Washing out screens just got easier.

[mjrprint]

Get a dip tank, fill it with water, attach a fountain motor or something similar to agitate the water. Put your screens in there and let them marinate for a min or two. Wash out with ease.

[Frog]

Especially in the days of solvent cleaners, I suggested a little degreaser like simple green in there as well.

[ebscreen]

I think he's talking about post-exposure Frog, though you might be as well?
Solvent cleaners, what's that?


I'm in the process of pimping out my screen room, separate washout booth,
post-exposure dip tank, the works.


Here's a question though, if you leave a screen in the tank for too long (I'm apt
to walk away from things) will it ruin your stencil eventually?

[Frog]

Okay, washing out an exposed screen, I can dig that, in that case, I will share that I have always wet the screen, let sit a minute, and then actually rub gently with my hand and/or fingertips until I can feel the edges start to appear (or actually disappear)

A woman I used to work with called this process "creaming" but I think that she was just trying to sound suggestive and was flirting.

[bimmridder]

I've left screens in my tank overnight (being the bonehead I am) and had them wash out fine. Andy might chime in on the final part of my comment here, but I think the key is proper exposure.

[Mr Tees!!]

...I use a diptank for the same process. I dont even use any sort of agitation, it still works just fine. I use a diazo-type emulsion, and have left the screen in there overnight and it developed with no ill effects. I have heard that if you soak a photopolymer emulsion for too long, the coating can potentially delaminate from the mesh, but I have no personal experience with that.

[jvieira]

great tip! we're trying this, will likely save us a lot of water (and the environment). Oh, and also time

[jvanick]

I've left screens in my tank overnight (being the bonehead I am) and had them wash out fine. Andy might chime in on the final part of my comment here, but I think the key is proper exposure.

we took a 2 week vacation this past winter, and I forgot a few frames in post-exposure soak tank...  they rinsed out just fine as well...

[ZooCity]

Wow,  two weeks is nuts.  Our thicker coated stencils would delaminate for sure if left too long.  The thinner coat ones might not.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[jvanick]

2 were SP1400, about 30% EOM on a 160S

the most shocking one tho was a 20% or so EOM on a 225S with 50lpi halftones... the 90% open and above were gone, but everything else stayed.

[Frog]

I just re-read this old thread and was reminded how I was confused by the term "washing out" thinking reclaim. (hence the tip of degreaser when petroleum based cleaners got in the way of emulsion remover effectiveness)

A very vague term indeed as it could be understood as developing (rinsing out unexposed emulsion), cleaning out ink, or like I originally understood, reclaiming the emulsion.