[INEEDPARTZ]

Okay so every time im washing out my screens after i burn the image..i spray the screens trying to get all the emulsion off the image but it seems like every time i try..the emuslison starts to break around the image and the whole thing gets ruined..this is pissing me off..it happened a couple times and i dont understand why..am i not burning my image long enough? or am i doing it too long?

 

[JeridHill]

It could be various things.

1. Bad Emulsion
2. Bad Lighting
3. Not enough exposure time
4. Too much pressure on the washout
5. Films not dense enough

What emulsions are you using? What is your exposure time? How are you exposing your screens? Are you using normal pressured water for washing out? What type of film output are you using?

 

[INEEDPARTZ]

Im using this emulsion i got with my kit..from silkscreensupplies.com...but its weird..cause on screen washout good and the second one having trouble..im exposing them for about 10 mins with a 500 watt halogen light at 16 inches away..it might be the pressure im using with the hose..but it seems like the high pressure the only way i can get all them emulsion offf the screen

 

[JeridHill]

Im using this emulsion i got with my kit..from silkscreensupplies.com...but its weird..cause on screen washout good and the second one having trouble..im exposing them for about 10 mins with a 500 watt halogen light at 16 inches away..it might be the pressure im using with the hose..but it seems like the high pressure the only way i can get all them emulsion offf the screen

If you have to use high pressure to get them off the screen, then you are over exposing them. Cut your time back to 8 minutes and see what happens. If you start washing out and where it was exposed to light is soft then it's under exposure. My guess is you can back off on the time and be ok.

 

[candimantint]

is your emulsion new. did u degrease your screens properly. i had the same troublebut just tried diiferent things till i figured out what was wrong.

 

[INEEDPARTZ]

The emulsion is new..just figured out how coat screens properly..so i get a nice coat on the screen..so the only thing i can think of is the exposing part..so imma try 8 mins this time..ima just be mad if this dont work cause im wasting mad materials and time..but i cant wait to actually make my first shirt..next time im going to try one color besides trying to start off doing two colors..

 

[candimantint]

i used the same emulsion with the halogen light. did it with 13 minutes expose time, but after coating my screens i alway let them dry for at least 4 hours.

 

[JeridHill]

One of the better ways to do a test is to do a step wedge.

Basically, you will have several exposures on the same screen. A quick method would be to print a solid block, 1"x1" and go the length of an 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Put a little space in between. Tape it to the bottom of the screen. Now take a large sheet of black or heavy paper that light cannot go through and cover all but one square. Expose for one minute. Slide the paper to expose 2 squares, expose for one minute.... etc. etc. until all the squares are exposed. You can do this with halftones and solid squares as well for a more accurate burn time. You don't have to start out at 1 minute, but maybe 3 minutes and 7 boxes all the way up to 10.

Then wash out the pattern and see which washes out the best and you have dialed in your exposure time.

You also will have a difference in times with what mesh you are using, if it is white or yellow and how many times you coat your screens. So you really need to test to get the right times.

 

[INEEDPARTZ]

eight minutes was perfect... everything washed out... but does that mean its going to work? Like i didnt try it yet but you can clearly tell that it had a clean wash out..i havent had time to run it through ink..but could i try it on a piece of cardboard to make sure things are fine before i do it on an actual shirt?

 

[JeridHill]

It should print fine. I do always test my prints before printing on the shirt. Glad it worked out for you.

 

[pukingdeserthobo]

hmmm when i got the same package my burn time was 12.50
and washed out perfectly. well try and see what happen but im sure it will be fine