# Image blow out



## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

Please help, when i burn an image my screen blows out 8 out of 10 times. what could be the cause of this?
I clean,and degrease, and put emulsion on them, let dry. burn for three minutes and rinse, i usually make 30 at a time but do not use them right away, sometime i wont burn in a month, i thought this could be the trouble so i just made 6, let dry with a fan for about 45 minutes, burned and it just blew out, my water has a bleaching system could this cause my trouble?


thank you


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

does the whole screen blow out? what are you using to expose? what are you using wash out you image ?


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

pukingdeserthobo said:


> does the whole screen blow out? what are you using to expose? what are you using wash out you image ?


yes, the first place is blows out is next to the image, I have a home made vacuum exposure unit, the image is there but as soon as it brakes apart it all goes, i use cold water from a pressure washer, i start out light and rinse both sides, about 5 times each, let it soak for a few then turn up the pressure, but, the pressure is still light, it takes about 10 minutes to get a good image wit the pressure i use, and i can actually blow all of the emulsion of the screen with light pressure


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

Underexposing could give these symptoms.
We are talking about a block of exposed emulsion that washes off, breaks up as it does so?


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## aaltier (Sep 6, 2008)

maddragon said:


> i usually make 30 at a time but do not use them right away, sometime i wont burn in a month, i thought this could be the trouble so i just made 6, let dry with a fan for about 45 minutes, burned and it just blew out, my water has a bleaching system could this cause my trouble?


so you just coated 6 screens, air dryed them for 45 mins, then exposed? no good. i always let my screens dry for at least 12 hours. that being said, are you sure you aren't under exposed with other screens? all the emulsion blowing out sounds like not enough time. the more you use your exposure unit, the longer the time has to be increased (gradually over time).


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

maddragon said:


> i start out light and rinse both sides, about 5 times each, let it soak for a few then turn up the pressure, but, the pressure is still light, it takes about 10 minutes to get a good image wit the pressure i use, and i can actually blow all of the emulsion of the screen with light pressure


its shouldnt take take longer then 2-3 min to clear a image.


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

i just let them burn for 5 minutes and it was much better, but not great, i am wondering if my bulb is on its way out, so is letting the screens sit for a month OK?


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## aaltier (Sep 6, 2008)

month can be long... i try to use within about 2 weeks. try coating your screens, let them sit over night, and burn for a little longer. your emulsion is good right? i think a dual mix is good for about 6 months...


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

yes I am using dual emulsion, i just burned another for 8 minutes and lost it all, but it was a screen i just made, so most likely that is the issue, i have a few more i am going to try


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

maddragon said:


> yes I am using dual emulsion, i just burned another for 8 minutes and lost it all, but it was a screen i just made, so most likely that is the issue, i have a few more i am going to try


 Sorry, yes I believe my emulsion is still good, it is not thick yet


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

i had a screen that i left i think for three months and still came out ok when i burned it.
what do you mean lost it all?


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

i just upped my time from 3 minutes to 12 and it still blew out, could it be the screens? i bout some screen cleaner that supposedly had degrease in it ( no need to degrease)


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## aaltier (Sep 6, 2008)

i hope your not blowing out one of those six screens that were coated an hour ago...


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

yup i sure am, after one post said let sit, i am back to my old ones ( a month or so old)


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## aaltier (Sep 6, 2008)

i say you clean and degrease your screens good, let them dry, coat them and let them sit overnight. 12 minutes seems long, especially if you got a noticeably better image at 5 minutes... make sure your image is nice and black, double up your transparencies if you have to, and burn it for six to seven minutes. see what happens


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

i will try that thank you, i used to be able to burn in three minutes, i don't know what is happening, so do you think that the emulsion remover with degreaser is a bunch of bull? should i degrease anyway? also how would i know if my emulsion is bad? because the texture is that same as new, so i should be good right?


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

i will try that thank you, do you think i should degrease even though it is supposed to be in the emulsion remover? also i am going to try this Dual-Cure Emulsion by One Stroke Inks is this OK?


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## aaltier (Sep 6, 2008)

i think your emulsion is probably fine. yes i think you should be de-greasing with a real de-greaser. de-greasing is a major part of screen reclaiming. your bulbs are probably on the way out, but the more you use your unit, you gradually need to increase exposure time. you have at some point burned perfect screens right? this is a new problem? also when you rinse, spray one side, spray the other, let it sit for a minute, then rinse. with a pressure washer you should be at least six to eight inches away from your screen when your blowing it out, and it should not take longer than a few minutes. i use a regular hose and it only takes me a few minutes.


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## aaltier (Sep 6, 2008)

that emulsion looks good to me


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## maddragon (Apr 2, 2009)

You guys are great thank you.well i think i just figured out my problem ( well part of it anyway ) we deal with onestroke ink who i think they are great people, any way my partner order my emulsion remover, he said it had built in degreaser... well guess what i just talked to onestroke and it doesn't so that is the problem, none of these where degreased..... uhg!


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

None of them were degreased, but where they greased (so to speak)? I'm not an expert, but I've known plenty of people to not degrease (pretty sure I've skipped it myself sometimes). It's necessary if the screen has been contaminated in some way... but if not? Not so much I would have thought.

So, have you had a chance to confirm yet? Was that definitely the problem?


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