[INEEDPARTZ]

Okay so i just got into this silk screening process so im having that beginers trouble...lets start off from the beg.
I had trouble using the scoop coater to put the emulsion on..and use quiet a bit on one screen..and it was dripping so i had to scoop the screen several times until i had a good layer up..but when it dried there was still drip marks on the screen..(on the top and the bottom)..also i should state i put emulsion on both sides the screen.

I let them dry in my room next to fan...until my pops start to bit*h about he's eyes watering and coughing..(Personally believe he made all that up because I was fine and I was the one doing it)..so i put the screens in two garbage bags and let them dry over night..
so the next day i try to burn the transpance onto the screen by using a 500watt halogen light that came with my kit...its about 16 inchs away from the screen and i waited about 13 minutes...than i try to wash out the screen in my shower and only a lil bit of the image washed out..only near the edges not in the middle at all..i dont know where i went wrong at..cuz im new to this...so if some can guide me the right way and give me some advice I would appericate it..Thanks in advance

 

[Solmu]

Sounds overexposed - possibly because the positive wasn't dark enough (did you check it on a light source first?). There'd be more energy from the lamp in the centre, which possibly explains why it didn't wash out there, but did on the outer edges.

Regarding the drips... sometimes that just happens (off days get the better of us, even with some experience). If you have a thick area where your image will be it's a problem, but if they're out of the way, don't worry about it.

 

[INEEDPARTZ]

I had two transparences tho..got them printed from kinkos..so its not the emulsion?..i over exposed the screen? I only exposed it for 13 minutes...so how long should i expose it for? or should i raise the lamp?

 

[wizzer]

You need to apply good pressure to the scoop coater when laying the emulsion. Some people don't because they are afraid they will rip their screen. The emulsion gets laid on to thick and starts to run or drip all over the screen if little pressure applied.

Are you doing all of this in a light safe enviroment? Sorry had to ask.

I burn my 110 screens at 13 min from about 20" away and have never had problems. When you wash out in shower are you using a pressure washer or just the shower head. The water pressure of just a shower head may not be strong enough to punch out the emulsion. At 13 min you should have been OK unless you exposed it to sunlight or were not in a light safe environment and over exposed the screen.

 

[INEEDPARTZ]

I used a red light in my room..that might be it..imma buy a uv safe light bulb right now..my light is about 16 inches away..should i raise it?..but why would the edges of the image come out and not the middle if i was exposing the screen to light the whole time? Is there anything i can buy from home depo to know exactly when to stop exposing my screen?

 

[majesticmind]

with a 500 watt at 16 inches you can burn a screen in 10 minutes if your emulsion is on thin enough. Press hard with the scoop coater. If the edges washed out on you maybe the screen isnt centered under the ligh or your light needs to come up a bit higher to reach the edges. You need to use water that is under high pressure. We use a garden hose attachment that has variable streams to select. We spray the sreen with a fan spray and after a few seconds when the emulsion is wet we turn it to jet and spray just where our image is. The whole process should not take long at all. What kind of emulsion are you using? and if its shelf life is expired it wont wash out proper. The emusion we are using right now air dries in 90 minutes with a coating on each side of the screen. We also use yellow bug lights in our "dark room" I can see everything clearly but it doesnt affect the emulsion and they only cost about 50 cents, garbage bags taped over the window. Very primative yet very effective. I regularly make halftones with the 500 watt light. I was told it couldnt be done, but i do it all the time. And yes make sure that when you print out your stencil , that it is really black. Hold it up to a light and make sure that it isnt just a thin coating of printer ink.

 

[INEEDPARTZ]

do you think it could because im using the whole screen to silk screen...like my image is pretty big..almost 16 by 20...on my screen..and i made my own stand..but I dont think this one halogen light is doing enough for the whole screen..or should I just raise it? Could I make a better exposure unit...(at a cheap cost but do quality work?)

