# Having trouble finding the right light for light safe room...



## frolical (Apr 20, 2010)

I've looked at walgreens, home depot, and lowes for a uv safe light but I can't seem to find any... There are some yellow light bulbs but the person I talked to who works there said that they're not uv safe and that I shouldn't use them for a dark room.

Is that really true? I see a lot of posts around that say that as long as the light is yellow it seems to be safe.. but I guess I don't know enough.


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## parthenon09 (Sep 14, 2009)

I used any yellow or red light, color is the key, I used to cut rubylith back it was the norm, and I experimented with cheap color substitutes and found out that color was the key. Red blocked out the light from the exposure unit it was clear and see through and I used a fast photopolymer emulsion. It even worked with inkjet red clear film , although exposure times have stepped up bit since then. At my shop I have a regular red party flourescent bulb as my safelight and when I am done coating screens, I keep the light off, because even safelights arent exposure proof some emulsions use uv and regular light as exposure sources. When your screens are dry I recommend a light proof box, then your coated screens will last longer.


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## frolical (Apr 20, 2010)

...I wanna be able to measure up my positives to the screen without worrying about the light, not just store it.


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## parthenon09 (Sep 14, 2009)

dont worry about it, I have been printing for 15 years, if you want to pay for an expensive light for peace of mind go ahead, a little 4 dollar bug light or red florescent party light will work just as good. The emulsion we use, isnt reactive like chemicals in a photography darkroom. I would suggest that you have a registration grid table to make life easier for you. That would be an artboard the same size as your screens (Hopefully they are all the same size)the centerline would have a spot where you want the seps on the same spot, you have a block to act as a stop and a block for the side (if your screens are the same size) then set the film with tape to adhere to the screen, and center sep, then place the screens center on the boards center, press down and done. The ones the pros use are more expensive and elaborate, but this will be alot easier then measuring reg marks, (registration marks are the points I would start measuring to)


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## 73eyes (Jan 22, 2010)

I use a bug light, never had a problem. Remember, you're not developing pictures -- screens are a lot more forgiving than film.


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

Yellow bug light bulbs can be found at Home Depot, Ryonet, The Dollar Store and most online bulb retailers.


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

Safe Light Posts

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t23724.html#post140633

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t82942.html#post489879

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t25983.html#post153633

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t59472.html#post353417


#RGsafelight


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## SxEDGE (Apr 18, 2010)

Earlier this week I got a "60 watt replacement" florescent yellow bug light for $5.97 +tax from Lowes. So far I have coated 2 screens with ChromaBlue emulsion and it seemed to have worked fantastically. The design washed out crazy easy and perfectly, which I take as the bug light did not expose the emulsion. Hope this helps.


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 10, 2014)

*yellow lights and im still bugging you HAHA!...*

i got a phillips 60 watt bug-A-way yellow A19 medium base bulbs. anyone else use these with no issues? i feel 60 is A LOT and too bright even if its yellow. ANYONE?!!!


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

*Re: yellow lights and im still bugging you HAHA!...*



FiveOneSix said:


> i got a phillips 60 watt bug-A-way yellow A19 medium base bulbs. anyone else use these with no issues? i feel 60 is A LOT and too bright even if its yellow. ANYONE?!!!


That's the wattage and brand that I use and it works great. 
(The incandescent one) 
It's great too, because it gives you enough light to work by.


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## bcornwell (Jun 12, 2014)

Those Yellow bulbs are great. I bought a handful from Ryonet. I have them in my office, and never had any issues exposing with them. Just enough light to see your washout, and move around the room...


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

For all those fumbling around in yellow light. If you get a 4 ft florescent fixture and bulbs in the red/orange spectrum there is a 0 chance of exposing screens and you don't have to work in dull yellow light. Unless its a grow bulb, daylight bulb or other specialty florescent bulb and even then if the lights are hung over head they don't put out enough UV light to expose or affect a screen. The bulbs contain filters to eliminate 95% of the UV light they output. A light plastic cover will further reduce the UV output. If your still worried the sell clear plastic sleeves that are UV filters. There is a reason even the high UV output unfiltered black lights are only 2-6" from the glass on the exposure unit. Its because they can't out put enough UV ant any distance to properly cross link the emulsion.


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## chrisf116 (Jul 26, 2007)

I use the cheapest bug lights money can buy at walmart lol.


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

sben763 said:


> For all those fumbling around in yellow light. .




