Emulsion Which one?

[Nation03]

... And UNDERexposed emulsion causes all sorts of headaches, starting with reclaim. ....

Post expose will help with this. I got in the habit of post-exposing specifically to address reclaim, back when we were using a flo tube box. I think it's a good practice in general, because it can seemingly only do good for your stencils.

I ended up post exposing for the back print and had the same trouble. It was summer at the time so I put it out in the sun for a while as well. Not sure what the deal was. The bulb in my Amergraph is pretty old, but I haven't seen any other signs of under exposure.

I'm mainly a Plastisol shop anyway. Main reason I used discharge on that job was because it was a 20" long print and I don't have a flash long enough to PFP it.

[Redeemed]

Murakami T9. You can print ANYTHING with it, no hardeners, no diazo, fast exposing. Print sim process to discharge prints with a post exposure. We use this and have printed runs up to 10k impressions discharge and ZERO breakdown issues. Can't beat the price either. Spot color supply sells it. If you use an led unit, you can expose 305T or 330S in 2 seconds, 230T in 4 seconds, 225-s in 3 seconds, 150S in 5 seconds, 180 S in 4 seconds. This is with a starlight as you know all led units are NOT equal, but these are our times on the mesh counts we currently use. Post expose in the sun or back on your unit for 30 seconds to 1 minute on the unit, or just stick in the sun ink side up. We NEVER have breakdown issues. Awesome stuff all the way around if you are looking for 1 emulsion. We coat on a M&R UniKote 1/1 sharp edge inside, round edge outside on speed 40 and have perfect eom for all of our print needs and the above exposure times. Contact Spot Color Supply, they may send you a sample.

We were using the Chroma Tech wr, it is just as good, but hard to find suppliers willing to stock it, and had some inconsistencies between pails, so that's a no go for me. You'll find the T9 with better pricing as well as a Murakami Rep right here on shirt board, Alan Buffington.

Sounds good since i am going to be buying some stuff from Spot Color Supply but i see the times and ease of use for you because you have a LED Exposure Unit, I am going to be using a UV Blacklight Tube Unit, will it work with that? i'm Guessing if it will It definitely wont be at those exposure times.

I JUST CHECKED SPOT COLOR SUPPLY, THEY DON'T SELL Murakami T9!

[IntegrityShirts]

Murakami T9. You can print ANYTHING with it, no hardeners, no diazo, fast exposing. Print sim process to discharge prints with a post exposure. We use this and have printed runs up to 10k impressions discharge and ZERO breakdown issues. Can't beat the price either. Spot color supply sells it. If you use an led unit, you can expose 305T or 330S in 2 seconds, 230T in 4 seconds, 225-s in 3 seconds, 150S in 5 seconds, 180 S in 4 seconds. This is with a starlight as you know all led units are NOT equal, but these are our times on the mesh counts we currently use. Post expose in the sun or back on your unit for 30 seconds to 1 minute on the unit, or just stick in the sun ink side up. We NEVER have breakdown issues. Awesome stuff all the way around if you are looking for 1 emulsion. We coat on a M&R UniKote 1/1 sharp edge inside, round edge outside on speed 40 and have perfect eom for all of our print needs and the above exposure times. Contact Spot Color Supply, they may send you a sample.

We were using the Chroma Tech wr, it is just as good, but hard to find suppliers willing to stock it, and had some inconsistencies between pails, so that's a no go for me. You'll find the T9 with better pricing as well as a Murakami Rep right here on shirt board, Alan Buffington.

Sounds good since i am going to be buying some stuff from Spot Color Supply but i see the times and ease of use for you because you have a LED Exposure Unit, I am going to be using a UV Blacklight Tube Unit, will it work with that? i'm Guessing if it will It definitely wont be at those exposure times.

I JUST CHECKED SPOT COLOR SUPPLY, THEY DON'T SELL Murakami T9!

They had it yesterday, I saw it. Must be out of stock. Shoot him an email, I bet he has more on the way.

I just ordered a gallon of TXR from him to try out and compare to aquasol HVP. I don't like that their datasheets list the emulsions as having basically the exact same properties as the other photopolymer emulsions. I think murakami should have a direct comparison tool so we can know what the DIFFERENCE is between these emulsions. I don't want to have to call/email/hunt down the details. Just want it up there on a site somewhere that I can browse at midnight when I have free time haha

[mk162]

My understanding is with Murakami it's a distributor issue.  They are ok to sell the mesh, but not that emulsion.  River City has it.

[Redeemed]

Ulano Blue is my go to right now. One of the only emulsions I don't need to put baby powder on to prevent my films from sticking to it. Comes in at $40 per gallon when you buy a 5 gallon so I'm all for that as well.

I'm guessing you are only plastisol.  According to the Union spec sheet -

BLUE is a ready-to-use, extremely-fast-exposing SBQ-photopolymer direct emulsion formulated for imprinted sportswear printing. It resists plastisol inks—including newer, more aggressive, post-phthalate plastisols—and most washup solvents, making it exceptionally easy to reclaim in automatic equipment or by hand.

I think "Redeemed" was going to explore waterbase and discharge to


Yes you are right about using others as well! A one hit wonder if there is one and on a UV Tube Exposure Unit.

[screenxpress]

I would still check out a quart of Ryonet's premixed Cryocoat and give it a try.  So far it's been working for me.

