ALUMINUM VS WOOD
Aluminum screen printing frames are ideal and far superior to wooden frames. Aluminum, unlike wood, is lighter, stronger, more durable and is not effected by water.
Since water is used in processing photographic screen printing stencils, aluminum frames are preferred since they will not warp.
However, our wooden screen frames are marketed as a disposable unit. Many customers don’t want to put extra dollars into their frames and they also don’t want to consider re-stretching a frame that will eventually warp. The price vs. quality issue has been addressed. Use the frame for many jobs and on completion, dispose of the frame, since it is not economical to remesh.
Wood will change size over time and cause the attached fabric to loosen and the screen to be out of square or twisted, especially when processing in a dip tank or wash rack to remove dried ink and stencil material. But if the price of the frame is considerably less than aluminum then disposing of the frame after it becomes warped is not a great loss.
Aluminum frames are lighter, less expensive to ship and promote the life expectancy of press springs or hydraulic lifters.
Aluminum frames can be re-stretched many times with new fabric without harm to the frame. Although consideration must be given to the transportation cost of re-stretching.
The cost of aluminum compares very favorably with wood when all factors are considered.
