[cheryl6377]

I have been washing out my screens from the back with a final rinse on the front.

A book I purchased said always wash out ink and emulsion from the front and then rinse the back.

Which is right?


I have killed 3 screens, 1 squeegee and about 50 tee shirts. Sick thing is I really enjoy it when it goes well!

 

[bomber315]

i always wash emulsion out from the back. i also pressure wash all the emulsion off from the backside too. the books say otherwise, i have never had a problem

 

[sben763]

You need to specify after washout or reclaiming. After exposure wet both sides of the screen. The after a 30-60 sec washout from the shirt side. This lessons the chance of blowing out details.

Reclaiming is done from the ink side as this is the easiest way to blow the emulsion off.

Emulsion companies as well as professional shops will all agree as they have done the testing. I have also tried both ways and when washing out halftones especially, washing from the ink side even with a hose results in some blowout unless over exposed.

 

[gorilladiver]

When spraying screens after exposure, I spray from the side that was exposed directly to the UV light.

 

[tpitman]

I wash out from both sides, both for emulsion washout after exposure and at reclaim. I've only had a couple of instances of blowing off halftone dots after exposure, although I usually finish by washing out from the shirt side. A correctly exposed stencil should allow a good stiff spray from either side if it's wet down, let sit a minute, then finished.
As for reclaim, I pressure wash both sides in opposite directions. Except for a couple of screens that are probably 5 or 6 years old, there's almost no staining on my mesh.

 

[Naptime]

both!

step 1: EXPOSE PROPERLY.

if exposed properly, you can then either wet both sides of the screen, let sit for a minute, and then washout.

or, even better.

expose properly, then soak in a tub of just plain water, for about 60 seconds.

then i washout, with pressure washer at about 18" on the shirt side, then flip it over and wash out with pressure washer at 18"

if your exposed screens, can't hold up to a 1500 psi pressure washer, at 18" then you have not exposed properly. get an exposure calculator, and get that dialed in.

i washout the same whether its a 60tpi mesh, 110, 125, 160, 200, 230, 305, 350, or 395.

plain old blocky spot colors, or 65lpi halftones on 395 mesh. i always washout the same way.

after printing, i use a dip tank. screens soak for 1 minute in the tank. drain for 1 minute back into the tank. power wash from shirt side. scrub with red pad and dehazer, on shirt side AND ink side. pressure wash / rinse from shirt side, AND from ink side. and finally a flood rinse.

4 minutes from dip tank to drying cabinet. 1 minute soak, 1 minute drain, 1 minute scrub, 1 minute rinse.