# importance of coating both sides of screen with emulsion



## DogPound71 (Jul 7, 2009)

I am now starting to coat my screen with emulsion supplied by silkscreenprintingsupplies.com, but I do not have a power wash and it is hard to use a water hose since I have to take mine outside hook it up to the hose line out doors. (I live in an apartment complex) then bring my covered screen outdoors. That is very time cosumming. Well any way my question is it it very important to put emulsion on both side of the screen? I will only be doing very small runs and not having a power wash is a disadvantage, but if I put a coat of emulsion on one side (the print side) of the screen it would be much easier to wash out my stencil and a shorter exposure time.
I did two screens one was over exposed which is a learning experience, I reclaimed that easier than putting the emulsion on. And the second screen came out good but I could not clear areas that was not blocked out with my little hose. I had to use my fingers and help rub the emulsion off, and some area water got up under the emulsion- but in general my image was not destroyed. I used a block out to fix the areas I needed to fix. 

What do any one use if you are set up working in a very small space as an apartment and do not have a power wash?


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## 1leonchen (May 10, 2010)

i bought a kit from them and was in the same position. i had the pro chem wr- 6 emulsion water resistant. i nearly had gray hairs. switched to a pastosol dual cure emulsion worked great. i even built a dryer. a pressure washer is great but i also found The Victory Factory Spray Hose
Tools | Screen Printing | Victory Factory


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## Ken Styles (Mar 16, 2006)

I have never coated one side of a screen to burn an image. I have always coated both sides with good results. However I also wash out screens with no pressure or even a garden hose. I use a detachable shower head. Here is the trick: I take a soft cloth or wash rag and soak it in water so its dripping wet. Then after the initial soak right after the burn, (let it sit for 2 minutes or so) I gently rub the image area so the soft emulsion loosens up and starts to fade away. I flip the screen and rub the squeegee side even more gently. I rinse the rag out and then soak it again and rub the shirt side again so the image area is about 90% rubbed away. Then I take my shower head put it on massage setting (highest pressure) and quickly wash out whatever is left of the soft, unexposed emulsion. I check the screen against a darkroom light and wash out anything I missed. I get a nice crisp screen every single time.


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## DogPound71 (Jul 7, 2009)

Thank you for your help, I do coat both side but I was just thinking if it was a good idea.


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## DogPound71 (Jul 7, 2009)

Thanks for the tip I will order that water hose, Thanks again for that great tip!


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## mrvixx (Jan 13, 2009)

You do not have to go outside for a hose. Simply hook it up to the water from your toilet or the cold water under the sink.


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## macmiller (Jul 23, 2007)

dunk it in the bathtub for a few minutes, then use the showerhead. Like Ken said, see if you can get a detachable massage type one, that way you don't have to sit there holding the screen.


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## mrvixx (Jan 13, 2009)

macmiller said:


> dunk it in the bathtub for a few minutes, then use the showerhead. Like Ken said, see if you can get a detachable massage type one, that way you don't have to sit there holding the screen.


Yeah alot of women know where to get those showerheads


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## DogPound71 (Jul 7, 2009)

I have a sall head wash hose you hook mine to the faucet but not a lot of pressure power, I am going to try toby this hose suggested from one of memmbers wh helped me at the begining of this question thank for all yalls help,


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## Flatlander24 (Jun 16, 2010)

You can get an adapter that screws in where the aerator screen is on your sink so you can hook up a hose in your bathroom. If you look around you should be able to find a used electric psi washer fairly cheap as you can buy one new for around $100.00


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## DogPound71 (Jul 7, 2009)

I bought my hose from Victory Factory, but the hose only works on outside wate
 

​r hose faucets not a kitchen or housefold faucet. So, I went to HomeDepot and bought a $5.00 abdapter to fit on my bathroom sink, it took me a while to hook the sode up and I at first did not think it was going to work. 
Well it did I have power BABY!!!!. It works great, may not be a power wash but it is 10X better than a sink hose that you can wash hair or dogs hair. Thanks 1leonchen anf everyone who gave me advice and help


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## 1leonchen (May 10, 2010)

it was my pleasure to pass on some information. hope you are having fun


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