# How do you know when emulsion is dry?



## wplate (Jan 13, 2008)

I've read that depending on heat and humidity that emulsion can dry in as little as ten minutes or as long as two hours.

How does one know when emulsion is dry enough to expose?

Thanks.


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

Some one told you wrong!
Yikes
No, a *minimum *of a couple hours...I let mine sit overnight.
I'd also say that the ones that are ready in a couple hours are using a heated (low) drying box.


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

To know it's ready.................
Ok, you want to be able to run your finger acrossed it and it feels like plastic. 
Not slimy. Not just dry on the surface. 
If it's not fully dried, you'll have problems when you expose and rinse.....your image will slime and melt off, running into and blocking your screen.


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## wplate (Jan 13, 2008)

Celtic said:


> Some one told you wrong!
> Yikes
> No, a *minimum *of a couple hours...I let mine sit overnight.
> I'd also say that the ones that are ready in a couple hours are using a heated (low) drying box.


Overnight seems safest, but if I were to want to get going after a couple of hours I wanted to know how to check the screens.

Thank you for your replies.

Here are the two threads I read tonight with people reporting fast drying times...
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t4604.html
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t21615.html


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

I have made several screens and burned them within a couple hours. after you coat them put a fan on them from the side about a foot away from the edge and turn it on low so that you get good air flowing without any directly hitting the screen, then put a little portable heater behind it on low so the the air is warn and dry. 2-3 hours and your ready to burn.


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## Paulie73 (Jul 24, 2009)

mine sit overnight as well, but I still blast them with a hairdryer on low heat to really get rid of any humidity just before burning.


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## drunkswithapress (Jan 15, 2009)

i've been impatient about wanting to make my t-shirt and burned my screen before the emulsion was dry, all it did was make my t-shirt take longer, because it washed out. i let them dry overnight with a fan to be sure.


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

Yes, Everyone does it a little different, yet we all do it the same....


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## TshirtGuru (Jul 9, 2008)

Buy a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier will extract moisture from the emulsion (which is what dries the screen). Using a fan will just blow air around and dust particles. 

Although using a small fan in addition to a dehumidifier will help too. But a dehumidifier is important.


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

It depends on the time of year and where you are as to if you need a humidifier or not. I am in Northern California and right now humidity is around 30%-35% and I have no problem with screens drying in a couple hours without a dehumidifier, where as I have friend on the coast where the humidity is around 80%-85% and he has to use a humidifier year round or his screens take 24 or hours or more to dry.


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