[pacificthinktees]

I'm getting ready to do my first job with halftones and I need a good emulsion. I'm out of the stuff I had before and honestly, I haven't been too thrilled with it anyway. I don't have a lot of money to buy different emulsions for different jobs so I'm hoping to get a recommendation for something that's good for most jobs. I mostly do 1-3 color jobs using 60-230 mesh screens. Thanks!

 

[RichardGreaves]

There's background missing in your question when you ask for an "all purpose emulsion". I know you have a reason for asking it that way.

You'll find in all life, the best price is assumed. You'll find that all major manufacturers make good emulsion. You don't mention what you're disappointed in - or why.

I'm often accused of blaming people for asking the wrong question - or asking it the wrong way. Don't get me wrong - I want to help, but in a forum, we need back-and-forth to recommend the best product. Reply and drill down your problems.

You don't mention the ink you're using, or the specification of your halftones but your innocence suggests a low energy exposure lamp - perhaps with no vacuum.

I suggest the least expensive photopolymer sensitizer (such as SBQ). Dual-cure sensitizer is the best reproduction but requires more UV energy (longer exposure). If you're using water-base ink, you will probably need the diazo in a dual-cure for water resistance on runs longer than 50.

Vacuum & positive opacity will effect your dots. Poor positives make inferior stencils. With a good positive, I can get halftones in any stencil.

All exposure undercuts & chokes fine lines & dots, so make a standardized test pattern to measure & judge how much you must enlarge fine lines & dots so when you actually print them they are the size you desire.

 

[pacificthinktees]

There's background missing in your question when you ask for an "all purpose emulsion". I know you have a reason for asking it that way.

You'll find in all life, the best price is assumed. You'll find that all major manufacturers make good emulsion. You don't mention what you're disappointed in - or why.

I'm often accused of blaming people for asking the wrong question - or asking it the wrong way. Don't get me wrong - I want to help, but in a forum, we need back-and-forth to recommend the best product. Reply and drill down your problems.

You don't mention the ink you're using, or the specification of your halftones but your innocence suggests a low energy exposure lamp - perhaps with no vacuum.

I suggest the least expensive photopolymer sensitizer (such as SBQ). Dual-cure sensitizer is the best reproduction but requires more UV energy (longer exposure). If you're using water-base ink, you will probably need the diazo in a dual-cure for water resistance on runs longer than 50.

Vacuum & positive opacity will effect your dots. Poor positives make inferior stencils. With a good positive, I can get halftones in any stencil.

All exposure undercuts & chokes fine lines & dots, so make a standardized test pattern to measure & judge how much you must enlarge fine lines & dots so when you actually print them they are the size you desire.

Boy, you would be right! I'm new and probably "innocent" as you suggest. I do use a halogen light with no vacuum. It takes me on between 3.5-5 minutes to expose a screen. Currently, I use Kiwoc Poly Plus SRX Emulsion. I've only used Plastisol inks. The design I'm speaking about with the halftones looks pretty fine but was designed by a friend so I'm not sure of the lpi or any other specs on the design. I suppose I could get them if I needed to. I do know he suggested using a 156 mesh screen which sounded kind of low to me.

 

[RichardGreaves]

Consider using a less expensive SBQ sensitized emulsion for plastisol ink

I do use a halogen light with no vacuum.

It takes me on between 3.5-5 minutes to expose a screen.

Currently, I use Kiwoc Poly Plus SRX Emulsion.

I've only used Plastisol inks.

The design I'm speaking about with the halftones looks pretty fine but was designed by a friend so I'm not sure of the lpi or any other specs on the design.

I suppose I could get them if I needed to.

I do know he suggested using a 156 mesh screen which sounded kind of low to me.

The great news is you like your final image.

You're printing w/plastisol ink so you don't "need" the resistance of a dual-cure (pot-life about 6 weeks until it begins to degrade), which requires twice the exposure of pre-sensitized photopolymer emulsions with a shelf-life of 18 months.

KIWOCOL Poly-Plus SRX is a top shelf dual-cure 'not inexpensive' emulsion. It is absolutely an all-purpose emulsion that will 'do it all'.

Kiwo calls it "the industry's highest quality emulsion" which you've combined with the world's least expensive lamp that will actually output UV energy. You've put the industry's highest quality tires on the world's worst car. Don't be discouraged, just start saving money to improve your screen exposure equipment printing paying jobs.

Higher mesh counts will print a thinner deposit of ink and support smaller dots.

Since you didn't tell use where you live, we can't advise you where to shop, but any supplier and any manufacturer has less expensive, faster pre-sensitized plastisol emulsions for around US$60/gallon like Kiwo's Polycol One-Coat.

If you do switch to a photopolymer sensitized emulsion beware that it doesn't change color like a diazo sensitized product.

To measure stencil hardness (resistance to developing or cleanup solvents), I suggest a US$10 Stouffer 21 step gray scale to simulate 21 different exposures. This is a standard photographic darkroom test positive that's been used since the 1930's. Properly cared for it will last forever. Put it on every screen you expose for the rest of your life.

Exposure FAQ Screen Making Products how to measure exposure

Don't waste time guessing.