[Redeemed]

I appreciate everyone's input on Emulsions! After reading up on some of these brands you guys suggested I'm going to give
Murakami T9 and Murakami Photocure TXR  a try, They seem to be what i'm looking for, thanks for all the help!

[lancasterprinthouse]

I would still check out a quart of Ryonet's premixed Cryocoat and give it a try.  So far it's been working for me.

Been using this stuff for a year and it’s time to move on. Lots of breakdown issues (using LED) and frankly it doesn’t hold the detail that I’m trying to get. Going to give the T9 a shot as I like the fact that it has Diazo in it.


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[screenxpress]

I would still check out a quart of Ryonet's premixed Cryocoat and give it a try.  So far it's been working for me.

Been using this stuff for a year and it’s time to move on. Lots of breakdown issues (using LED) and frankly it doesn’t hold the detail that I’m trying to get. Going to give the T9 a shot as I like the fact that it has Diazo in it.


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I have Black Light Florescent tubes, not LEDs. 

[lancasterprinthouse]

I would still check out a quart of Ryonet's premixed Cryocoat and give it a try.  So far it's been working for me.

Been using this stuff for a year and it’s time to move on. Lots of breakdown issues (using LED) and frankly it doesn’t hold the detail that I’m trying to get. Going to give the T9 a shot as I like the fact that it has Diazo in it.


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I have Black Light Florescent tubes, not LEDs.

Can’t imagine you can get long runs out of it with blacklight can you? I can get 100 pieces runs or so with no breakdown. Anything more, forget about it even with post harden. Only a liquid gardener allows me to produce high quantity runs.


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[Colin]

What led system are you using?

Not all led's are created equal or equidistant

[lancasterprinthouse]

Mines a workhorse. I know, I know.. inferior to a starlight. Either way, I need to fix the breakdown issue so going to try a different emulsion.

The interesting part is when I first started using Crycoat I could get through 500-1,000 piece runs with no breakdowns and a 15 second burn. Just the past few gallons I’ve had to up my time to 80-90 seconds, post expose and still get breakdown after 100 pieces. Nothing else has changed in my screen making processes.

[Colin]

Mines a workhorse. I know, I know.. inferior to a starlight. Either way, I need to fix the breakdown issue so going to try a different emulsion.

The interesting part is when I first started using Crycoat I could get through 500-1,000 piece runs with no breakdowns and a 15 second burn. Just the past few gallons I’ve had to up my time to 80-90 seconds, post expose and still get breakdown after 100 pieces. Nothing else has changed in my screen making processes.

If you have been using the same exposure unit this whole time, then your unit is going bad

You can try the T9, but I would NOT put in the diazo.  That makes your exposure times much longer.  Expect to have close to the same exposure time.

I would not expect there to be any batch issues with the cryocoat.  But if there were, there would have been a LOT of feedback, so I would check with Ryonet juuuust to make sure.

[lancasterprinthouse]

Mines a workhorse. I know, I know.. inferior to a starlight. Either way, I need to fix the breakdown issue so going to try a different emulsion.

The interesting part is when I first started using Crycoat I could get through 500-1,000 piece runs with no breakdowns and a 15 second burn. Just the past few gallons I’ve had to up my time to 80-90 seconds, post expose and still get breakdown after 100 pieces. Nothing else has changed in my screen making processes.

If you have been using the same exposure unit this whole time, then your unit is going bad ?

You can try the T9, but I would NOT put in the diazo.  That makes your exposure times much longer.  Expect to have close to the same exposure time.

I would not expect there to be any batch issues with the cryocoat.  But if there were, there would have been a LOT of feedback, so I would check with Ryonet juuuust to make sure.

Why do you think my unit would be bad? I bet I don’t even have 1000 hours on it yet with bulbs who’s projected life expectancy is 50,000.

I’m not worried about the exposure time. More worried about holding better dots and breakdown than anything else. Is Crycoat just Saati PHU? I thought I read somewhere that it is.

I’m wondering if it had something to do with the winter months. My shop has heat but doesn’t get as warm as we’d like during the winter. Stays about 50-55 overnight.


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[Colin]

you went from a 15 second burn to a 90 second burn correct?  That's a 500% increase in exposure time.  If you were to see it just double... something would be wrong.  This is much more than that.

Emulsion is the same?

Screen mesh the same?

Screen mesh COLOR the same?

Emulsion thickness the same?

Dry box the same?  Dry box HUMIDITY the same?

Environment the same?  Environmental Humidity the same?

Films the same?

Film density the same?

Exposure unit glass the same?

SOMETHING changed.  You were getting amazing screens in 15 seconds.  Now you are not, at 500% more time.  What changed in your processes?  What changed in your equipment?

Now, are the cold nights, DRY nights?  or Moist nights?  If you don't already, get a hygrometer so you can check your relative humidity.  Screens (well) above 40% moisture will never be as good as screens below 40% moisture.  You will experience breakdown because a screen was not properly dry enough.

Before switching emulsions (to an emulsion that I love btw) make sure your screen room is following proper procedures and steps to make sure you have an optimal screen for exposure

I made an assumption earlier that your screens were properly dried and in optimal condition to be exposed for waterbase.  Lets make sure they are and then work backwards to fix the problem.