Febe8669

Um im looking for something that will expose my t-shirt screens and we have this Marine Aquarium Metal Halide 150W lamp for our fish tank and i was just wondering if that was enough to expose my t-shirt screens or not?

Thankyou

Febe

 

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adawg2252

Metal Halide bulbs are used in some of the more expensive exposure units, but they are 1200 watt bulbs and up.

I am sure that the 150W Metal Halide bulb will work, but time-wise you would have to figure that out on your own.

What type of emulsion are you using?

 

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Febe8669

Quote: Originally Posted by adawg2252 Metal Halide bulbs are used in some of the more expensive exposure units, but they are 1200 watt bulbs and up. I am sure that the 150W Metal Halide bulb will work, but time-wise you would have to figure that out on your own. What type of emulsion are you using?

im am using direct emulsion...back to time-wise you mean maybe the exposing process will take hours?

 

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markanthony

I have used 400 watt metal halide greenhouse grow lights in the past that have burned beautiful 6 color simulated process screens with 50lpi halftones. Depending on the emulsion, it would take about 4-6 minutes on average(using 400 watts). I am not sure about 150 watts though... I think its a combination of the light spectrum as well. I am not sure how much wattage affects the time. I am sure it will work, it just about using a step wedge to test your burn time.
You can find step wedge instructions here: Stencil Exposure Testing
instead of using the rubylith film, you can use a piece of posterboard or anything that will block UV light....

 

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tman07

The key to good exposure is high UV output. My 1000 watt Metal Halide on premixed emulsion is 35 seconds. A 150 watt MH might work but it will be a much longer exposure time, somewhere between 5-10 minutes would be my guess. A 1000 Metal Halide fixture and bulb is under $150, and build a box and slap some glass on it and you are under $250. That's much cheaper than spending $3,500 for a new unit.

 

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Febe8669

Hello Again!

Um...keep in mind that im only going to do maybe 1 or 2 colour jobs on these screens....i think im reconsidering the 150W and looking around for a 400W metal hallide aquarium lamp...

Febe

 

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