# Screen Closing when Printing



## mrbs (Jul 22, 2010)

Please help. I've been having trouble with my screens. After I reclaim screens, put the emulsion on, expose the image and wash it out, all looks fine until I'm ready to print. First pass and parts of the image "close" and I can't get the ink through. Everything looks nice and clear until then. Any ideas why this might be happening?

Thanks!


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## lvprinting (Sep 23, 2014)

The emulsion may be washed away but some residue may remain.

Clean your screen first with opener or cleaner. Then with a very soft cloth or a tshirt soaked with some water, wipe the areas where there is an emulsion clog. You don't need a lot of pressure because you can ruin your image.

Then dry it off and try again. I just did this last night with a 230 mesh screen but it works on all mesh screens.

Sent from my SM-G900T using T-Shirt Forums


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## 2020 PrintWorks (Apr 22, 2011)

When we're done hosing out the image we always take a squeegee and run it over both sides of the screen. Then get a paper towel and fold it a few times and dab the image area until they're no more water. If we don't we get clogged screens also.


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## rejectaverage (Feb 8, 2015)

When I reclaimed I used simple green and washed them front and back. That always worked for me but there were times that I just did broad strokes while cleaning and didn't get in there with a good scrub. I had some screen opener at my side. Mineral spirits worked well for me as well.

After my screens were dry from reclaiming I would always hold them up to a light to see if any film was showing. You could easily spot those areas.


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## zilos452 (Feb 10, 2015)

are you d-hazing them and making sure they are clean. Be sure that when drying that you don't leave the screen wet and running down through the image. This will cause a fine film of emulsion to close up the image.


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## studog79 (Jul 13, 2006)

I think your screens are under exposed, which most people do and you get some emultion in the screen, light coating that then dries in the washed out part, Have you done a step test to see how long your screens need to be exposed>


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## speedypr2001 (Dec 28, 2013)

What ink color and mesh combination are you using? Sometimes highly opaque inks can be difficult to push. 

Also, what durometer squeegee are you using? Are they sharp or dull?


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## mrbs (Jul 22, 2010)

I'll give it a try...thanks


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## mrbs (Jul 22, 2010)

I expose my screens the same very time...10 minutes. Maybe I need to replace my bulbs.


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## DavidLRobison (Feb 3, 2015)

Whats likely happening is this:
your exposing your image and washing it out and it looks fine right?

while that screen is drying you still have wet emulsion that can "Creep" that is what is causing your blockages in all likelihood.

We always use a squeegee to clean off excess water and emus ion residue then using an air line with a manual trigger on it we blow out the screen around the image effectively blowing all the wet creeping emulsion and residue out of the image area. then let the screen dry in a horizontal position so the image doesn't have gravity pulling the unstable drying emulsion back into your image.
This will clear your image area and keep your screen image crisp.

We do that on ALL screens every time.

this should fix your issues.


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## zilos452 (Feb 10, 2015)

make sure that your shirt boards are not getting to hot if flash curing and causing the ink in the screen to cure and clog the image.


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## squeegequeen (Feb 11, 2009)

If your getting film residue left behind from washing out the image, pat dry the screen of excess water & take a low pressure air hose to it afterwards to dry & clear out the image.


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## sgsellsit (Jul 31, 2008)

There is also a possibility of underexposing the screen. Believe it or not some emulsions actually react differently with weather or seasons. We have to expose our screens a little longer in the winter especially lower mesh counts. Something we do is blow the screen with our air hose to quickly clear out the water than can run down into your image. If you get a little haze and I know this is gross but it works but lick your finger and rub the area it will clear. Since emulsions are water soluble if you use too much water you can actually reactivate the emulsion to start washing out. Saliva is not water and therefore it doesn't activate the emulsion as quickly. I'm old school, you do what you know, right?


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