# How long can you leave emulsion in a screen before exposing it?



## Midnightjo13 (Jul 27, 2008)

Hello,
How long can you leave emulsion in a screen before exposing it? From my understanding couldn't you coat a screen and leave it in a dark room for a long time before actually exposing it, or is there are certain time frame that is optimal?


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## Uncle John (Mar 11, 2007)

Sometimes ours sit for a couple of week.


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## identitylab (Jul 25, 2008)

The longest for me was about 3 months, but you have to have a cool room and if your running lught in that room make sure its yellow bulbs


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## Midnightjo13 (Jul 27, 2008)

That is what I thought but I wanted to confirm before I coated my screens. I will be sure to store them in a cold room.
Thanks, I appreciate the input!


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## Trimere_Ink (Jul 23, 2007)

Don't forget, not just a cool room but also low humidity. Helps to have a dehumidifier running when you coat your screens to make sure the emulsion is dry to the core. Most people don't realize that even though the emulsion has dried to the touch, the core can contain wetness and contribute to exposure problems. And if you're using wood frames, it's just a good idea to keep them from warping and causing stress on the mesh.


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