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Originally Posted by ooo-ribay
Thanks, Kyle! For the past couple of days, I’ve come to this site hoping for an answer. I feel much more informed now!
I thought screens would wear out. I think I told you, I did some screen printing many  years ago in HS shop class. I seem to remember the screens as being almost like nylon stockings and figured they would become degraded. Am I remembering wrong? It’s quite possible.  |
In the old days, the screens actually were made from woven silk mesh. Hence the name, "silk screen." I've been told it was not as tough as the mesh used on contemporary screens, which are now made from a polyester material.
Older screens were also stretched on wooden frames. Over time, if exposed to too much water, the wood would warp. Today we use aluminum frames which don't have this problem.
I should clarify: screens absolutely can tear; even the contemporary ones. I have a half dozen or so in my garage with tape on them to prove this point. However, these tears were all caused by improper use/storage by myself (or the previous owners that gave them to me.)
I mean, all it takes is your son knocks his bike over into your screen and--you're looking for a roll of duct tape
But the stencil--which is made from a photo-sensitive chemical compound (emulsion) is very hardy and the constant squeegeeing of it during the printing process shouldn't really cause the detail of it to degrade in any noticeable way.