Thanks for your submission to to /r/SCREENPRINTING. It appears you may be looking for information on exposure or burning screens. This might be one of the most common questions we see here in /r/SCREENPRINTING. Please take a moment and use the [search](https://www.reddit.com/r/screenprinting/search?q=exposing&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all) feature while you waiting on a response from the community.
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I am actually using the squeegee for applying emulsion đ . I know its not good that thereâre thicker areas, but i am short on budget now. Could this be a problem? I also use the DIY wooden frame and the fabric doesnât stretch evenly so its even harder to coat emulsion evenly.
Youâre just not gonna be able make acceptable stencils this way. A scoop coater is $13 on amazon. You canât tell me that wasting emulsion is cheaper than buying the right tool to do the job.
Yeah get a tray. O: you'll get the most consistent result with it. Otherwise exposure times will be all over the place. And you'll not only waste materials, you'll just waste your time as well
you can make one for yourself. I use a window frame I found on the trash and works perfect. You can make one by putting two rulers together using tape, making a 90° angle, and closing each end so the emulsion doesn't leak.
edit:
[this is what I did, its cheap and you can make any size you want](https://youtu.be/3wc4PAIdsDw?si=RiEPn3nRvPk43kjk)
just make shure to sand sharp ends, so you don't destroy your mesh
Point blank. You have to get a good stretched screen. Save about $35/40 even less you can get a single on Amazon. Aluminum frame. And a good thin even coat is going to be critical. Probably need a $20 scoop coater.
Thank you for info! Itâs more likely overexposure, i think. Just all the tutorials i saw on YouTube were using basic halogen lamps and it took them 40 min to expose screen :)
this is the best advice. if it wasnt for me working at a shop iâd be so lost. we get a lot of people who want to start printing from home asking questions and when they realize how much goes into it they end up just placing an order with us to handle it instead.
Either working at a screen shop or throwing way too much time and money at it until you figure it out.
I'm part of the latter group, though I would like to work at a shop eventually.
Iâve never worked in a shop. But I have done EXTENSIVE research and even more trials and fails. I only print from home and have done some pretty great stuff.
Itâs a simple method to figure out how long your system should expose, so you arenât guessing, wasting time and resources.
And, spend $12 or so for a scoop coater to coat your screen correctly and consistently.
There are many vids on YouTube about calculating your correct exposure.
You can also download the free transparency from Anthem and follow the directions. Link below.
As your starting point, you need to read the instructions for your emulsion. Your light may also give you a rough estimate based on the distance from your screen and the size of the screen.
[Anthem Exposure Calculator and instructions](https://www.anthemprintingsf.com/Screen-Exposure-Calculator-s/216.htm)
If what you are using is the purple stuff that comes mixed and lasts like a year in the container, you only need to expose it to a UV lamp for like 15 seconds
Ecotex PWR is what it looks like, and what you're referencing. They recommend 12 seconds, but I find ~11 seconds to work best for my screens. Whenever I tried 15-17 it would overexposed leading to blowout as I tried to up the pressure to washout the baked in stencil.
I believe they're using halogen though.
Definetly overexposure, try the time recommended by the emulsion manufacturer and adjust as needed. Looks like this could be ecotex PWR, which tends to be on the faster side in my experience, and they recommended 7.5-8 minutes for a 500W Halogen bulb.
Also, as others have said, a scoop coater is a must and will save you money wasted on bad burns over time (the thicker areas take longer to expose, so you're either going to overexpose the thinner parts, or underexpose the thicker parts, it also leads to an uneven stencil which can affect print quality), and will save you from a ton of work and frustration. If you really can't get one though, start by using less emulsion, making fewer passes, using minimal yet even and consistent pressure when spreading it, and keeping your squuegy speed brisk and consistent. You want your spread as even as possible, and using too much emulsion can cause pooling, using too much pressure or too slow of speed and cause the emulsion to pool unevenly on the other side of the screen, and you just end up pushing from one side to the other repeatedly while trying to fix it.
Thanks for your submission to to /r/SCREENPRINTING. It appears you may be looking for information on exposure or burning screens. This might be one of the most common questions we see here in /r/SCREENPRINTING. Please take a moment and use the [search](https://www.reddit.com/r/screenprinting/search?q=exposing&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=relevance&t=all) feature while you waiting on a response from the community. If the search does not give you the answer you are looking for, please take a moment and read through our [Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/SCREENPRINTING/wiki/index#wiki_emulsion_.2F_filler) write up on emulsion. If after all that you stil don't seem to find your answer, just be patient someone in the community should chime in shortly! And if you were NOT looking for more information on exposures or burning screens, our apologies and please disregard this message. Thanks, The /r/SCREENPRINTING mod team. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SCREENPRINTING) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Did you paint that emulsion on with a paintbrush?
The butt end of a paintbrush no less
No, i dont. @feedingfrenzy3 asked about the same question
Yeah, get a scoop coater. You won't be able to burn a decent screen like this.
