Gocco Tip

[Former_Member]

This is a thread to share gocco tips and ideas
xx

[Former_Member]

One tip I have is for cleaning the ink off Gocco screens
Rather than the expensive gocco cleaning stuff that comes in a tiny tube.
I use a hand cleaning gel called Swarfega, my dad uses it for cleaning his oily hands after working on his cars.
So it is perfect for the greasy oily ink on the screen. You can get it from UK home shops like B & Q or homebase, it comes in massive tubs so last ages - and obviously you can clean your hands with it too!!

x

[SmartyPantsPaperCo]

Is that only sold in the UK? I just did a quick google search and didn't see any stores here that sell it. I have never used the gocco cleaner. I bought a tube once and wasn't a fan. I use mineral spirits right now, but would like an alternative.

[Former_Member]

I'm not sure if it is available in the USA, I know its a British company so maybe its not.
I find the real gocco cleaner a fiddle and I need a lot to clean each screen.
What are mineral spirits? is it like paint thinner?

[Former_Member]

Wendy Moon from WendymoonDesigns has added a great blog post in the Welcome thread about using StencilPro as an alternative to bulbs and screens. Check it out:
http://wendymoondesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/love-worry-and-gocco-supplies.html
and check out Wendys shop here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WendymoonDesigns

xx

[Former_Member]

i don't have a gocco (had the fear they might discontinue it and was worried about the availability of supplies...) but i have made a screen printing studio at home. here are some photos http://flic.kr/s/aHsjuJosCf

these are my tips and suggestions for home screen printing;

the forums on this site were helpful in answering my many questions (although i always just searched the existing posts, didn't want the experts to shoot me down in flames for asking dumb ass questions!) http://gigposters.com/

i swear by the purple emulsion ulano 925. keep it in the fridge or it goes weird.

i use a 400W skunk growers light to expose my screens, i just squash the separation onto the coated screen using a bit o' glass with a piece of black sponge under the screen.

i made a vac table out of an old lady style formica table. i use a hoover to create the vacuum. i bought some hinge clamps from lawrence's art suppliers in hove.

i use normal household emulsion to print with, just thin it with print medium. cheaper and you can get really nice colours mixed at your local paint suppliers.

for those of you who are sussex based. you can buy cheap(er) paper and supplies from the seawhite factory shop http://www.seawhite.co.uk/facshop.html

cheers!

X

[Former_Member]

Wendy Moon's stencil pro post is brilliant! I'm just about to get my gocco fired back up again and can't wait to try this method!

[Former_Member]

I'm off to check out Wendy's post:)

Meanwhile, you can use regular old mineral oil to clean your screens. No need for fancy products!

[Former_Member]

@sianuska Wow your home studio looks amazing, I am so jealous.

Maybe I need to add a printing table to the spare room, not sure my boyfriend would approve.

Thanks for your great screen printing tips, I never thought of using household paint!

[Former_Member]

I'm going to copy and paste what I've posted on the Gocco alternative post in case it helps anyone who didn't see that post.

I have also been working with an alternative. I have found that I can substitute all of the supplies except for the ink (well, even that, has a sub, but it has a downside). I have been using StencilPro (have to use the high res). It is expensive, but you can cut each 8 1/2 x 11 sheet down to as small as 6 pieces each (which is all that i need for my project). You just need a plastic Gocco frame (or re-use the frame of a Gocco screen) and some painters tape (along with the Stencil Pro supplies). This eliminates the need for screens and bulbs. You can get some Gocco GRRL cleaner at Northwood Studios: http://www.northwoodstudios.us/misc.html and you can substitute 2mm fun foam for ink block (although it can cause some printing problems in certain areas depending on how close the objects are -it can be worked with though). You can actually use Block Ink (the oil based) for a substitute ink. The only problem with this is that it can take a couple of days to dry.

As for the Stencil Pro -I highly suggest that you just buy the exposure light kit that they have available at Circuit Bridge -you can make one or use the sun, but you may waste StenclPro film trying to figure out exposure times. With the exposure light -you just put your artwork under the light for 4 minutes -no guesswork!

[Former_Member]

oh and this is not really Gocco relaed, but if you are going to purchase Stencil Pro for the Gocco, it also can be used for other things. What is amazing about Stencil Pro is that you can easily turn that same artwork that you printed onto paper (or just some other artwork entirely) into a t-shirt, cloth napkin, or other printable items using screen printing ink. Just get some water based screen printing ink (I prefer Jacquard Professional) and a squeegee. After cleaning all of the Gocco ink off of the screen, Tape off the screen onto the item to be printed (so no ink gets on the item other than where you want it). Put a line of ink above the artwork on the screen and use a squeegee to pull ink across the Stencil Pro screen. After that, you just need to heat set the item according to the screen printing ink directions (for example if you use Jacquard, you just need to iron it at 250 to 300 degrees for 2 minutes (with a paper or thin cloth over it).

[Former_Member]

I have been using Gocco for 17 years, and I've never purchased any of the gocco cleaning tubes. I use Mineral Turps. It is a brand called 'Diggers' here in Australia, as some Mineral Turps can cause the screen to separate. Turps lasts for ages, and is cheap!

My problem is, trying to find an alternative ink to gocco inks for paper. Obviously it needs to be oil based not water based, but finding something for very fine work is hard! Any suggestions out there?

[Former_Member]

SORRY.. PRESSED 'POST' TWICE and CAN"T DELETE 2ND POST
I have been using Gocco for 17 years, and I've never purchased any of the gocco cleaning tubes. I use Mineral Turps. It is a brand called 'Diggers' here in Australia, as some Mineral Turps can cause the screen to separate. Turps lasts for ages, and is cheap!

My problem is, trying to find an alternative ink to gocco inks for paper as I print on to paper napkins. Obviously it needs to be non tox, oil based not water based and fast drying, but finding something for very fine work is hard! Any suggestions out there?