[justinswinston]

So, I found a box of EnviroClear EPP6809 transparency in my shelves. Specs on the box say it is made by VU Color Inc., 4 mil., and is made with water-based coatings.

How can I tell if this transparency is going to work well for making screens?

To kind of answer my questions I already did a step test and this shows that for UFUV BL it will work best around 4mins with the setup I have. Would another transparency brand give me a different result?

Seems like once you pick one brand of something you have to keep it for a while or you have to recalculate everything. Any help is much appreciated - just wondering why I need to buy $80 transparency from a screen shop instead of $10 one from amazon.

Thanks.

 

[ScreenFoo]

How can I tell if this transparency is going to work well for making screens?


Would another transparency brand give me a different result?

Seems like once you pick one brand of something you have to keep it for a while or you have to recalculate everything. Any help is much appreciated - just wondering why I need to buy $80 transparency from a screen shop instead of $10 one from amazon.

Thanks.

You'll be able to tell if it will work well if it makes good screens--a good transparency material will soak up a lot of ink to make a very opaque dark area, while passing the most UV energy through the open areas exposing the screen quickly.

Chances are, yes. (unless it happens to have the same characteristics as the other film you tried, or is a rebrand)

That's why you want to find a stable supplier that has quality goods for a reasonable price and stick with them--I have a local supplier that gets me 13x19 economy film for 70$ per hundred. There is better film out there, there is horrible film out there. They're usually priced accordingly.

 

[justinswinston]

You'll be able to tell if it will work well if it makes good screens--a good transparency material will soak up a lot of ink to make a very opaque dark area, while passing the most UV energy through the open areas exposing the screen quickly.

Chances are, yes. (unless it happens to have the same characteristics as the other film you tried, or is a rebrand)

That's why you want to find a stable supplier that has quality goods for a reasonable price and stick with them--I have a local supplier that gets me 13x19 economy film for 70$ per hundred. There is better film out there, there is horrible film out there. They're usually priced accordingly.

Thanks for the reply, I actually have been using this stuff lately. It actually works well - I'm just starting out and this stuff gave me an exposure time of about 4 mins for 230 mesh and 4:30 mins for 110 mesh on a UFBL UV exposure unit. Since these cost about $13 per 100 count I will just continue to use them. I bring this up because it seems crazy to me to pay $100 for a pack of transparencies when there are other options.

Just to be clear - I did step tests and other designs with very fine lines and font 6 pt font and .25 pt lines and found that it still worked very well once I calculated my exposure time. I would recommend this stuff to anyone - holds plenty of ink and I used a Xerox WorkCentre 5632 PS.

 

[ScreenFoo]

Ahh, laser output--the film material game changes there. I was guessing from your OP about water based coatings that you were using an inkjet film.
The different films available may result in better or worse clarity and registration--rougher vellum/paper 'films' especially won't print as cleanly, and any may be less than dimensionally stable with thermal factors--because of the fuser.

The density, which may be somewhat controlled by settings or calibrations on the actual printer, will vary little, if at all because of your choice in film or software settings.

It's good to hear what you have is working well.