Failing to reclaim screens, feeling defeated

[joshsikorski]

I’m a newbie to all of this, so far have only done a couple test prints with my new set up. But when it comes to reclaiming my screens I seem to be failing. I’ve had one successful reclaim, and two failed in my opinion. I’m cleaning off as much in as I possibly can... and after spraying the emulsion remover, and scrubbing my screens, there’s still these left over patches that just don’t seem to wanna remove... what could I be doing wrong?? Unfortunately no access to power washer, but the shower head has one “decently pressured” setting.

[[email protected]]

I'm going to copy/paste my response to another. I don't know if you're using plastisol or waterbase, but that is one issue, the emulsion is another.

I started with only a sprayer on a garden hose and had a lot of problems with removing emulsion and ink staining my screens. To the point of taking them to be rescreened. The guy was able to clean all but one of my screens using his cleaner and a pressure washer. I've since bought a pressure washer and it makes a huge difference.

Another issue, which Huggins has covered somewhere, is getting your emulsion fully cured. The remover doesn't work on uncured emulsion.

I only use water-based ink, typically Green Galaxy with Warp Drive, but also Permaset Supercover in a few colors. I was still having problems with ghost images. I have started using Aqua Wash on every screen when I wash the ink off and that seems to be making a difference in the staining. I have heard of "Pink Stuff" and am considering trying it on some of my worst screens, just to see if it's worth it.

For a wash station, I picked up a utility sink and hung a shower curtain from the ceiling that is held in place in the sink by a rack I made from PVC. I mounted an LED shoplight on the wall behind it. The pressure washer sits underneath and is fed by a garden hose from another room. There is no drain where my washout is, so I drain into 5 gal buckets and carry them to a drain. It is a pain, I'm going to build a filter tank system with a sump pump soon. My sink is 24x24, I want a larger one. I am considering a shower pan on 2x4s.

[q_burt]

Hey,

I was having trouble the other day with one of my screens too. The screen I was using is a 305 mesh count and I'm also working in a DIY home setup that I'm just getting up and running. I'm using a garden hose hooked up in the shower and I have different pressure settings that seem to be working for me, although washing out emulsion can be a pain at times it just requires a little more elbow grease. Some solutions to this I've found are:

1. - be mindful of how long you leave your emulsion in your screen after scrubbing it in. I was leaving it in to soak for up to one minute VS. now I'm leaving it in for 15 - 30 seconds and it is more effective. Everybody online says to not let your emulsion stripper dry or you could lock your emulsion in your screen which is then totally ****ed

2. - be sure to be applying your emulsion thin and even - I usually coat both sides and make it as thin as possible with a scoop coater.

If all else fails you can hit up your local car wash and try to use their pressure washer, I've read a lot of threads saying that was the old school way to do it when you didn't have a pressure washer

[Gluehead]

Try using a dip tank to soak your screens before you scrub them, a under bed storage container from Lowe's or home Depot works well if you're on a budget.