Did you put any type solvent on it while on the press? Some screen openers and other wash up "press" chemicals will LOCK the emulsion into the screen.
Easi-way makes an excellent emulsion remover in a liquisd form to go in a soak tank. it will get 99% of the tough emulsion jobs out of the screen.
Just finished a 250 shirt order and am bushed. Hope you get the emulsion out of the 305 screen mesh. Were you printing some half tone or simulated process job? That's expensive mesh and pretty fine mesh count.
ALL
Last edited by sbiman5@aol.com; May 26th, 2007 at 12:25 PM.
I'm using ER/80 emulsion remover, a scrub pad, and a pressure washer (not sure how much pressure,) and have scrubbed and scrubbed to no avail.
Does anyone know of a better emulsion remover, or is there a better or special technique to remove all of the old emulsion.
Much of the leftover emulsion is in the center of the screen. If the center was clear, I wouldnt have to post this question.
CCI ER/80 is a fine commercial concentrated stencil remover. That is not your problem.
Scrubbing stencil remover will help to make sure the chemical cover the entire stencil and it expose stencil that hasn't been touched by the stencil remover.
The mesh count is irrelevant.
What was your dilution?
It is common to guess that because you can't remove stencil in the center of the mesh, that it was effected by one of several causes.
1. The only way a stencil remover can breakdown the sensitizer crosslinks in the stencil, is if the stencil is completely exposed. Perhaps you have low tension mesh, your emulsion coating was thicker in the middle (very common), and it didn't get completely exposed.
2. You don't tell us what the stencil is. High speed SBQ stencils designed for textiles have very little solvent resistance and when you clean the screen you MAY have locked up the under cured or even cured stencil with the solvent.
3. When you apply stencil remover, you must never let it dry in the screen. The chemical breaks down the 2 plastic chemicals that make up the 'emulsion' and the sensitizer crosslink bond. This is desired when you want to rinse it off the mesh BUT if is dries, the 3 chemicals co-mingle and bond and there is NO chance of getting the stencil our chemically. You have to try HIGH pressure, and then the razor blade.
__________________
How are you measuring? retired Ulano Technical Support Screen printing since 1979 - SGIA Academy Member
Did you put any type solvent on it while on the press? Some screen openers and other wash up "press" chemicals will LOCK the emulsion into the screen.
Easi-way makes an excellent emulsion remover in a liquisd form to go in a soak tank. it will get 99% of the tough emulsion jobs out of the screen.
Just finished a 250 shirt order and am bushed. Hope you get the emulsion out of the 305 screen mesh. Were you printing some half tone or simulated process job? That's expensive mesh and pretty fine mesh count.
ALL
Hey thanks for your reply to my post.
I think the emulsion is locked in because the first time I tried to clean it, I let the emulsion remover stay on for about 20 to 30 minutes. I didnt know that it would lock the chemicals in.
I dont have a soak tank but will be getting one soon.
The printing I just completed had a half tone picture incorporated into it. The printing turned out great, but I lost a 305 screen in the process.
CCI ER/80 is a fine commercial concentrated stencil remover. That is not your problem.
Scrubbing stencil remover will help to make sure the chemical cover the entire stencil and it expose stencil that hasn't been touched by the stencil remover.
The mesh count is irrelevant.
What was your dilution?
the dilution I used for the emulsion remover was 2:1. Then tried straight concentrate.
It is common to guess that because you can't remove stencil in the center of the mesh, that it was effected by one of several causes.
1. The only way a stencil remover can breakdown the sensitizer crosslinks in the stencil, is if the stencil is completely exposed. Perhaps you have low tension mesh, your emulsion coating was thicker in the middle (very common), and it didn't get completely exposed.
2. You don't tell us what the stencil is. High speed SBQ stencils designed for textiles have very little solvent resistance and when you clean the screen you MAY have locked up the under cured or even cured stencil with the solvent.
3. When you apply stencil remover, you must never let it dry in the screen. The chemical breaks down the 2 plastic chemicals that make up the 'emulsion' and the sensitizer crosslink bond. This is desired when you want to rinse it off the mesh BUT if is dries, the 3 chemicals co-mingle and bond and there is NO chance of getting the stencil our chemically. You have to try HIGH pressure, and then the razor blade.
I made the mistake of spraying the "remover on" and let it sit for about 20 to 30 minutes. This is probably what happened, and why I cant get this screen clean.
This was my first move into the screen printing business, and it cost me a 305 screen, but was worth it, because I learned alot about using and printing on this type of screen.
Its possible you can pound the emulsion out with a heavy duty pressure washer. Will taker a little time yet you might be able to save the screen.
Just a thought
If you don't have a high pressure washer carry it to the local carwash and reclaim it. That's how I reclaimed screens when I first started. You may be able to blast it out. I have had several screens over the years that didn't want to reclaim but was able to finally blast it out with my pressure washer.
ALL
Last edited by sbiman5@aol.com; May 30th, 2007 at 05:09 AM.
Soak tanks are cheap and really save you money in the long run by saving the solution from one screen to the next as opposed to spray and rinse systems. I've had one about a year and have not had to change the solution in it yet. I just add more to it and top it up with water. I can be blasting one screen and soaking the next one simultaneously.
Its possible you can pound the emulsion out with a heavy duty pressure washer. Will taker a little time yet you might be able to save the screen.
Just a thought
Soak tanks are cheap and really save you money in the long run by saving the solution from one screen to the next as opposed to spray and rinse systems. I've had one about a year and have not had to change the solution in it yet. I just add more to it and top it up with water. I can be blasting one screen and soaking the next one simultaneously.
Hey Al,
Thanks for the suggestions,
I guess there might be hope for my screen after all. I'm gonna take it to the local car wash and see if that works. I still got hope.
Need help in reclaiming 305 mesh screen 
the emulsion into the screen.
Re: Need help in reclaiming 305 mesh screen 