Fumbling, really?

too funny
You sound like it's working with braille.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Celtic said:


> Fumbling, really?
> 
> too funny
> You sound like it's working with braille.


For some it maybe. I personally have a double astigmatism yellow though the orange spectrum is hard to see in the dark for me but my biggest point is there is absolutely no reason to even fool around with yellow lights. If the white emitting lights you use are not emitting UVA in the 300-400NM range you will not expose a screen. A standard incandescent bulb at 5 ft will do nothing to a screen. A 4 ft Florescent at 3-4ft will do nothing. if you choose the right bulb right next to the screen will do nothing especially if there is a plastic cover on the fixture. There is so much miss info in the industry. I gathered all this info from building several exposure units. and then testing. I can go take a screen out of the box, leave in shop all night with 6 florescent tubes on and have no problem exposing and washing out


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 10, 2014)

*holy bright batman!...*

holy cow! these 60 watt incandescent bulbs seem SUPER BRIGHT im gonna trust what i have been hearing here and try a screen using them. things will definitely be easier now that i'll be able to see =)
hopefully it all goes smooth!!!


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I've used all kinds of yellow light. The regular old school bug lights and the CFL yellow bug lights never with an issue at all. My problem is the heat in the shop can hit 120+ so it can actually expose pure photopolymer in the bucket. Not to mention screens I have coated to use later. Can't wait to leave SoCal!


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

Whoa, yes that's HOT, Andy !!!
I'm sure that the heat stroke cools ya down.......YIKES :-0

I don't know how you deal with that heat.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

Celtic said:


> Whoa, yes that's HOT, Andy !!!
> I'm sure that the heat stroke cools ya down.......YIKES :-0
> 
> I don't know how you deal with that heat.


I dunno either to be honest! I'm from Texas and it's hot there. But it's hotter here IMHO. Next time somebody tells you that the weather is always beautiful in L.A....you can call them a LIAR! 

It is what it is though I suppose. During these hot times, I try to batch as many orders as I can into as few days as I can. And start early. Gotta do what you gotta do type of thing.

BUT, being from Texas, and having lived here for the past 8 years, I'm sick and tired of the heat. We are seriously considering a move further up North. I haven't seen snow since 1984. Be nice to have seasons.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

porkchopharry said:


> I dunno either to be honest! I'm from Texas and it's hot there. But it's hotter here IMHO. Next time somebody tells you that the weather is always beautiful in L.A....you can call them a LIAR!
> 
> It is what it is though I suppose. During these hot times, I try to batch as many orders as I can into as few days as I can. And start early. Gotta do what you gotta do type of thing.
> 
> BUT, being from Texas, and having lived here for the past 8 years, I'm sick and tired of the heat. We are seriously considering a move further up North. I haven't seen snow since 1984. Be nice to have seasons.


The north is ok till have a winter like we did here last year. Blizzards record wind chills -50 for 2 days with a -20 actual temp. Freezing pipes, sprinkler systems. Vehicles breaking and not starting. Broke 4 wheel drive twice last year. Of course the coldest night and had to lay on ground just to disconnect to go home.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

sben763 said:


> The north is ok till have a winter like we did here last year. Blizzards record wind chills -50 for 2 days with a -20 actual temp. Freezing pipes, sprinkler systems. Vehicles breaking and not starting. Broke 4 wheel drive twice last year. Of course the coldest night and had to lay on ground just to disconnect to go home.


Not THAT far North Sean. What? You think I'm CRAZY or what?!!


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

porkchopharry said:


> Not THAT far North Sean. What? You think I'm CRAZY or what?!!


 
LOL Im not that far North. I am 175 miles south of Chicago. I moved her from FL so I must be crazy. I am going to order some permaset but I just retried the Union ink maxopaque again, I used before the ink formula changes to comply and hated it. They seriously have some of the best Plastisol Opaque ink, Maybe time to retry OneStroke but the shipping kills me with them. I get the union free shipping. 

