Mastering Color with Mesh and Blade: Part 2 of the Ultimate Printing System
In Part 1, we broke down how to build a consistent system for printing white ink by matching mesh, durometer, and stencil smoothness. In Part 2, we take it further—because the same logic that helps you print a brilliant white underbase is exactly what helps you print better spot colors, wet-on-wet designs, and halftones.
Let’s dive deeper into how the right setup—particularly with thin thread mesh and a sharp squeegee blade—sets you up for crisp, clean color work with less buildup, less lift, and fewer callbacks.
Start with the Best Underbase
Your underbase is the foundation—get it wrong, and everything else struggles to sit cleanly on top.
Use thin thread mesh in the 110–156 range for your underbase
Choose a hard, sharp squeegee blade (80–85 durometer double bevel is ideal)
Use a smooth stencil (low RZ value) to prevent ink trapping in pits
Flash just enough to gel—don’t overflash and create tack
A smoother, thinner underbase helps top colors release clean, sit flat, and stay true.
Spot Colors and Halftones: Wet-on-Wet That Works
Want to run wet-on-wet with fewer issues? This is where thin thread mesh truly shines.
Use the right mesh:
- Underbase: 110–156 thin thread (open area allows full coverage with less ink)
- Top colors: 200–230 thin thread (less ink, finer detail, faster drying)
- Halftones: 230–305 thin thread depending on line screen (more open mesh reduces dot gain and smudging)
Match it with the right squeegee:
- 80–85 durometer, sharp edge
- A hard blade shears the ink cleanly, minimizing build-up and dot distortion
- Use a double bevel for sharper edges with reduced surface tension
The result? Vibrant spot colors and clean halftones that hold detail, even when printed directly over a base.
Combat Pitting, Lifting, and Sticking
Ever seen top colors pit, stick to the screen, or lift off the underbase? These are common issues, and they’re all symptoms of an unbalanced system.
Here’s how to fix them:
Pitting: Caused by over-textured stencils or too much ink or overflashing. Fix it with:
- A smoother stencil (polish or use high solids emulsion)
- A sharper, harder squeegee for a thinner ink deposit
- Control your flash time and heat.
Lifting/Sticking: Happens when the ink doesn’t fully shear or is too heavy. Fix it with:
- Thin thread mesh and a harder durometer blade
- Proper flash settings (just gel, don’t cure)
- Light top color deposits = less tack
Remember, if the ink deposit is too thick, it stays wet too long. That leads to squeegee drag, poor dot shape, and sticking on the next screen.
Build Your System Around These Principles
By controlling:
- Mesh count (thin thread preferred)
- Squeegee durometer (80–85 for precision)
- Stencil smoothness (low RZ for faster, cleaner prints)
…you can run tight reg, wet-on-wet, and even CMYK simulations more consistently.