Also can some one tell me a specific brand that I should be using to replace this red light bulb i got in my room..this might play a factor..im trying to get my first set of shirts printed tomorrow...hopefully :|

 

[HSI Promo]

sounds like the emulsion was way too thick. I have comercial equipment and can have issues if my guys coat too thick. I'm using a pressure washer to get the stuff out as well. As has been mentioned before, use a good bit of pressure on the scoop coater. One up the face of the screen and another up the other side, opposite direction to get rid of air bubbles in the mesh. If your coater has a sharler side use it, not the rolled side. That should do it for coating. make sure that your letting your screens dry mesh side up. Then the emulsion will settle in the mesh. Keep it in a very dark space with a fan going. Keep the air moving. Then get your light set up and your film on the screen. Leave it for for your chosen time and then rinse out your screen. Get some pressure behind the water. Use a garden hose or something and giver. You might need to pin hole a bit but you'll get it good to go.

 

[INEEDPARTZ]

IS there anything I can do about the smell of the emulsion in my room? Like my pops keep on bitc*ing and he slowing down my process..like is something cheap i can but to help veliate my room?..My windows are taped down with garbage bags so i cant open up the window..

 

[HSI Promo]

unfortunately, I can't think of anything other then venting the room some how. It's going to look like a little grow op by the time you're done!

 

[pukingdeserthobo]

close ur door? what kind emultion are u using?

 

[INEEDPARTZ]

My door do be closed..but the smell goes all through the house because its not ventalted...i got this emulsion from my kit i bought on silkscreeningsupplies.com...can think of the name of it right now tho..but i had to add a power that i mixed with distilled water into the emulsion

 

[pukingdeserthobo]

oh i see, the smell of the emultion isnt that bad its like glue. u can try doing it at night and have the windows open.

 

[tpitman]

I let them dry in my room next to fan...until my pops start to bit*h about he's eyes watering and coughing..(Personally believe he made all that up because I was fine and I was the one doing it)..so i put the screens in two garbage bags and let them dry over night..

Aside from the emulsion possibly being too thick, putting the screens in garbage bags doesn't let air circulate and dry the emulsion thoroughly. If it isn't completely dry, you will have exposure problems. Either find a dark, clean place with air movement to dry the screens completely, or tell you dad to quit bellyaching. Here in Florida, especially in the summer, without an air conditioner or a dehumidifier (which is what I use now) screens took 2 DAYS to dry in a box with air movement alone because of the humidity.

 

[screendog#1]

Okay so i just got into this silk screening process so im having that beginers trouble...lets start off from the beg.
I had trouble using the scoop coater to put the emulsion on..and use quiet a bit on one screen..and it was dripping so i had to scoop the screen several times until i had a good layer up..but when it dried there was still drip marks on the screen..(on the top and the bottom)..also i should state i put emulsion on both sides the screen.

I let them dry in my room next to fan...until my pops start to bit*h about he's eyes watering and coughing..(Personally believe he made all that up because I was fine and I was the one doing it)..so i put the screens in two garbage bags and let them dry over night..
so the next day i try to burn the transpance onto the screen by using a 500watt halogen light that came with my kit...its about 16 inchs away from the screen and i waited about 13 minutes...than i try to wash out the screen in my shower and only a lil bit of the image washed out..only near the edges not in the middle at all..i dont know where i went wrong at..cuz im new to this...so if some can guide me the right way and give me some advice I would appericate it..Thanks in advance

sounds like some light might have gotten to the screens, prematurely exposing them, also you should make sure the film or vellum is very tight against the screen during the burn or light can leak around and partially expose the image. as far as scoop coating thats another story, i hafve had helpers that never figure that out lol... have patience, keep it thin, but coat both sides, then do a dry scrape over the opposite side-should help with your streaks and exposure.... good luck!!!

 

[screendog#1]

o sorry this is new to me, that was your problem a cpl days ago sorry