# Emulsion exposure? Im new please help



## BreakingBadPrint (Mar 4, 2015)

Ok so im using a HIFI photopolymer and im brand new to this. I can not figure out what the issue is. I tried at 6 minutes 9 minutes and just did one at 12 minutes. I cleaned the screen with a pressure washer and degreased with dawn. I placed some powder to the screen before exposing this time to keep the film positive from sticking to the screen and it didn't really stick to bad except the ink from the positive stayed on the screen. right after exposing I took to my shower and started to rinse out. started taking a while but it started working with cold water. was taking forever to get the black ink from the positive off but started coming off then emulsion started to wash out and once the water got underneath the emulsion it was all over from there. Atleast this time at 12 min exposure the emulsion wasn't slimy! So WTF is going on now? maybe I need to replace my bulbs? ive just bought this exposure unit used with the bulbs used. Im about to just go out and buy a dual cure. If that is what I should do, what brand is good for beginners?


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## mcko12 (May 28, 2011)

if the film positive is stick on the screen maybe your screen is not properly dry?
It may feel dry to touch but may not be dried all the way through.
I find the film gets 'sticky' sometimes but it's usually if I use a fresh screen that only dried in a few hours with a fan say. If I leave them for a day or two in a cabinet they are dryer I'm sure.
Also, don't wash the screen out any longer than you need as the same thing happens when burning in that the outside skin of the emulsion gets more UV light than the inside and soaking it in water more than you need to will only invite uncured emulsion to leave the screen.
When drying a washed screen I also like to lie them flat for this reason as uncured emulsion may/can run into your artwork. Very rare but possible.
Once dried you can give it a second burn for a minute or so or take them outside in the sun for a final cure as well to help with washing out at a later stage.


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## BreakingBadPrint (Mar 4, 2015)

Yeah I'm leaving the emulsion to dry for 24 hours. It may not be dry so the way though. I hear i may need to get a dehumidifier. But other than that the only other thing i can think of this emulsion sucks or its not completely dry.


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## mcko12 (May 28, 2011)

The other thing to watch is the age of your emulsion, I've had strange results with emulsion over a few months old.


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## BobMotep (Jan 21, 2013)

Dehumidifier should fix you right up or switch to a high humidity emulsion like Ulano DLX but that's like $75 a gallon I think.

When you coat the screens and leave them in a room to dry you have introduced moisture to the environment w/ no way for it to escape so it just sits there. I'm shocked at the amount of liquid I pour out of our dehumidifier every few days.


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