# printing white on black - coating the screen with emulsion correctly



## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

hey everyne, this is my second post 
i'veintroduced myself in the indtriduction forum 

anyway, i have some questions and i really hope people here will have an answer for me cause i have ravaged the net for specific information about this and have failed to find satisfying and clear enough information..

this is my problem, im trying to print large white print on black t shirts. now i have read so many articles and seen so many videos about this and what i eventually understood is this:
-110-156 thread count for the screen
-thick emulsion layer (on the outside of the screen)
-off contact which is not too low
-a correct squeegee control 

im made all the mistakes (i now have prints which are doubled (not synced after flashing due to shirt sticking to screen and pulled out of place when i lift the screen), really rough prints (also due to screen sticking to shirt i guess), blurry prints and so on

so i tried focusing on creating a thick emulsion layer and failed MISERABLY more than a few times....what i do is put a first coat on the outside and inside, then dry, then coat again on the outside, dry again and coat one more on the outside. the first two times i tried this, the whole emulsion got ruined...the inside washed ou completely while the outside was so thick..
so i skipped the third coat
and still it was under exposed every time

i dunno, i really dont know what im doing wrong, i tried playing with the exposure time but still no luck
thing is its so time consuming creating so many layers of emlusion since it takes around 30 mins fora thick coat to dry 

thing is i have to put the shirts out in like, 10 hours, and i havent slept for 24 hours, and im so frustrated 
i have spent SO much emlusion (stupid of me to pratice on a big print)

anyway, does anyone know how i should get the perfect thick emulsion coat and still get the stencil out right?
any tips, obvious stuff, whatever
if i need to give out more information please tell me 

thank you, thank you, and thank you again for reading and caring!


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

try coating it one on both sides, then print flash print. u don't need to have it thick.
to prevent the shirt to sticking to the screen make sure u use Adhesive


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## fadzuli (Jul 8, 2008)

yeah if u dun have the spray adhesive u can use a few clips to hold the shirt to the platen, if its bigger than the screen. 

as for the prints, most prob u have to print flash print. if not enough then more flash prints, 

with regards to the emulsion i think it needs practise. watch the videos available on youtube and c if you can improve your technique. 

all the best!


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

thanks for the reply 

i have a adhesive spray but no matter how much i spray, and then add 10 clips clipsing the shirt to the board, it still get stuck and pulled up real bad....

i really prefer creating a concrete, opaque white with perferably one stroke (i could have used flash if i could guarantee 100% the shirt will stay in the EXACT same location after i lift the screen)

i watched so manu videos on youtube but almost no one shows how to create a thick emulsion layer although alot of people talk about it...in general i barely saw videos of people coating emulsion on screen compared to other instructional videos)


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

Print-screen said:


> thanks for the reply
> 
> i have a adhesive spray but no matter how much i spray, and then add 10 clips clipsing the shirt to the board, it still get stuck and pulled up real bad....
> 
> i really prefer creating a concrete, opaque white with perferably one stroke (i could have used flash if i could guarantee 100% the shirt will stay in the EXACT same location after i lift the screen)


what kinda adhesive are u using it shouldn't pull Ur shirt up, no matter what if u want a nice bright white u will need a print flash print


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

its a Wilflex Hot-Tak Adhesive
says "formulated for flash curing applications"

the white ink i used is a Bright Cotton White Plastisol PADM-1027, by Union Ink


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

Print-screen said:


> its a Wilflex Hot-Tak Adhesive
> says "formulated for flash curing applications"
> 
> the white ink i used is a Bright Cotton White Plastisol PADM-1027, by Union Ink


i have never used that adhesive but i assume u need to heat that adhesive when its the pallet with a flash? 

what are u planing on printing?
do u want a think print or a soft hand print?


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

well of course i will always prefer a soft hand print...
but i use plastisol and the print is pretty large (36 cm wide * 55 cm long)
actually the front of the shirt has a big *** logo printed in white, and on the back just bold text (and really big as i stated before) printed in white
so yeh i prefer getting a soft hand and not a bulletproof vest


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

Print-screen said:


> well of course i will always prefer a soft hand print...
> but i use plastisol and the print is pretty large (36 cm wide * 55 cm long)
> actually the front of the shirt has a big *** logo printed in white, and on the back just bold text (and really big as i stated before) printed in white
> so yeh i prefer getting a soft hand and not a bulletproof vest


ok so then flash print flash is the best way to go.
the thicker the coat on the emultion is the thinker ur print will be


