Digital BW, The Print

Peter, you wrote:

> (Didn't Ernst Dinkla mention screen printed coatings here a long time
> ago, or was that on some other list...)


Yes, I did.

My Thieme 3/4 automat 4.5 x 3.5 feet with a 23 feet drying section + UV
curing unit has been used the last weeks to print 29 short runs for 8
serigraphs. This week is more prosaic: signs in 6 colours.

Printing UV curable varnishes (acryl based) on offset printed material is
done very often here. That can't be used on matt inkjet paper as the coating
gets a yellow cast. Friday I have coated some prints with a matt waterbased
acryl varnish made by Lascaux. Liquitex will have the same. Coating prints
with silkscreen isn't the problem. The blacks on German Etching have lost
their nice velvet texture and high density and that is what most customers
want. I don't think that will be possible, getting more protection and
keeping the texture.

For gloss there's no problem. But they do not order gloss.

Using an air (hydrogen) curing urethane in a silkscreen frame isn't
something I long for. It will be worse than printing a two component epoxy
ink on a run that takes almost the total curing time. I've been there.
Then for silkscreen printing it is nicer to have at least 20 prints of the
same size to print than make all kinds of adaptions with tape etc to do the
same run for different sizes. I will try a gloss water based urethane/acryl
varnish this week. It is difficult to get the sole urethane water based
varnishes here. Don't expect much of it though. If it is the best since
sliced bread I certainly will write about it.

Ernst