# What is the equivalent capillary film for Photo EZ?



## eddanbel (Jul 24, 2007)

I AM AS GREEN AS A PEA!!!
....so bear with me..I purchased the Photo EZ kit, worked great!!! But the individual sheets are so expensive. I was wondering if anyone knew the name and specifications of the Photo EZ high definition film and where I could purchase a roll. I already looked around, but the specifications are too confusing...
HELP!!!!!


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

Stencil thickness us usually determined by the mesh count.

What mesh are you using? For light colored shirts I suggest 140 - 200 mesh, thus 40 micron would be a good start.

Film thickness in microns linked with 'suggested' mesh count

15 419+
20 305 - 419
30 230 - 419
40 196 - 305
50 109 - 196
60 60 - 160
70 60 - 140


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## eddanbel (Jul 24, 2007)

RichardGreaves said:


> Stencil thickness us usually determined by the mesh count.
> 
> What mesh are you using? For light colored shirts I suggest 140 - 200 mesh, thus 40 micron would be a good start.
> 
> ...



*I bought this film Ulano-CDF-2/UV Capillary Film. I guess it means 20 microns? Well, lets just say that I tried peeling the back off to expose it like the PhotoEz film and it deteriorated in my hand because it was sooooooooooo thin......I couldn't even flatten it out because it kept on scrunching in. Then when I finally exposed a piece I placed it in water and it melted....I guess I'm looking for something that is very thick, yet gives me good detail...similar to the photoez paper.
Any suggestions? Links?

*


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

eddanbel said:


> I bought this film Ulano-CDF-2/UV Capillary Film. I guess it means 20 microns? Well, lets just say that I tried peeling the back off to expose it like the PhotoEz film and it deteriorated in my hand because it was sooooooooooo thin...


A clue for you is that you are not printing UV inks, so CDF-2/UV is probably not for you.









_Wet Mesh_

Capillary film is applied to the mesh before it is exposed. You wet the mesh and the water that is held in the openings wets the film, which makes it sticky and it stays on the mesh.









When it dries, you remove the polyester backing sheet seconds before taping a positive in the proper location so it lines up on the press and you expose it to UV-A light. 

Remove the positive and store it, then wash the unexposed areas with city water pressure. The unexposed areas will dissolve and go down the drain.


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## eddanbel (Jul 24, 2007)

RichardGreaves said:


> A clue for you is that you are not printing UV inks, so CDF-2/UV is probably not for you.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What should I be using?...This is a quote from their website.

"PhotoEZ is a unique material made from fine silkscreen mesh coated with light sensitive water-soluble polymer. It uses black and white images on plain white paper, sunlight and tap water to develop."

Can you recommend something?


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

eddanbel said:


> What should I be using?...This is a quote from their website.
> 
> "PhotoEZ is a unique material made from fine silkscreen mesh coated with light sensitive water-soluble polymer. It uses black and white images on plain white paper, sunlight and tap water to develop."


As I re-read you original post, you actually asked for advice where you could buy a larger roll of PhotoEZ film. They have a unique hobby market for simple designs and no real competition.

Sefar does sell pre-coated mesh, but their minimums are steep and I don't think that is a solution for you.

As it says, "they supply coated mesh", and they don't use frames. PhotoEZ doesn't have a capillary film equivalent.

I assume what you mean is "which system should I use?". 

?Screen printing materials in the usual commercial process (which has startup costs but more durability), or PhotoEZ - a low volume scheme that only uses water and sunshine, but it seems expensive?

With capillary film, you coat your own mesh and since it is attached to a frame, it lasts longer and can be re-used.


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## eddanbel (Jul 24, 2007)

I will try Sefar. Thank you so much!


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

eddanbel said:


> I will try Sefar. Thank you so much!


No. I did not make myself clear.

To be informative and head off speculators, I wrote that Sefar does pre-coat mesh but their minimums are steep, it is only on 355 and higher mesh counts and you won't like what it costs.

This is not the right idea for someone without equipment or experience to move from PhotoEZ to Sefar PCF pre-coated mesh. 

SEFAR Internet


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## eddanbel (Jul 24, 2007)

then I am hopeless?? You have another alternative?


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

eddanbel said:


> then I am hopeless?? You have another alternative?


You may not have any hope of finding PhotoEZ film for less than EZ Screen Print sells it, but you are not hopeless.

The standard alternative is paying for printing, screen printing equipment, screen printing transfers and ironing them, direct to garment printing and digital transfers.

Only you can decide when things cost too much. How much is your time worth and how much can you make are the business questions I want you to ponder. If it's a hobby - for fun, you usually lose money in the experience and you don't care. 

$8 per letter size sheet is cheap if you can print 100 items and sell them _for a profit_ and not have to buy frames, mesh, exposure equipment and a vacuum frame. 8 cents per print.


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

Anything new come out yet to be equivelent to Photo Ez? 
does any one know?
thanks


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## natescreenprints (Jul 20, 2011)

I have definitely found PhotoEZ to be profitable. As you said, although it is $8 a sheet, they are very durable. I used a single sheet the whole time I was selling on Ebay.

