# Photo emulsion is coming off after I burn it



## sga10 (Jun 20, 2010)

Hey guys well here is the deal
I have just opened up my shop and having one major trouble. My emulsion keeps coming off after my screen is burned. I use slow water to make sure it burned after seeing the image i hit it with the pressure washer and thats when the trouble hits. The image starts to come off but the the other emulsion starts to flake as well leaving me with no image. I have tried to slow down the pressure and nothing, shortened and also lengthened my exposure time. and nothing. 

Here are the steps that are being taken.

Wash degrease screen let sit over night in a room with a dehumidifier 

Next day I apply emulsion from chromiline 
In a light safe room (however I did just realize that I have a black light in there as my light) could this be the reason for this happening? 
After that its in the exposure unit for 35 sec to 3 min I tried 9 today just to see 
and I still get the emulsion coming off taking me back to square one
HELP PLEASE DETAILED INFO AND STEPS
I though I was doing this right but apparently not
Thanks
Matt Christopher


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## ole Jobe (Jun 16, 2009)

Any pressure washer will take emulsion off. 40-60 psi (normal household water pressure) is all that is needed to clear the image. For years I used a sink type faucet with a spray attachment. Now I use a garden hose with a sprayer on the end. Works fine. God Bless.


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## RatedOG (Jan 26, 2010)

Maybe your emulsion isn't completely dried before your burning? I let mine dry at least 24 hrs before burning cause I don't have a drying rack or fan in my darkroom. 

Or the emulsion is only coated on one side of screen so it doesn't have a nice grab to the mesh?


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## MarshallA (Oct 7, 2008)

Without knowing your exact emulsion, type of exposure unit or mesh count it's hard to pinpoint an exact cause but it sounds as though you are underexposed. 

If you are using a weak light source exposure times will be significantly increased over the recommended times.

1-Get yourself a step wedge calculator to check exposure. This will allow you to make one test exposure and simulate 4 additional exposure times in one easy test. This makes finding the perfect exposure for your equipment easy to pinpoint.

2-Look at your screen coating...Does it appear uniform across the entire screen? If you have areas that look heavy while other areas look thinner your coating technique needs improving as the thicker areas will require more time than the thinner areas and could result in the problems you have now.

If you see this problem while coating you can correct it by running the scoop coater over the screen without tilting it up to scrape off the excess emulsion.

Coating Consistency across the entire screen is critical to uniform exposure times.

A pressure washer is ok to use as long as you keep your distance and don't try to rush the process.


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## sga10 (Jun 20, 2010)

Hey Again,
So Here is whats happening now
I have changed the light souse and the screens are doing better but still coming off in various places many big pin holds

I am using 110-155 screens
pc701 emulsion 
workhorse exposer unit point 1000 uv/ halogen system
I still using the pressure washer but holding it away for the screen quit a bit and is still coming off. I had to call it a night on it tonight I was getting very annoyed but anyways thats some info about what I am doing

Also I am coating it one and one and letting it dry and ware from 4- 24 hrs I have a fan and a dehum in the room and it is very small. also some I am coating 2-2 just to see

I have not ran a exposure test but have did the screen for 3 mins and It seem to burn fine just not getting the results I am looking for that I saw in the class I took (the basically did the emulsion we let it dry and then the next day we burned it and they used a pressure washer and it worked fast and clean
Also another thing I have notice is as soon as I hit the screen with just low pressure water it gets these lines in it is that anything worry about it just looks like its getting wet but i touched it and its not coming off.

Thanks for all the useful info I will try until I get a perfect screen that I can be happy with and display 
Thanks for all the help


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## MarshallA (Oct 7, 2008)

sga10 said:


> I have changed the light souse and the screens are doing better but still coming off in various places many big pin holds


Make sure your glass is very clean...Can you post a pic of one of the screens your having a problem with?


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## sga10 (Jun 20, 2010)

yeah I will first thing in the morning if it doesn't work out. When I meant light I was talking about in the dark room. But I will try for sure also another question I am debating about is what rip program I should go with? Accurip or just stick with wilflex easyart? using both PS and AI also right now my transfers have dots but I'm working them kinks out as well! Ugh I'm stressing b/c I have two big jobs lined up for the beginning of sept and worried like crazy!!
Thanks again for all the help! and Advice!!!
[email protected]


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## jmlampert23 (Nov 7, 2008)

You have one of two problems or both......
1). You are not letting the emulsion dry completely before u make a screen

2). U are not exposing long enough and the emulsion is not hardening fully


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## CNClark (Mar 2, 2010)

You're screens are underexposed. Burn them longer. 

In order to use a power washer, you're screens will pretty much need to be burned perfectly. Any underexposure, and you'll run into the problem you're having. To get by until you can do a step-wedge test, put down the power washer and use a regular garden hose and spray nozzle, it's a lot more forgiving.


