hey everybody. first off, i'll give you guys a little run down. I purchased the Pro Series 1 package from silkscreeningsupplies. The package consists of Riley Hopkins 6/4, 5' Black Body Conveyor, Epson R1400, 25" x 36" exposure unit (no vaccum) and an assortment of other things (washout booth, dip tank, etc.)
Our business is doing good, we've been getting a lot of jobs and some pretty large jobs like 300-500 shirts. And our business is continuing to grow but we are constantly having problems setting up. I'll just give you a list of my problems.
1)When we line up our jobs, we loosen all the knobs (registration & screen clamp) once we get it all lined up then we tighten it up and the screen will move? Eventually, we get it lined up but just by doing the process over until it works. Somedays it takes one try, and others and endless amount of times. If anyone else has this press let us know how you do this. thanks.
2)Another problem is when washing out of screens just recently the smaller details didn't wash out all the way, but this is the 2nd run of this design and we had no problems with it before. Also, the image edges aren't sharp they're kinda fuzzy. the emulsion we use is CCI DXP Diazo-Photopolymer Dual Cure Direct Emulsion with 110 screens.
3) How long should our exposure time be? Our exposure unit only fits one screen at a time, so we never expose them again after washing out.
and if you have read this far, than i truly appreciate all the help and consideration. if you wanna see some pictures of our equipment, check out myspace.com/ madheartgraphics or myspace.com/ masterpiececlothing.
Thanks...
Last edited by Addison; June 28th, 2008 at 01:09 AM.
a lot of machines will move when you tighten down the knobs. I stated slightly tightning the knobs, THEN fine micro-registering the screens.
make sure your transparancies are black. I really think you need a vacuum for the positives to be really tight with your screens, if there is ANY gap between them, the lines will not be sharp and crisp. good luck.
Before you start, center your micros. Get you first color positioned square to the platen and tighten the frame clamps. Check for squareness to the platen again. Strike off a print on a pellon, cover it with clear packaging tape, then move your carousel to the next screen. Get the screen as close to registered to the first print as possible, then tighten the frame clamps (They will probably move a little). Then using your micros, register the second screen to the first print, and strike a print on top of the taped pellon. If it's in registration, good, if not, wipe the ink off the tape, adjust the screen with the micros, and strike another print on the tape. Do this for each subsequent color until all screens are registered to the first, and print away. Some people register their screens first to a film positive placed on the platen, but I think this is as quick, and you never know if you're really registered until that ink prints on top of (or adjacent to) the other colors. This has worked the best for me.
Regarding your exposure problem, is the emulsion getting old? I think Most dual-cures start to go south after about a month, which is why I use the pure photopolymers. Cost more, but no waste.
hey thanks everyone for the help. about the emulsion, it getting old could be true because its been about 3 months, but its close to being empty. So i will be getting some more soon, so what does everyone else use and recommend. Our emulsion is pink, and i never really liked it being pink it, seems as if it sometime stains the screens.
Also, does anyone else here use a dip tank when cleaning off screens? where you set it in the chemicals for 3-5 min. then wash it off.
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Addison I have the same set up from silkscreeningsupplies. When registrating the screens line up the artwork on a platten then line the screen up close tighten the screen clamps and play with the joystick it was hard for me when I first started but once you do it enough it is pretty easymake sure you wash out the registration marks good. get some 156 screens or even the 230 from silkscreening I only use the 110 for text. I expose my screens on the same unit you have 4 and half or five minutes works great for me. I had the same problem with that emulsion when I first started it got about 3 months old turned different color order some more and problem was gone. I bought a dip tank and love it i am saving all kinds of money in chemicals dip tank has paid for its self, still need dehazer though.
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