[BRAD62]

The problem that I am have is when I wash out my screen after exposer it look fine, but after the screen and emulsion dries the image has a film in it that can not be printed through. I have been getting a little emulsion remover on a Q-tip and removing the film from the image but that is getting kind of old. There has to be an explanation for this. If anyone has any ideas please let me have them. Thanks

 

[Smokestack]

ah.. the dreaded water haze. even though your image is washed out in the screen, there is often a filmy haze that sticks in the mesh. Usually its because all the emulsion outisde of the image, kinda seeps into your design. Once the screen is dried after washout, the only way to get rid of that haze is with water.. My suggestion is either... when finished rinsing out your image, keep rinsing the rest of the screen for a little while to remove all that slimy gunk.. You can also take a newspaper to and lay one sheet on the inside of the screen and leaving that newspaper lying flat on the entire mesh, take a paper towel and rub it lightly over the newspaper then softly peel the newspaper away.. that will usually remove all haze from the image.. OR you can get a little air blower and blow it all over the image getting all moisture out of it before it all dries. Hope that all made sense

 

[treadhead]

I was wondering about that...I get the same things at times. But, not all the time.

You mentioned about blowing air on it. I've still gotten it after stading the washed out screen in front of a fan.

 

[Smokestack]

I was wondering about that...I get the same things at times. But, not all the time.

You mentioned about blowing air on it. I've still gotten it after stading the washed out screen in front of a fan.

fan will only dry the screen as is.. i mean get a little compressor with a little hose and little air nozzle kinda thingy and blow all the water and haze out of the image before the screen dries. If this doesnt happen all the time, just rinse your screens better and try the newspaper trick. It works wonders

 

[out da box]

Expose a little longer. Scum happens when the stencil is not completely hardened and not completely washed free of dissolved emulsion. Once it's in the image- it's a bear.

 

[kmapparel]

I too have gotten that annoying haze across small parts of my image after washing my image out. I haven't tried any of those suggestions and I will this weekend but what I've done in the past is just load the screen up on my press and do some test prints. I will usually press a little harder on the first 3 or 4 pulls and do a couple extra 'clean up' pulls after the image has been pulled through onto the test square. I've found that got rid of the haze and all seems to be well with the screen printing gods.

-nate

 

[LaTonya]

I have had haze in the screen to, what i do is the same as nate on a test run pull the ink 4 or 5 time. if that do not work I will use some water on a Q Tip and clean the area and re screen 4 or 5 times again and that works. This is a test shirts. LaTonya

 

[treadhead]

fan will only dry the screen as is.. i mean get a little compressor with a little hose and little air nozzle kinda thingy and blow all the water and haze out of the image before the screen dries. If this doesnt happen all the time, just rinse your screens better and try the newspaper trick. It works wonders

Thanks Jimmy...I understand what you were saying now.

 

[treadhead]

Expose a little longer. Scum happens when the stencil is not completely hardened and not completely washed free of dissolved emulsion. Once it's in the image- it's a bear.

Come to think of it...I think that was a concern as well when I noticed the haze.

Thanks!

 

[treadhead]

Nate / LaTonya...

Thanks for the tip!

I will try that next time it happens. Sure would beat having to redo the screens as I did last time..not knowing what to do at the time.

 

[Smokestack]

in addition to the suggestion of exposing the screen for a bit longer, you may also try and take notice if you are actually applying to thick of a coat of emulsion on your screens.. If that is the case, even exposing those screens for a little bit longer may not help much. You can also feel the slime on the screen during wash out.. take notice, touch the screen after the image is washed out and if it feels slimy to the touch, continue rinsing and touch again.. You will get a feel for when the screen is properly rinsed

 

[RichardGreaves]

Unexposed emulsion that dries in the open areas is called "Tears of Emulsion".

Every drop of water you have on the frame has the potential to block your image area.

Blot with newspaper, or vacuum with a special thin lipped vacuum head.

 

[kmapparel]

Wow, very cool. Where can I get such a nifty vacuum attachment?

-nate

 

[RichardGreaves]

Where can I get such a nifty vacuum attachment?

Seri-Vac 9" Aluminum Nozzle

 

[antman428]

I have a squeegee like you would use for cleaning windows not printing to wipe away the excess water after washing out an image then I use a shop Vac, no special attachment, as long as you have proper exposure this shouldn't be an issue.