• What is the difference between Melray economy grade wood frames, and Melray Professional grade wood frames?
• Which is better, wood, or aluminum frames?
• What size frame do I need?
• Where do I go if I’m just getting started in screen printing?

 

 

 

What is the difference between Melray economy grade wood frames, and Melray Professional grade wood frames?

Melray Professional grade wood frames are made with only the finest Douglas fir wood and are subjected to an additional step than the economy grade wood frames allowing them to last longer and make cleaning the screen easier.

Which is better, wood, or aluminum frames?

Wood screens Advantages: Lower initial cost May be restretched numerous times prior to replacing.
Disadvantages: May warp when exposed to solvents and water. Mel-Ray wood screens are manufactured with kiln dried Douglas Fir, a species known for its durability and stability. Warping is rarely a problem with our screens, but it is a possibility
Aluminum screens Advantages: Lighter than wood - Will never warp - May be restretched numerous times prior to replacing - Mel-Ray FOREVER Screens™ are guaranteed for life. If the frame ever wears out as a consequence of Mel-Ray’s RAPID Restretch™ service, we’ll replace the frame with a brand new one free of charge. You’ll pay slightly more for aluminum screens the first time, but you’ll never pay more than the cost to restretch the screens in the future.
Disadvantages: Slightly higher initial cost May not hold registration as securely in manual machines using jack posts rather than clamping bars to secure the frame to the press.

What size frame do I need?

 The 20” x 24” frames are standard for *_manual_* textile printing machines while the 23” x 31” frames are standard for automatic textile printing machines. More generally, take the size of your artwork, add 10” per side, then round up to the next largest frame size.

Where do I go if I’m just getting started in screen printing?

For Those Who are just getting started in Screen Printing there are various Starter Kits Mel-ray offers to help customers through this fun and exciting process.