# What could be the reason for this?



## ThinkNSay (Oct 6, 2015)

Asked this in my thread over in screen printing but figured this may have been a better place for the problem



Here's my second go at inking my print. The problem I ran into this time is that part of the image is not getting transferred. When looking at the screen all the emulsion is out of the image but it's as if the ink isnt making it thru these parts. I did multiple passes along with using on different parts of my test T shirt.

2nd inking- https://youtu.be/hvn8fDOOzD8

Any ideas on what my problem may be? Im kind of clueless.
Also, although not in this video I reclaimed the screen and burned the image again and it did a similar thing but on more of the image than the first time. I will attach photos of what Im talking about also. The 2 on the left where from the same screen. I tried to show what the screen looked like with ink in it so people can see where its not making it through.


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## amdivoff (Jun 6, 2012)

Is your pallet made out of wood?, is it nice and flat? Not warped...


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I'm not saying this is definitely the problem, but It is possible to under expose a screen, have the image rinse out good with out your stencil falling apart, but then, since the emulsion is under cured and slimy , when you set it out to dry, what looks like water dripping down the screen can have a small amount of emulsion that can dry in the image, not enough to show color but enough to clog. Before inking, It may look open when you hold it directly to light, but if you look at from different angles in bright light you will see what looks like something clear and shiny dried in the image. Can some times be opened back up with more water, the more drastic, the more unlikely. your sample looks pretty drastic. maybe up your exposure time a hair and make sure its rinsed good, spray the whole screen not jut the image area, that way if it's under exposed you will remove more slimy emulsion from above image that may drip down into it


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Adding to Jay's comments, make sure you lay the screen flat (squeegee side down for those without a drying cabinet) after rinsing to dry. Less chance of watery emulsion drippings staying in your print area.

For added measure, we pat the screened image down after rinse-out with a shop/paper towel. Pat, not wipe.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I just looked at your video, nothing to do with the clogged screen but I'm concerned about how flexible your press is. Your shirt platen moves down ALOT with very little pressure. I would find something solid to wedge under the board mounting arm out by the edge of the table, and see if that effects your prints. There should be no flex with a lot of pressure (in a perfect world) the more flex, the fuzyer the edges of the images. can't tell from the vid, if the whole press is tipping on the table or if it's just the platen. If it's just the platen, then the shirt is slightly slidding forward and backwards against the screen.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I'm afraid to pat dry a screen if I think it's under exposed not that I uh... ever....under expose screens.


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## ThinkNSay (Oct 6, 2015)

Printor said:


> I just looked at your video, nothing to do with the clogged screen but I'm concerned about how flexible your press is. Your shirt platen moves down ALOT with very little pressure. I would find something solid to wedge under the board mounting arm out by the edge of the table, and see if that effects your prints. There should be no flex with a lot of pressure (in a perfect world) the more flex, the fuzyer the edges of the images. can't tell from the vid, if the whole press is tipping on the table or if it's just the platen. If it's just the platen, then the shirt is slightly slidding forward and backwards against the screen.



Hey wzup Jay, thanks for the posts! The give you see is just how the press is set up I believe. Ive got a video addressing it that I'll link on here. Its an older model that I bought used off of the great craigslist. I didnt have the problem with the first much larger prints I tried (but again those images were too big to properly cover with ink based on my screens). Im going to reclaim then try the methods described to make sure emulsion isnt being sneaky and hiding in the screen where it shouldnt be. Thanks again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6tA0F5_M2o


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## ThinkNSay (Oct 6, 2015)

amdivoff said:


> Is your pallet made out of wood?, is it nice and flat? Not warped...


Made from wood but they are flat. My first prints did fine as far as the print details. Thinking after reading it could be emulsion hiding in the print.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I looked at the last link. I looks like the whole press is tipping together which should be better than just the platen. I don't know exactly how it's mounted to the table. When you put pressure on it, it looks like the center shaft is moving around. If you look at the big nut on top while you press down on the platen. I also could be seeing things, wouldn't be the first time. May be something is out of adjustment there, loose nut, set screw, damaged bearings? It's hard to wear out bearings on a manual press since there's no real heat build up. I must commend you on posting good pics and vids. You'll get better answers faster. A lot of people on here post questions like, "why does this not look good?" with no pic or details.


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