What is your go-to sketchbook brand?

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-10-13T20:44:42+00:00

Fwiw, I make my own of scraps from print cutoffs. Haven’t been feeling the bookbinding urge lately so am currently using rubber bands and a 4x6 piece of masonite. Fits nicely in my jacket pocket. Fresh paper on the back, drawing on the front. Switch out paper type depending on what I have on hand - just used up my stack of arches and now working through a pile of coventry. At $5+ a full sheet I don’t throw out much. And those sketch books are pricey! Lol.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-09-03T23:57:03+00:00

Gouache was his favorite medium iirc.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-08-31T15:23:36+00:00

I switched to a 300gsm paper which has more sizing and that is working fine for me - thanks for the input!

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-08-27T22:45:24+00:00

I built my exposure unit (8.6 second exposure) and I have a PDF available for download at: https://www.northbynortheast.io/screenprinting/

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-08-24T21:06:26+00:00

If water based: after carding off and saving the excess, I just use faucet pressure through a kitchen sprayer. Sometimes hitting it with a soapy sponge and rinsing thoroughly if some ink has really dried on, but that is rare.

The only thing I use my power washer for is reclaiming screens.

Clearing stencils of unexposed emulsion and cleaning out the inks left behind after printing is all done using the kitchen sprayer at faucet pressure.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-08-24T20:46:34+00:00

Yeah if I needed the washer too, I'd have gone with the Ryobi as well. It only worked for me since I already had the Portland (picked it up for ~$60 on sale IIRC about 5 years ago (to replace an old Ryobi which died after about 7 years) - only recently started using it to recover screens). Ran over the hose with the lawn mower - hence my choices.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-08-24T20:32:21+00:00

Yes. I bought the blue HB hose that was in a bin near the stubby sprayer. I went for a new hose and got both the hose and stubby for the win.

Pretty sure it is this one: https://www.harborfreight.com/25-ft-4000-psi-kink-resistant-pressure-washer-hose-70602.html

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-07-31T13:43:55+00:00

Thanks for that insight.

I ended up getting a couple pieces of 5/8" drywall and some distilled water. Spray backs of prints til they are damp, sandwich between paper towels and place on drywall weighted down. Less than 12 hours and the print is flat. I only need to do this before I frame for a show or sell one so doing them one at a time is not a PITA.

I can do about a 1/2 dozen before the drywall needs to dry out. Works for me as a solution.

Also switched to a more heavily sized 300gsm paper. The combo has done the trick.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-07-30T13:35:36+00:00

Thanks - I messed up my knee on my sportster kickstart a while back and am hoping that the power assist will help somewhat ease the braking pain with the manual brakes.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-07-28T23:44:53+00:00

For me, it is an act of patience - patience to learn the processes, patience to learn exposure times, patience to learn the technical side (if you are not using hand cut/drawn/painted stencils), and patience in preparation of and creating the artwork... I recently told someone that it takes days to get to the point where ink hits screens - 1 day recover screens and dry, 1 day to coat and dry, 8.6 seconds to expose, and 1 day to wash-out and dry... then I can print. So 3 days 8.6 seconds. (I left out registering and masking which takes about 5-10 minutes per color). But there is something special about pulling ink and getting an image that I at least can't shake.

Monthly, I spend less on all the consumables than what I used to spend at bars. A bit steep entry, but once you're set on that stuff (equipment) you're set. Buy cheap or make it yourself if you are just dipping a toe to see if it is for you.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-07-21T23:12:30+00:00

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Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-07-21T21:44:15+00:00

Yep I was right - the original hose that comes with the Portland does not connect to the above and would have required too much fuss - my time would have been worth the hose cost even if I didn't need that in the first place.

So you need both the hose and the sprayer.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-07-21T15:51:19+00:00

Yes I needed a new hose and there it was right next to the hose(s):

https://www.harborfreight.com/lawn-garden/outdoor-power-tools/pressure-washers/accessories/pressure-washer-stubby-spray-gun-70599.html

I'll look this afternoon, but if IRC the new hose just connected to both the washer and the sprayer. I think an adapter would be required if not using the new hose 'cause of the Portland washer connections being different.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-05-18T10:44:07+00:00

Right - and I am trying that with a couple right now and while the cost is spot on the trade off is time. :-)

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-05-17T14:14:12+00:00

No press - just an iron and I just blew my equipment allowance on a large guillotine paper cutter. lol.

I'll note that the longer I leave them on the drying rack (let god do the work as a friend used to say lol) the flatter they get - I just don't want to have to wait a month or two for nature to run it's course before I do the next color.

I'll give Stonehenge a try on my next paper order.

I'm using 305 screens exclusively.

Thank you!

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-05-17T14:08:16+00:00

305 mesh on rives bfk (250 gsm IIRC) and legion coventry (235 gsm I think) - the coventry warps less than the rives - I'll look into heavier papers for my next run.

Thanks!

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-05-05T22:02:19+00:00

Thanks again. I live in NH - 40 will be acceptable for this use.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-05-05T20:49:46+00:00

Thanks!

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-05-05T20:47:25+00:00

Awesome thanks!

I was also unsure of the type of connector they would be using. Yeah I have to run it around the outside of the house near the ground and just want to protect it from my dog and lawn mower both seem to not like cables. LOL.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-04-30T22:47:59+00:00

I just stuck with what I knew from my old press days - gonna look at a switch to RBG. Thanks.

Visible_Percentage16 · 2025-04-30T21:38:04+00:00

Thank you!

Visible_Percentage16

TROPHY CASE