Silk Screen on Plexiglass Suggestions

bobatrek

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I am looking to replicate a pane of wired safety glass for a prop by silk screening the wire onto a sheet of plexiglass and placing another layer of plexi over it. My question is, how large can I go? I need the plexi to be 32" x 32" with the screening just under that. Anyone have experience with that size?

Thanks in advance,
Sean
 
Been a few years since I worked in the industry, but hopefully I can answer a little of it. :confused

It will mainly depend on where you go to get it screened, and whether they do larger format screening or mainly t-shirt/garment screening. The largest image you can get on a typical garment screen (from my experience) is around 14" wide by maybe 24" high. 32" x 32" should be possible at a shop with a large format printer for the film and a screen to accommodate, though I have no idea on the cost for something like that.
 
why silkscreening. You could probably get the same effect if you use thin wire.

Make small even cuts on all sides of one panel, secure the wire in a slot, pull it tight and secure in the slot on the opposite end. You can easily make a raster pattern with this and you can probably do it yourself this way.
 
I work at a large format screen/digital printer and can tell you screen printing one piece like that would be fairly expensive since there's film, screen, setup and printing charges. You would do better to find a local shop that has a flat bed printer (48" x 96" print area) with white ink option (We have an Acuity) and have them print it. If the grid needs to be a color, they can set the file up to put down white ink with the color over it, or under if its to be viewed from the reverse side. And then you are only paying for the one print. And the UV inks are as durable as screen printing.
 
Another recommendation depending on how accurate you need it to be versus how quickly/cheaply you need to make it would be graphic tape. It comes in different sizes and finishes, so you should be able to find one that is close to what you want. Then just stick it to the side of one of the plexi sheets and stack another like you were planning.
 
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Is there a reason you can't or choose not to use real wire re-enforced glass? Almost all local glass shops and even some hardware stores will have it in stock, in and out cut to your dimensions...

If not I recommend as has been said thin wire, or even thread to make the pattern...
 
I was looking for both a lighter and cheaper solution solution to the wired glass...

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll see what works for me and I'll let you know.

-Sean
 
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