# Burn a screen with the sun? Or light bulb?



## cposch (Apr 20, 2006)

I have a small screen i need to do a very small print for. Screen is about 12 inches by 12 inchs. 

I do not have a place to burn the screen (ie. a real lamp). Is it possible to burn a screen with photo emulsion using the sun, or a home lamp??? Please let me know how I would do it.

Also, once i do actually put the paint on the material, am I supposed to heat cure it? How do i do that with a regular iron?

Thanks much....appreciate all your help peeps.


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## ffokazak (Feb 23, 2006)

Sure you could. UV light cures the emulsion. 
The only question is how long to leave it in the sun..... With a light its been tried and true.


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## Squirts (Feb 17, 2006)

cposch said:


> I have a small screen i need to do a very small print for. Screen is about 12 inches by 12 inchs.
> 
> I do not have a place to burn the screen (ie. a real lamp). Is it possible to burn a screen with photo emulsion using the sun, or a home lamp??? Please let me know how I would do it.
> 
> ...


 I really hate to rain on your parade but I dont believe your going to find a quick easy answer. Even with a commercial vacume exposure unit exposure tests must be done to find the correct exposure time when changing mesh colors, materials and or emulsions... If you google "How to screen print" you should be able to find quite a few sites that will give you an understanding of the Basics to help you start out with... it will also explain the inks envolved with textile printing with this under your belt we may be more able to answer your questions that you will still or might have.... 
Heres one to get you started http://www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/site/799934/page/513584
Good luck with your project.... Chuck


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## ffokazak (Feb 23, 2006)

Hey Cposch
Heres some info that might help.
When i first started, i used a commercial Halogen 500w lamp. You know, the Work Lights. 
I used it at 13" from the Emulsion surface, for 12 minutes. 
I cosistently got great results form this distance. No wash out around the edges, and no over cooking the screens. 
Remember to put some glass on the artwork to keep it flat, { it does get hot form this distance} A local glass shop can get you a 20" x 24" sheet of NON uv blocking glass for less than 10$ 
And yeah, wash it out with cold water for about 5 mins, and if its sunny, i will prop it up outside, and in 10 mins shes ready to tape up. 
Also if its night time{ my fave time to work} i just lay it on the ground under a flash unit to speed up the drying time. 
Hope this helps.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

cposch said:


> Is it possible to burn a screen with photo emulsion using the sun, or a home lamp???


As others have said, possible but unreliable.



cposch said:


> Also, once i do actually put the paint on the material, am I supposed to heat cure it?


Yes you are.



cposch said:


> How do i do that with a regular iron?


If you're using plastisol: you don't. If you're using waterbased ink: you let the ink air dry (you can speed it up with a hairdryer, etc. if you want), then iron over the print for the time the manufacturer recommends, normally supplied with the ink.


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## hollywoodnightma (Aug 25, 2006)

ffokazak said:


> Hey Cposch
> Heres some info that might help.
> When i first started, i used a commercial Halogen 500w lamp. You know, the Work Lights.
> I used it at 13" from the Emulsion surface, for 12 minutes.
> ...



we use two 500w halogen lamps 12" high and leave for 7 mins, and never have any screens mess up!


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## zippy (Feb 22, 2007)

Thank GOD and lowes for the 500w halogen light. Thats what I been using for a year now and it works GREAT! Slow! but great,,but 9 to 11 mins is not to bad to wate...i can take a smoke break


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## icf (Oct 10, 2012)

So im going to start screen printing this weekend i have everything come in from silkscreening supplies . com but i couldnt afford an exposure unit, and ill be trying to expose my screens in the sun, but one more question should i put the transperancy on top or bottom when exposing?


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## stujohnston (Sep 21, 2012)

The positive should lay against the substrate side (The side that touches the shirt) I have exposed in the sun a few times and I find it to be pretty reliable so long as you use a slow emulsion that has a fair amount of leeway. Unfortunately, I wouldn't try to use these same emulsions with a 500w halogen due the length of time it would take to expose. 

There is a book by a guy named Andy McDougal that everyone should read that has instructions on how to expose in the sun. His go to rig is a large rotating vacuum table that can be turned to face a large window. Pretty slick if you ask me.


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

I've burned screens with sunlight many times, will take between 30-45 seconds under the noon sun using ulano QTX emultion.
You will need a board that fits inside your screen covered with a dark cloth to prevent reflected light from exposing the underside of the screen.


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## lastboat (Apr 11, 2011)

icf said:


> So im going to start screen printing this weekend i have everything come in from silkscreening supplies . com but i couldnt afford an exposure unit, and ill be trying to expose my screens in the sun, but one more question should i put the transperancy on top or bottom when exposing?


put it facing the light source. Get your self an exposure calculator and you will have to 'sacrifice' a screen to see what the best time will be.


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## icf (Oct 10, 2012)

i will need a piece of glass that will go over right? and i got that prochem dpx pink emulsion would you guys know how long it would take or like superD70 said just experiment? and thanks guys


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

Yes you will need a piece of glass to press the Film to the screen. Unfamiliar with prochem but if it's a diazo dual cure I'd start with 40 seconds


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## icf (Oct 10, 2012)

yeah its dual cure diazo, reason i got it is because it seems like its the easiest to mix for now, i actuall do vinyl decals banners etc and now expanding to doing screen print and nice to have to people help out on something but thanks again


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

No problem, everyone here is very helpful.
I burn outside all the time, I can do half a dozen in the sun faster than 1 on my exposure unit.
Get a exposure calculator next time you order anything, it will help dial in your exposure times


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## icf (Oct 10, 2012)

yeah sure will and i also need that scale that shows how tight the screen is and idk what its called?


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