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

when you say flash print flash
you mean i first flash than print than flash and print again?

flash the blank shirt before i start


the problem is i still cant ensure the shirt not moving out of its place.. :\


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

i just tried again, with a thinner layer of emulsion

the screen still REALLY really sticks to the shirt....its so bad....
and after i lift he screen (besides the fact that th shirt is all messed up cuz it bounced up) the screen is not cleared...
the ink part of the stencil is not clear and is full of white ink......my off contact is probably around 0.3 CM (


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

how long are u letting ur screen dry after u emulsion them.
after u flash u should give it s few seconds to cool donw before the other layer


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

it varies, i just leave them in the oven untill i come back, no less than 15 20 mins usually...
sometimes i leave them for an hour or so cuz i forget, and it still happens

yeh i tried cooling down, the thing is i dont even get to flash! new screen, nothing printed yet, the first attempt to print already gets stuck so bad to the screen that flashing wont matter cuz the shirt goes out of place...


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

Print-screen said:


> it varies, i just leave them in the oven untill i come back, no less than 15 20 mins usually...
> sometimes i leave them for an hour or so cuz i forget, and it still happens
> 
> yeh i tried cooling down, the thing is i dont even get to flash! new screen, nothing printed yet, the first attempt to print already gets stuck so bad to the screen that flashing wont matter cuz the shirt goes out of place...


what do u mean the oven?
one more then what are u using to expose ur screens
im running out of ideas


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## snarley (Feb 9, 2007)

Hi Guy

I don't think you have enough off contact clearence and you are pushing your screen down on your substrate (T-shirt) and this is causing it to stick.
I would double your off contact to 0.635 CM (1/4 inch). You might be laying down to much ink and this will often cause the screen to stick. With white ink you are better off with a light first coat that you flash and then print another coat on top it. 

Plastisol inks are very thixotropic which means that the ink will stiffen when not in use. When you stir or mix they will reduce slightly. you should always stir your ink before printing. If it is still to thick you can reduce the viscosity by adding a balanced reducer.

There are two types of reducers, the older version is based on a liquid plasticiser and is clear and oily. if you add to much the ink won't cure because there is to much plasticizer for the resin in the ink to absorb.

The best reducer is a balanced or curable reducer. It has both resin and plasticizer and will not affect the balance of the ink while lowering the viscosity or making it thinner.

There are other factors involved like screen mesh count, ink color, garment color. When printing light colored shirts, the ink should be smooth and creamy. For dark colored shirts and athletic prints it should be thicker.

Before reducing the ink check its consistency by stirring it first, if it is still to thick mix in a small amount of balanced reducer. the best way is to have a mixing board rather than try to mix the whole container. place your ink on the board stir it good and if necessary add the reducer. You can also do this on the print screen if your overall image will allow it.

Ink that is reduced slightly will flow through the screen and be easier to print and will result in sharper prints with good ink penetration. 

This is just few things of many when you get into other additives and types of speciality inks you will have other things to contend with. All of this becomes much easier as you progress in this field.

I hope this is of some help and good luck in your screen printing.

Bill m


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

yeh sorry you can read about my setup in this post
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/member-introductions/t66846.html

anyway the oven is a dark closet with a heater and a fan built inside with shelves for the screens to sit on
to expose my screens i use a 1000W halogan bulb, around 53 CM away from the screes
in the past hour, i started thinking that maybe im under exposing the emulsion (and the actual thought is that i've been under exposing this whole time, only this time its crucial and it really affects the print)
why did i think about this? 
all the stencils i made so far (not too many, but its been a few weeks of trial and erroe) came out really wet. i mean the emulsion part thats suppose to harden is geting really soft after i wash it, as if i can actually smear it off with my fingers...
one way i can see a problem is that i use a vaccum cleaner after i wash the screens, before i putem in the oven, so they'll dry faster. if i vaccum after i wash the screen from emulsion (after exposing) the vaccum hose that touches and sucks the screen smears off the wet emulsion over the part of the screen where the emlusion had fallen off (where the ink suppose to transfer)

what im trying to say is, now that im trying thicker and more steady stencils, i cant do it perfectly with a worn off emulsion layer
so maybe this is it? i dunno im trying now longer exposure times and it might work


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## sweden2008 (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi!

I had the same problems that you have a couple of months ago.

First like speaker above - Add more off contact.

