# What exactly are emulsion sheets?



## rocker (Oct 11, 2011)

I was watching a video on Youtube where a guy was printing t-shirts using emulsion sheets without using the screens.

I'm still a bit confused about the emulsion sheets. I think they are sheets that already have emulsion applied to them and ready to be exposed so that we don't need to prepare screens for the job.

I checked out on eBay for the emulsion sheets. This is what I've found. Is this the kind of thing that was used in the video? On eBay it says "_Works with Yudu and all other screen printing equip_". What does that mean? Can't I use them just like in the video or am I looking at the wrong thing?


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

The Ebay ones are capillary films for use with a screen. The YouTube one is a combination of a plastic screen and an emulsion sheet. I watched the video and I don't understand why you would do it this way instead of with a regular screen. It doesn't save any steps and printing takes way longer.


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## rocker (Oct 11, 2011)

Ripcord said:


> The Ebay ones are capillary films for use with a screen. The YouTube one is a combination of a plastic screen and an emulsion sheet. I watched the video and I don't understand why you would do it this way instead of with a regular screen. It doesn't save any steps and printing takes way longer.


I want to start in a very small scale without having to purchase a lot equipment. The method shown in the video seems very easy. I don't need to deal with screens and emulsions. Just an emulsion sheet, a printer and a simple exposure kit. At this stage, I don't want to buy any expensive heat press equipment as well. The method in the video seems quite good for me to start with. Also the artwork in the emulsion sheets are reuseable.

Are emulsion sheets hard to find in the market? You said the ebay ones are capillary films. Do you know emulsion sheets sold on ebay?


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

I didn't look but in the video he mentions there is a link in the description. If you are wanting to sell your shirts I'm going to suggest getting better ink, and a better process.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

rocker said:


> I want to start in a very small scale without having to purchase a lot equipment.


You can do that. A wooden screen, the capillary film from Ebay (or a quart of emulsion,) a squeegee, and a jar of water soluble ink are all you need. You can get that stuff cheaper than buying the kit and you'll be able to do larger prints and many shirts at a time instead of just one.


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## rocker (Oct 11, 2011)

Ripcord said:


> You can do that. A wooden screen, the capillary film from Ebay (or a quart of emulsion,) a squeegee, and a jar of water soluble ink are all you need. You can get that stuff cheaper than buying the kit and you'll be able to do larger prints and many shirts at a time instead of just one.


ok. If I use capillary film, is it reusable or do I need to prepare stencil every time I need to reuse the design?

If I use screens, can I use iron to heat press the artwork like shown in the video?


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

rocker said:


> ok. If I use capillary film, is it reusable or do I need to prepare stencil every time I need to reuse the design?
> 
> If I use screens, can I use iron to heat press the artwork like shown in the video?


Once you prepare the screen you can use it for as many prints as you want. If you use water soluble ink like on the video it will air dry and you can use an iron to heat cure it.

With water soluble ink you must print fairly quickly so that the ink doesn't dry in the screen and you must clean up the screen when you are finished printing. Then you can use it again for the next time you print.

Plastisol ink is easier to use but needs a heat source to cure. Back in college we used a propane camping heater and it worked fine...LOL We took turns carrying the shirts out to our porch to cure them.


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## rocker (Oct 11, 2011)

Ripcord said:


> Once you prepare the screen you can use it for as many prints as you want. If you use water soluble ink like on the video it will air dry and you can use an iron to heat cure it.
> 
> With water soluble ink you must print fairly quickly so that the ink doesn't dry in the screen and you must clean up the screen when you are finished printing. Then you can use it again for the next time you print.
> 
> Plastisol ink is easier to use but needs a heat source to cure. Back in college we used a propane camping heater and it worked fine...LOL We took turns carrying the shirts out to our porch to cure them.


Thanks.
Is water soluble ink expensive than plastisol ink?
Does working with emulsion and the inks produce unpleasant lingering odor? I want to try these in my apartment.


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