My screens are washing out just fine with the bigger images but anything smaller or thinner is not washing out, no detail at all is showering up. I've burned the images at different lengths of time...7, 10 and 15 minutes but nothing is changing. I'm using a light/vaccum table with 12 40watt Sylvania daylight bulbs and since the motor burnt up in the table, I'm using a 2.0 horsepower shopvac hooked up to it. The motor in the table was a 1.5 horsepower.
The table was used when we bought it and the rubber blanket seems flimsy and it doesn't seem to seal as well as I think it should. I can see light around the the table and rubber seal.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Nonnie, I have no experience with your type of set up, I use a 500 watt halide lamp. Works for me.
What screen mesh are you using with this small print?
That will make a difference.
Your burn time for a small print may be too long exposure, depending on your screen mesh.
I agree. If the smaller details are not washing out you might need to lwer your mesh. (156) and lower your burn time. Depending on your burn time and the detail the light might be creaping around the stencil and exposing the image.
Hi Nonnie. It doesn't sound like you have a problem with your vaccum frame. How are you coating your screen? Possibly the stencil is too thick. What are you using for your positive? Is it from a copier?
I'm using a jet ink printer set to print on transparency. I'm using 3M multipurpose transparency film.
I'm coating the screens with David's Pure Photopolymer (presensitized) Direct Emulsion #2007. Its a ready to use ultra fast exposing emulsion for all types of printing.
We're just using one coat on each side.
Sounds like you are overexposing your image. Thin lines and small holes will be the first things to go. You might try getting an exposure test kit from Ulano. It will give you an idea of what time you need to be burning at. Either that or you start testing burns by bringing the exposure time down.
Along with reducing your burn time, you might want to check your transparency. I use to use a Canon Bjc 4550, but I had to retire it because I couldn't get any decent detail.
I have no idea how fine a line you are trying to shoot. If it is as fine as a ballpoint pen line, you probably won't be able to shoot it using an ink jet printer. I would suggest you take your art and a sheet or two of your plastic to a Tashiba printer dealer and ask for a sample. They will probably be more than happy to make a positive for you on a laser copier. Be careful with laser printers. They are not all alike. I tested almost every brand on the market and found That only Tashiba toner was opaque enough to produce a good positive. I know I have miss-spelled Tashiba.
Thank you all for all your help. I printed 2 tranparencies and doubled them up on the screen, and instead of using the vacuum on the exposing table since it doesn't have a good seal, I put weight on it. Exposed it for 5 minutes and it turned out terrific!
Again, thanks for all your help!!
HELP! Screens not washing out 
Re: HELP! Screens not washing out 