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## Andyrooter (May 11, 2010)

Next time you burn a screen just take a water hose to it and then rub it a bit with your finger on an exposed piece (not your image); see if the emulsion feels sticky or a hole appears in maybe ten seconds. Then you'll know if your problem is with exposing or if you're blasting your emulsion out with your pressure washer. I don't use a pressure washer, in fact, I use a garden hose just barely turned on for 110-155 mesh screens. I just gently rub it of with my fingers once it's been rinsed a little and the image is showing through. I find it doesn't damage the image on lower mesh count screens. However, on higher counts and obviously more complex burns, the image will get wiped out in fine details. Works great for lower counts though (especially to find out if the pressure is your problem), just be gentle. Hope this helps.


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## Dwaynec (Feb 15, 2010)

try spraying water on screen on both sides and let screen sit for 1 minute then wash with light pressure. if print side feels slimey you are under exposed increase your burn time


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## MarshallA (Oct 7, 2008)

sga10 said:


> My emulsion keeps coming off after my screen is burned.


 Just wondering if your up and running?


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## choover73 (Sep 22, 2010)

oh man, I spent 5 months going off a recommended burn time. Only to realize that when experienced people say to do an exposure test...do what they say. I found that I was close when using vellum, but was still off a minute...which does matter. And I was about 6 min. off on my transparency. How do I know that the test was a success? I gently sprayed water on my burned screen, let it set for 3 minutes and continued to mist my screen every few seconds, the water soaked into the unburned emulsion, I used low pressure to finish the wash and screen was completely clean with no hard pressure.( that little tid bit about letting the water soak in, came from this Tshirt forum and it works with no forcing water to mess up your image.

Hope this helps
Listen to the people with experience (its FREE)


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## choover73 (Sep 22, 2010)

choover73 said:


> oh man, I spent 5 months going off a recommended burn time. Only to realize that when experienced people say to do an exposure test...do what they say. I found that I was close when using vellum, but was still off a minute...which does matter. And I was about 6 min. off on my transparency. How do I know that the test was a success? I gently sprayed water on my burned screen, let it set for 3 minutes and continued to mist my screen every few seconds, the water soaked into the unburned emulsion, I used low pressure to finish the wash and screen was completely clean with no hard pressure.( that little tid bit about letting the water soak in, came from this Tshirt forum and it works with no forcing water to mess up your image.
> 
> Hope this helps
> Listen to the people with experience (its FREE)


sorry, I forgot to tell my total wash out time was less than 5 min. And minus one headache.


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## Detailscreenprnt (Jul 31, 2012)

sga10 said:


> Hey guys well here is the deal
> I have just opened up my shop and having one major trouble. My emulsion keeps coming off after my screen is burned. I use slow water to make sure it burned after seeing the image i hit it with the pressure washer and thats when the trouble hits. The image starts to come off but the the other emulsion starts to flake as well leaving me with no image. I have tried to slow down the pressure and nothing, shortened and also lengthened my exposure time. and nothing.
> 
> Here are the steps that are being taken.
> ...


MATT! Your emulsion isn't dry- or maybe youre blowing it out w the pressure washer- you don't need a pressure washer to clear out the image-only a cup and warm water- after you expose it just pour the warm water all over the image- from maybe one inch away- VERY SOFT- do this for about 2 min- you'll see it starting to clear- then you can raise the cup about 2 feet above the screen and "splatter" the image with the water in a thin stream


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## screeningdude (Nov 15, 2011)

sga10 said:


> Hey guys well here is the deal
> I have just opened up my shop and having one major trouble. My emulsion keeps coming off after my screen is burned. I use slow water to make sure it burned after seeing the image i hit it with the pressure washer and thats when the trouble hits. The image starts to come off but the the other emulsion starts to flake as well leaving me with no image. I have tried to slow down the pressure and nothing, shortened and also lengthened my exposure time. and nothing.
> 
> Here are the steps that are being taken.
> ...


Hello Matt: Here a couple of tips. Make sure that your screen is thoroughly washed after you degrease and of course the overnight dry with a dehumidifier is good. Not sure of how you are coating the screen. . bottom, top, etc but the emulsion also has to thoroughly dry as well. If you are applying a heavy coat of emulsion it will take much longer to dry. Consistent coating technique is very important, but that is another subject. Sounds like you are trapping moisture in the emulsion and that it is not thoroughly dry. If you touch the back of your hand to the emulsion, it should not feel cool. On your washout, you are not looking to blast the emulsion off. .the emulsion that is not exposed is water soluble, so your water wash just needs to dissolve the unexposed emulsion. On the final washout you can use your pressure washer, but hold it back away from the screen so as not to pressure wash the exposed emulsion from the screen.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

2 yr old thread Josh

nice of you to offer advice though!


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