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Ok, so being new at this and somewhat of a cheapskate, I may have caused some of my own issues here, but I'm hoping you guys (and gals) can help straighten me out!
So I've been following this guy on YoutTube that goes by Easy. He seems to be in the Philippines and uses some different products than I have access to here, but I am trying to follow his methods as he seems to have pretty good results and he's definitely doing it on the cheap! Using his method, he does everything with 110 mesh screen that he cuts and stretches manually on to wooden frames. I did up my mesh count to 160 but at this point it seems to be the least of my worries. I am using the Jacquard Diazo Emulsion because I have been unable to locate the Tulco brand that he uses. I am using a proper scoop coater to coat my screens with an even, thin film on both sides of the screen similar to his procedure. All of this seems to go fine, my screens dry well with no apparent issues. Where I am running into issue is in the actual burning process. Like in his method, I print my 'film' positives out on standard weight copy paper, then like him use cooking oil to make all but the positive image transparent when placed on the screen. In his videos, he has shown several different light sources from sunlight, to halogen to led for burning screens and done so at proper times it seems since his screens turn out. I have a 50W UV led suspended 20 inches above that I am using to burn my screens. I have tried 2 min, 4 min, and 8 min burn times respectively. All of which the emulsion never hardens. The design obviously washes out first as it has the most 'protection' from the UV light, but as I start trying to wash out any detail, my design begins falling apart under normal water hose pressure with a garden sprayer attached. Once I realize the screen is not going to be usable, I switch over to my pressure washer and I'm able to fully reclaim the screen with just the pressure washer and no additional chemicals are needed. Am I just not exposing long enough, or is it possible I did not mix the emulsion correctly? I know I am doing something wrong, I just don't know what. Would it benefit me to switch to a pre-mixed emulsion?
Thank you very much for any and all help you are able to provide!
So I've been following this guy on YoutTube that goes by Easy. He seems to be in the Philippines and uses some different products than I have access to here, but I am trying to follow his methods as he seems to have pretty good results and he's definitely doing it on the cheap! Using his method, he does everything with 110 mesh screen that he cuts and stretches manually on to wooden frames. I did up my mesh count to 160 but at this point it seems to be the least of my worries. I am using the Jacquard Diazo Emulsion because I have been unable to locate the Tulco brand that he uses. I am using a proper scoop coater to coat my screens with an even, thin film on both sides of the screen similar to his procedure. All of this seems to go fine, my screens dry well with no apparent issues. Where I am running into issue is in the actual burning process. Like in his method, I print my 'film' positives out on standard weight copy paper, then like him use cooking oil to make all but the positive image transparent when placed on the screen. In his videos, he has shown several different light sources from sunlight, to halogen to led for burning screens and done so at proper times it seems since his screens turn out. I have a 50W UV led suspended 20 inches above that I am using to burn my screens. I have tried 2 min, 4 min, and 8 min burn times respectively. All of which the emulsion never hardens. The design obviously washes out first as it has the most 'protection' from the UV light, but as I start trying to wash out any detail, my design begins falling apart under normal water hose pressure with a garden sprayer attached. Once I realize the screen is not going to be usable, I switch over to my pressure washer and I'm able to fully reclaim the screen with just the pressure washer and no additional chemicals are needed. Am I just not exposing long enough, or is it possible I did not mix the emulsion correctly? I know I am doing something wrong, I just don't know what. Would it benefit me to switch to a pre-mixed emulsion?
Thank you very much for any and all help you are able to provide!
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