Ill post some pics later i was amazed the opacity, easy printability from 166-205. I seriously think I can push it though a 272 no reducer and get great prints. ok from here on out I say screw the underbase

If Im not mistaken you never printed with the old formulas of the opaque inks, I think you would have hated them as much as me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

sben763 said:


> LOL Im not that far North. I am 175 miles south of Chicago. I moved her from FL so I must be crazy. I am going to order some permaset but I just retried the Union ink maxopaque again, I used before the ink formula changes to comply and hated it. They seriously have some of the best Plastisol Opaque ink, Maybe time to retry OneStroke but the shipping kills me with them. I get the union free shipping.
> 
> Ill post some pics later i was amazed the opacity, easy printability from 166-205. I seriously think I can push it though a 272 no reducer and get great prints. ok from here on out I say screw the underbase
> 
> If Im not mistaken you never printed with the old formulas of the opaque inks, I think you would have hated them as much as me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


We're thinking Pacific NW, like right above California. I'm over California...

Nah, I never messed with the older high opacity inks. I'm still a "newb" in the biz. But come a long way.

I hate underbasing!

But...I tell you, you CAN talk to One Stroke and see what they say about the shipping. I get free ship basically with them. But maybe because I've been with them awhile.

I still use a couple of the OS plastisols on hoodies. But...I noticed that maybe things are changing there or something. They ALWAYS call me now, and I don't like that much. And most importantly, I feel like they've changed something in their white ink (hybrid and aquasilk). It doesn't cover like it used to. Other colors seem ok. 

But the white is what bummed me out, and made me start looking into WB. I guess in the end it worked out for the best. I could be wrong, I just felt like their white was starting to getting thinned down a whole lot? My old rep isn't there anymore either. And I liked him a lot. So maybe they are changing their business model?


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

porkchopharry said:


> We're thinking Pacific NW, like right above California. I'm over California...
> 
> Nah, I never messed with the older high opacity inks. I'm still a "newb" in the biz. But come a long way.
> 
> ...


I think Ill stick with Union for plastisol then. I am ordering some diffrent white inks and some other stuff. I have always hated underbasing but last time I tried opaque inks was before the ink changes to keep the kiddies safe  they were like paste, and the opacity just wasnt quite there. I was ordering shirts and regular ink from onestop last week. The lady says have you ever tried the opaque inks as I was ordering a white specific to underbasing which I never had. She says lets change all them to Maxopaque and can the underbasing white. After telling her no way in HE double hockey sticks I was doing that she says, if you dont like them they will pay to ship them back, get me what I origonally wanted and give me a deep discount.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

The only high opacity plastisol ink I've ever had problems with is red. And it's any brand of red. Always seems real runny to me. Maybe it's the way I print plastisol? But I always had to/ have to hit it a few times. I do real thin hits though.

The way I use the high opacity inks, is the first pass I kind of matt down the fibers so I push a bit harder. Then I do one or two real thin hits to fill it in. The One Stroke has a bit of puff to cheat it a bit when you cure it. So maybe that helps me. 

The one stroke is still awesome. Just seem to have been having issues with the white. Could be the temperature? It's been REAL hot. But I don't seem to remember it being like this last summer. I could have changed something though in the way I print. But I don't think so. 

I haven't tried the Green Galaxy plastisol. I hear it's pretty good, but kinda glossy. I don't like glossy. The water based Green Galaxy white is pretty damn nice though, I gotta admit. Not as nice as the Permaset IMHO, but it's good. Just a bit different feel to the cure. A little plasticy to me. But still a real soft hand. It performs different in the screen than the Permaset. It performs like a plastisol sort of. I wonder what they put in it though? Cause the cure on it has a bit of a plastisol feel to it. It covers REAL well though. I was really shocked when I tried out these hi opacity water based inks. They cover WAY better than the hi opacity plastisols IMHO. Once you get your workflow down, I think it's actually easier than printing with plastisols.


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## BazzaBMTH (Sep 18, 2016)

sben763 said:


> For some it maybe. I personally have a double astigmatism yellow though the orange spectrum is hard to see in the dark for me but my biggest point is there is absolutely no reason to even fool around with yellow lights. If the white emitting lights you use are not emitting UVA in the 300-400NM range you will not expose a screen. A standard incandescent bulb at 5 ft will do nothing to a screen. A 4 ft Florescent at 3-4ft will do nothing. if you choose the right bulb right next to the screen will do nothing especially if there is a plastic cover on the fixture. There is so much miss info in the industry. I gathered all this info from building several exposure units. and then testing. I can go take a screen out of the box, leave in shop all night with 6 florescent tubes on and have no problem exposing and washing out


Please could you tell me what you think are the best tubes to buy if I wanted to build an exposure unit? (To expose emulsion on screens.)


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