I Flash my palet 60-80sec before i put any shirt on to get the surface really sticky. This actually helped me out alot even when printing hoodies and sweatshirts.

When running the squege dont pull it to you with an angle. Press down about 80 degress and run it to you. This helped really much.

And always check the screenprinter that the palet isnt moving tighten all screws. And check all the adjustment screws so that there is no space for glitches. 

Hope this helps.

//Daniel


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

thank you everyone for the replys...
but as i suspected, nothing works...the stencil still barely, barely comes out reasonable, and once i try to put ink through it, there is either not enough going through (resulting in spaces without ink or less ink compared) or there are TONS of ink coming through, like flooding the shirt with wayyyy excess ink (its like acrylic strokes on the shirt)
whatever happens, the shirt still sticks (not as before though, i put 4 (4!) off contact tabs that will force the screen to stay up (which still doesnt work 100 percent)
my squeegee technique is downward around 80 degrees and swiftly pull it towards me

anyway....i've given up
the deadline was tonight....
my friends are gonna be so disapponted 
this is my 10th hour IN A ROW, trying to make a decent stencil...
i cant believe i spent 10 hours n this, havnt slept almost 24, and too bad for the people around me cuz im so cranky and frustrated i almost feel like breaking in tears from frustration and lack of sleep 

anyway,i appreciate anyone who tried to help, really appreciate it
i really thought i'd nail it but i guess better luck tomorrow
im gonna get my sleep
if still some tips pop to your head, just throw'em at me

THANKS


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## Spot_Worker (Oct 22, 2008)

......did you do a step test? So, I may not be on to see if you did I'll tell. Do a screen. let dry fully. Place in the exposure unit. Place something to block the light on the screen. Cover all but a couple inches. Turn on lights for 15 to 20 sec.(depends what you think the time could be,2 or more minutes kinda thing,or what ever).Expose, move the block a couple inches. Expose move a couple inches, and so on till its done all the way through. Wash. You will have bands from rub it off to rock solid. From the rub it off side each band is 20 sec more than the last. 20sec,40sec,60sec so on find what works with the thickness of the emulsion that you use. Find the magic number use the art on that time.


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## jmlampert23 (Nov 7, 2008)

flash print flash print. you want to make sure the first coat is dry to the touch before printing the second coat. also use adheasive and let the shirt cool a minute beofre the second coat is added.


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLqCWaZPRRE&sdig=1[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvrPiMZbIT8&sdig=1[/media]


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## Print-screen (Nov 6, 2008)

thank you so much for all your replies!
the two videos at the end man i totally missed them, i think they helped me alot
ill try it all now and i will give updates when i finish


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## bootlegclothing (Jun 22, 2010)

when I was reading about the shirts sticking my first thought was screen wasnt cured all the way... I've had the pattern wash out but when u put newspaper on to soak up water the screen pulled the ink and I found it wasnt fully cured....maybe that is the prob...dont know just a guess


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## jayell (Dec 1, 2011)

maybe the "heater" is keeping the emulsion from fully drying...
I just use a regular fan and it driesin about 30 minutes but I still wait about 45-60 minutes before burning the artwork just to be safe.

I would think the heat is keeping the emulsion from fully drying...and that is why the shirts keep sticking to the screen.

did you shake the adhesive good before use??

try heating the pallet up before spraying the adhesive if it needs to be used hot...or try a regular adhesive.

I was going through a similar nightmare the other day...spent the whole day coating screens, burning screens & ending up with bad results...right when was ready to smash everything & jump up & down on it I stopped for a few hours, left everything alone and later that night started all over...sometimes stress will make you screw up without even knowing it.


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## PrimalScreen (Apr 20, 2010)

How clean is your pallet? Cotton shirts will tend to leave a build up of lint (fine cotton fibers) on the pallet leaving no stick from the adhesive ...and no matter how much spray you put down it will just create a gooey mess on the pallet and inside the shirt. Try and stick your hand to the pallet ...does it have a nice hold or does feel somewhat gooey-sticky linty-oily? If you don't keep the pallet clean the adhesive won't work at all. Hopefully this will help =)


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## PrimalScreen (Apr 20, 2010)

Also, more coats of emulsion = longer exposure times. I only use 1 to 2 coats per side ...wet on wet ...no drying between coats. Try using a dehumidifier in your oven. My exposure times are 82sec for 1 coat and 128sec for 2 coats ...also I'm using a Vaccum Table with UV Blacklights.


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