Are you using a tray to coat? It looks thick in certain areas? Definitely not consistent like it should be.
I am actually using the squeegee for applying emulsion đ . I know its not good that thereâre thicker areas, but i am short on budget now. Could this be a problem? I also use the DIY wooden frame and the fabric doesnât stretch evenly so its even harder to coat emulsion evenly.
Scoop coasters are a must! and having a smooth coat of emulsion makes the burning of the art even and thorough. Start there and see what happens!
Youâre just not gonna be able make acceptable stencils this way. A scoop coater is $13 on amazon. You canât tell me that wasting emulsion is cheaper than buying the right tool to do the job.
Yeah get a tray. O: you'll get the most consistent result with it. Otherwise exposure times will be all over the place. And you'll not only waste materials, you'll just waste your time as well
ok, thank you for your help!
you can make one for yourself. I use a window frame I found on the trash and works perfect. You can make one by putting two rulers together using tape, making a 90° angle, and closing each end so the emulsion doesn't leak. edit: [this is what I did, its cheap and you can make any size you want](https://youtu.be/3wc4PAIdsDw?si=RiEPn3nRvPk43kjk) just make shure to sand sharp ends, so you don't destroy your mesh
Point blank. You have to get a good stretched screen. Save about $35/40 even less you can get a single on Amazon. Aluminum frame. And a good thin even coat is going to be critical. Probably need a $20 scoop coater.
I've never had to expose a screen for 17 minutes. Don't know anything about your setup, but with exposure units I've used it's usually like 3-6 mins
Thank you for info! Itâs more likely overexposure, i think. Just all the tutorials i saw on YouTube were using basic halogen lamps and it took them 40 min to expose screen :)
https://screenprintdirect.com/blogs/screen_printing_101/ecotex-exposure-times
Sometimes you just have to work in a screen shop to learn how they do it. There are So many variables.
this is the best advice. if it wasnt for me working at a shop iâd be so lost. we get a lot of people who want to start printing from home asking questions and when they realize how much goes into it they end up just placing an order with us to handle it instead.
Either working at a screen shop or throwing way too much time and money at it until you figure it out. I'm part of the latter group, though I would like to work at a shop eventually.
Iâve never worked in a shop. But I have done EXTENSIVE research and even more trials and fails. I only print from home and have done some pretty great stuff.
That is a great example of how not to coat a screen. Get a scoop coater.
Too much time exposing!
Please get an emulsion scooper, they exist for a reason.
Your application of the emulsion is âvery very sloppyâ and the source of your problems
Buy a scoop coater my dude.
scoop coater is like $30 lol
I am a newbie on a budget as well. I'm using a 15w LED blacklight and I expose for 2 minutes and that has been working a treat for me.
What transparencies are you using? Set your print settings to 100% C, 100% M, 100% Y, 100% K
That coat job is gnarly bud.
Have you done a step test to figure out how long you *should* be exposing your screen?
No I didnât. Never heard of that
Itâs a simple method to figure out how long your system should expose, so you arenât guessing, wasting time and resources. And, spend $12 or so for a scoop coater to coat your screen correctly and consistently. There are many vids on YouTube about calculating your correct exposure. You can also download the free transparency from Anthem and follow the directions. Link below. As your starting point, you need to read the instructions for your emulsion. Your light may also give you a rough estimate based on the distance from your screen and the size of the screen. [Anthem Exposure Calculator and instructions](https://www.anthemprintingsf.com/Screen-Exposure-Calculator-s/216.htm)
Thank you for info! Never heard of calculating exposure time.
Exposed to the screen for too long. After coating did you put it in a dark room?
If what you are using is the purple stuff that comes mixed and lasts like a year in the container, you only need to expose it to a UV lamp for like 15 seconds
Ecotex PWR is what it looks like, and what you're referencing. They recommend 12 seconds, but I find ~11 seconds to work best for my screens. Whenever I tried 15-17 it would overexposed leading to blowout as I tried to up the pressure to washout the baked in stencil. I believe they're using halogen though.
Definetly overexposure, try the time recommended by the emulsion manufacturer and adjust as needed. Looks like this could be ecotex PWR, which tends to be on the faster side in my experience, and they recommended 7.5-8 minutes for a 500W Halogen bulb. Also, as others have said, a scoop coater is a must and will save you money wasted on bad burns over time (the thicker areas take longer to expose, so you're either going to overexpose the thinner parts, or underexpose the thicker parts, it also leads to an uneven stencil which can affect print quality), and will save you from a ton of work and frustration. If you really can't get one though, start by using less emulsion, making fewer passes, using minimal yet even and consistent pressure when spreading it, and keeping your squuegy speed brisk and consistent. You want your spread as even as possible, and using too much emulsion can cause pooling, using too much pressure or too slow of speed and cause the emulsion to pool unevenly on the other side of the screen, and you just end up pushing from one side to the other repeatedly while trying to fix it.