I guess Yudu might be similar to PhotoEZ but is still a better deal. Yudu is too expensive for what you get. Especially since you do not need the exposure light, you can use the sun or light from your home.


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## rkarr (Nov 11, 2012)

I've been using craft-superstore.com Emulsion Sheets. They work really well! No problems that normal emulsion or pre-coated screens don't have. They ship USPS for about $8. The math turns out to be about $2.12/sheet. For me that is good enough, 25 shirts run costs the customer $0.08 +chemicals! 

Craft-Superstore.com - Screen Printing Supplies - 11x14 Emulsion Sheets 25 Pack


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

rkarr said:


> I've been using craft-superstore.com Emulsion Sheets. They work really well! No problems that normal emulsion or pre-coated screens don't have. They ship USPS for about $8. The math turns out to be about $2.12/sheet. For me that is good enough, 25 shirts run costs the customer $0.08 +chemicals!
> 
> Craft-Superstore.com - Screen Printing Supplies - 11x14 Emulsion Sheets 25 Pack











I took the picture of Paul Drago in the Ulano lab that they're using at the link so it could be Ulano direct film.

http://www.ulano.com/cdf/CDFmenu.htm


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## rkarr (Nov 11, 2012)

RichardGreaves said:


> I took the picture of Paul Drago in the Ulano lab that they're using at the link so it could be Ulano direct film.
> 
> CDF Capillary Film Menu -Let us coat your screens


Rich, This is great stuff! In Japan, where I live, it is hard to get anything other then pre-coated screens with soft emulsion. Ulano lasts a long time and washes out easily. I'm going to show my printing partners these sheets soon. The problem is our shop does not have a wash-out booth (I've been using my shower)


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

*Japan Ulano Distributor*

Toyo corp.
Chushin bldg.3-3-5 uchikanda
chiyoda-ku
tokyo 101
p: +81 3 3256 8428
f: +81 3 3254 2529


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## rkarr (Nov 11, 2012)

*Re: Japan Ulano Distributor*



RichardGreaves said:


> Toyo corp.
> Chushin bldg.3-3-5 uchikanda
> chiyoda-ku
> tokyo 101
> ...


Rich,

I just met you, but your my new best friend! Thanks


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

*Japanese screen making products manufacturer Murakami*

Consider Japanese screen making products manufacturer Murakami.

Pay no attention to this title, this is their Direct Film page
Characteristics : SBQ Type Emulsion | MURAKAMI CO., LTD.


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## Danchlife (Dec 31, 2012)

Can you print on these with your inkjet using pigment ink?




rkarr said:


> I've been using craft-superstore.com Emulsion Sheets. They work really well! No problems that normal emulsion or pre-coated screens don't have. They ship USPS for about $8. The math turns out to be about $2.12/sheet. For me that is good enough, 25 shirts run costs the customer $0.08 +chemicals!
> 
> Craft-Superstore.com - Screen Printing Supplies - 11x14 Emulsion Sheets 25 Pack


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## rkarr (Nov 11, 2012)

No, cap film is light sensitive. I would not recommend printing on them. Just get some transparent film for your positives. If your unsure how this works you can find a lot of info on here


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

*Can you print on capillary film/direct film with your inkjet, using pigment ink?*



Danchlife said:


> Can you print on these with your inkjet using pigment ink?


I don't think you'll be happy printing on direct film, before applying it to mesh for screen making -but not for the reason given by my friend rkarr.

Think _through _the entire process. 

Stencils breakdown and dissolve with water. Direct film is applied to mesh by wetting the film coating with water, the coating absorbs the water and when it's soft, and sticky, it adheres to the mesh. Of course, too much water dissolves the un-cured water-based stencil material. 









If you get water-based ink jet ink *wet, it dissolves*.

Direct film is coated on polyester film so your choice of sides to print would be the ultra smooth polyester film with no* ink jet receptive coating* -or the stencil side that will adhere to the mesh.

*Undercutting - the hazard you can't escape*
If you print your image on the polyester side, the processed stencil image area will be *choked* because of the minute space of the polyester film. UV energy striking the ink jet image at an angle (most of it!). Undercutting will make the stencil opening smaller than the positive -choked.

Try an experiment by exposing 2, small, duplicate halftone images, but flop one for comparison. Dots will disappear in the print.

*Synthetic Polymer Indirect Film*
Aaah, if you print on the stencil side, the ink jet ink will blur & smear when water dissolves it.

With that in mind, think about how indirect film is processed - off the mesh, without the need for a vacuum frame capable of holding a frame. Print on synthetic polymer indirect film, (because it develops in plain water), wait until it's dry to the touch, expose it without a vacuum and take it to a water sink to dissolve the ink jet ink AND the protected stencil - then apply it to your chosen mesh. 









Pulsar Synthetic Polymer Indirect Stencil Film for Screen Making

Learn how indirect film works -Download & watch this movie


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