[Solmu]

i hate to sound a bit daft, but i'm unfamilar w/the emulsion trough...

The emulsion trough would actually be what you lean your screens in to catch drips. Normally it's called a scoop coater.

i've usually coated my screens w/the emulsion fluid w/a squeegie. am i missing something (a thread in the forums somewhere? )

I've heard of people doing that... sounds hard

I doubt this has been covered on the forums.

With a scoop coater you fill the scoop with emulsion, then tilt it toward the screen a little and run it along the screen. It would be much the same as using a squeegee, except that the scoop holds the emulsion so that you have enough of it, and it has an edge that is probably slightly more suitable for coating.

They're not particularly expensive, and like squeegees they're normally cut to the length you require.