Emulsion issues?

How are you reclaiming your screens? I use a scrubber to loosen the emulsion, and after pressure washing the emulsion out, i then use a degreaser (Simple Green) and spray that on and use a clean scrubber to clear out what ever is left. Pressure washing the Simple Green out tends to remove most outlines that could ruin a screen but there is always some ghosting on the screens afterword. If it is real bad you can buy a ghost remover cleaner that will clean them out pretty well also. You need to remember, the outlines that are left on your screen are not from the emulsion, it is normally from the areas that the ink passes through in your design, so it is not really wise to look at your emulsion for those problems. Good Luck and Aloha

I have some simple green and have used that, but did not take any of the outlines off. Though I only scrubbed with it I didn't use a pressure washer/simple green combo.

When I made a screen yesterday, I did notice there was a lighter line of emulsion around the text after I exposed it and washed the non-cured emulsion out of the design. So the outline appears before I use the screens.

Also, do these chemicals eat away at the screen itself? I have had some screens just "pop" randomly when just sitting there waiting to be used.

I HAVE been using them for a few years now, though. Maybe they just got tired. XD

ArtyMcFarty said:

...When I made a screen yesterday, I did notice there was a lighter line of emulsion around the text after I exposed it and washed the non-cured emulsion out of the design. So the outline appears before I use the screens.

Also, do these chemicals eat away at the screen itself? I have had some screens just "pop" randomly when just sitting there waiting to be used.

I HAVE been using them for a few years now, though. Maybe they just got tired. XD

Click to expand...

Some dehaze chemicals can eat the adhesive that holds the screen to the frame. When using those, keep the chem in the main image area and away from the frame. Else, shouldn't be any worries about hurting the mesh.

What do you use for an exposure unit? Also, how do you print your films?

My best guess is that your art is being undercut when exposed, and thus producing a thin "shadow" of partially exposed emulsion around the image. Partially exposed emulsion is more chemically reactive than exposed emulsion, so is much more likely to get locked in the screen by reacting with ink and cleaning chemicals.

If you can't fix the undercutting issue (and even if you can), dry the screens after exposing and washing out, and then post-expose them to ensure that there isn't any underexposed emulsion. You can just set them out in the sun, or put on your exposure unit for like twice the normal exposure time.

I have seen some caustic haze removers pop screens after being left on the mesh too long, but this doesn't seem likely in this scenario.

I think you need a decent concentrated emulsion remover to remove the outline. I agree that the underlying cause is probably under cutting in your exposure, but the solution is a chemical emulsion remover that can take this off of the screens after you use them.

Yea, the screen just popped near the center. I'll try all the exposure suggestions and see which works best.

Thanks, guys.