# HELP!: Emulsion washing out after exposure



## peggysaurous (Aug 24, 2016)

Hi guys! Would really love your help as I've kind of reached an upset-end and am looking into getting other people to do my exposure for me...

Equiptment I use:
Diazo emulsion from ebay
500W Halogen Work light
High Pressure Hose

My process is that I coat my screens with the emulsion, let dry for over 2 days, in the dark. I then expose my artwork with a piece of super-clear glass on top using a 500w Halogen light for 20 minutes (This is the time I worked out for my exposure). I then will wash out using a high pressure hose as I find a jet nozzle is not enough... This works well, but then it gets to a certain point in the process where the emulsion is just washing out. http://imgur.com/a/irfys_

I'm just wondering if the issue would be in my emulsion, the light, or the fact that I'm using a high pressure hose... but it doesn't work when I use a jet nozzle - I sheet it, agitate it... and still it's not enough pressure.


----------



## bomber315 (Jun 18, 2010)

what exactly is a high pressure hose? are garden hose? a pressure washer? you really shouldn't need as pressure washer. Heck i get away with using a typical squirt bottle.

i too have been using a 500watt work light (from the ryonet starter kit) I think when was using emulsion similar from ryonet i was burning screens for 15min. 

i have since switched to this Textil™ PV Emulsion - Emulsion - Supplies and burn for 5 minutes.

Is you bulb new? how far from the screen is your light?


----------



## inkrediblenz (Feb 12, 2014)

Pressure isn't necessary to wash out a properly exposed stencil, time is though, and the time varies between emulsion. You can wash your stencil out with just the flow from a hose without any additional force or pressure from a nozzle, the stencil just needs a constant flow of water flowing over it to soften/loosen.

When the unexposed emulsion is ready to let go, it'll just let go and wash out. This could take 2 minutes, or 5 minutes.

Two days seems a long time to be drying screens, why don't you just chuck a fan heater on the screen and dry it in under an hour like everyone else? I'm assuming you do use some form of heat and airflow on your screens to dry them?

Your image isn't available to confirm my thoughts, but I'll speculate, wildly.. I'll base this on the premise your film is of good quality.

You're laying your emulsion up too thick, it's skinning off and trapping moisture, and the dark/damp place you're leaving the screen to dry is only exasperating the problem - Get a fan heater, coat your screen, and direct the hot air from the fan heater straight on the emulsion from 3-4 feet away. You can stand your screen up against the wall with the heater on it, it'll be fine. The screen will be ready to use in under an hour, well under an hour.

Don't put too much emulsion on. You're screenprinting, not laying a concrete foundation for high rise apartments. One coat print side, one coat squeegee side. You should have a nice even semi opaque coating.
When your screen is dry hold it up to the light,you should be able to see light through the screen, if there's so much emulsion you have a total blockout, then that's too much emulsion.

That alone, along with not using the pressure washer to blast the hell out of your under exposed stencil from the halogen bulb should see a bit of a turn around. Do this indoors, or at dusk/night time, so you're not walking around with your screen in daylight


----------



## Printavo (Oct 7, 2007)

Usually two things that this can be caused by, bad emulsion OR pressure washing the screen too hard. Try to replace both of those factors and let us know!


----------



## peggysaurous (Aug 24, 2016)

bomber315 said:


> what exactly is a high pressure hose? are garden hose? a pressure washer? you really shouldn't need as pressure washer. Heck i get away with using a typical squirt bottle.
> 
> i too have been using a 500watt work light (from the ryonet starter kit) I think when was using emulsion similar from ryonet i was burning screens for 15min.
> 
> ...


It's a pressure washer... I know I don't need a pressure washer but it seems to be the only thing that works with this emulsion. So frustrating. I forgot how far my light is away from my screen but its definitely the recommended distance (did a lot of research before hand).

I've decided to change my emulsion to a higher-end version, one that I use at university to coat my screens so hopefully that eases the process.


----------



## peggysaurous (Aug 24, 2016)

inkrediblenz said:


> Pressure isn't necessary to wash out a properly exposed stencil, time is though, and the time varies between emulsion. You can wash your stencil out with just the flow from a hose without any additional force or pressure from a nozzle, the stencil just needs a constant flow of water flowing over it to soften/loosen.
> 
> When the unexposed emulsion is ready to let go, it'll just let go and wash out. This could take 2 minutes, or 5 minutes.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the feedback - I definitely don't put heaps of emulsion on - my film is good quality, I dry my screens for a long time just due to time constriants and not rushing things! I think I'll try with a new emulsion and NOT a pressure washer. Thanks for the extra tidbits


----------



## peggysaurous (Aug 24, 2016)

Printavo said:


> Usually two things that this can be caused by, bad emulsion OR pressure washing the screen too hard. Try to replace both of those factors and let us know!


I bought some new emulsion (Murakami Aquasol TS) AND degreaser (yes I had previously skipped this process)... so hopefully this will help it along. I'll refrain from pressure washing too! Fingers crossed.


----------



## NAPLdesigns (Feb 21, 2020)

Hi, did this end up working better for you, I too use eBay emulsion, and 2 500watt lights, have been having issues with washing out then washing out for too long creating rough edges on the design, films are good, lights are about 30cm from screen , 2x 500 watt halogen work lights, glass removed, using a sheet of 3mm float glass (standard glass.) to keep films flat, just having issues wondering if it’s the cheap emulsion.


----------



## NAPLdesigns (Feb 21, 2020)

Hi, did this end up working better for you, I too use eBay emulsion, and 2 500watt lights, have been having issues with washing out then washing out for too long creating rough edges on the design, films are good, lights are about 30cm from screen , 2x 500 watt halogen work lights, glass removed, using a sheet of 3mm float glass (standard glass.) to keep films flat, just having issues wondering if it’s the cheap emulsion.


----------



## NAPLdesigns (Feb 21, 2020)

Hi, did this end up working better for you, I too use eBay emulsion, and 2 500watt lights, have been having issues with washing out then washing out for too long creating rough edges on the design, films are good, lights are about 30cm from screen , 2x 500 watt halogen work lights, glass removed, using a sheet of 3mm float glass (standard glass.) to keep films flat, just having issues wondering if it’s the cheap emulsion.


----------



## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

Is the emulsion fully dry all the way through? Cold damp conditions can slow the drying process down.
A properly exposed washes out quickly and easily. I use less than a bucket of water to wash out a screen. Much more than that usualy means the screen is underexposed or the emulsion wasn't fully dry.


----------

