she'd wasted like 20 yards of good fleece. now she won't touch the machine without checking tension on a scrap piece first. it's one of those things you just don't think matters until you ruin something nice. your mileage may vary, but i've seen what happens when you skip that step.