Vastex 2000 LED exposure unit teaser

[blue moon]

We've been testing the Vastex Exposure unit here for last few weeks and I find myself liking it more and more to the point it is the first unit I go to when exposing screens. The MH unit is seeing very little use right now. I will be sad to see it go back (not in the budget right now).

pierre

[Gilligan]

So you would switch 100% given the choice?

[blue moon]

So you would switch 100% given the choice?

I like it very much and would most likely switch. I still have one more batch of tests to do and will know better then. My opinion, FWIIW, is that anybody not printing at competition level would be better off with this unit. If the tests go as anticipated, even the high end stuff will look as good as MH unit while having many other advantages.

pierre

[mimosatexas]

If you have a chance can you let us know more about what emulsion(s) you're testing and the results.  I guess more details in general would be awesome.

[JBLUE]

I would like to know how it handles 55 an 65 lpi when you run those test.

[Frog]

If you have a chance can you let us know more about what emulsion(s) you're testing and the results.  I guess more details in general would be awesome.

It may take some searching, but I think that Pierre has posted a bit in other threads about the experience with different emulsions and the Vastex and original Baby Joe units.

[244]

If you have a chance can you let us know more about what emulsion(s) you're testing and the results.  I guess more details in general would be awesome.

It may take some searching, but I think that Pierre has posted a bit in other threads about the experience with different emulsions and the Vastex and original Baby Joe units.

cant speak for others units but ours is exposing pure photo polymers at 3 seconds and diazo at 12 seconds. Lon Winters has been here one week so far and has one more to go and we will have most emulsions mapped on all three different versions of ours. Test results will be available by the SGAI show in two weeks.

[mimosatexas]

With exposure times like that how opaque does the film have to be?  I'm assuming the amount of UV is massive, and wonder if my inkjet film will block it sufficiently...

[JBLUE]

If you have a chance can you let us know more about what emulsion(s) you're testing and the results.  I guess more details in general would be awesome.

It may take some searching, but I think that Pierre has posted a bit in other threads about the experience with different emulsions and the Vastex and original Baby Joe units.

cant speak for others units but ours is exposing pure photo polymers at 3 seconds and diazo at 12 seconds. Lon Winters has been here one week so far and has one more to go and we will have most emulsions mapped on all three different versions of ours. Test results will be available by the SGAI show in two weeks.

For those of us not making it to that show will there be a way to see the results?

[GraphicDisorder]

3-12 seconds Rich???  That's quick, gowns the Vastex ones times Pierre?

[244]

3-12 seconds Rich???  That's quick, gowns the Vastex ones times Pierre?

It is what it is. Our units will be at the show AND we will be coating and exposing screens. Look for the big yellow room!

[blue moon]

3-12 seconds Rich???  That's quick, gowns the Vastex ones times Pierre?

not that quick, but not far off either. . .

pierre

[244]

If you have a chance can you let us know more about what emulsion(s) you're testing and the results.  I guess more details in general would be awesome.

It may take some searching, but I think that Pierre has posted a bit in other threads about the experience with different emulsions and the Vastex and original Baby Joe units.

cant speak for others units but ours is exposing pure photo polymers at 3 seconds and diazo at 12 seconds. Lon Winters has been here one week so far and has one more to go and we will have most emulsions mapped on all three different versions of ours. Test results will be available by the SGAI show in two weeks.

For those of us not making it to that show will there be a way to see the results?

there will be video shortly after the show.

[alan802]

I've got 5 screens I was going to take over there and test out but couldn't do it on Friday due to being shorthanded so maybe I can go today.  I'm not going to mess around with the expo calculator rules and I will just put the screens on there and burn them for 10-30 seconds in 5 second increments and see what happens.  According to the expo calculator I used last time, nothing would have been exposed properly until the 30 second range and that was 305 and HVP emulsion, no diazo so I'm not thinking this unit I'm testing with the emulsion I'm using is going to be as fast as some are expecting.  I hope I'm wrong though, I want LED to be great.

When it comes to testing this stuff, we can do some crazy 10 second exposures with our MH unit and get a usable stencil but no way would that screen hold up to DC inks so I'm not sure what the standard should be when testing.  There is no real way to test this unit without running a long DC job on them when we're finished exposing them for 5 seconds or whatever the time is because I've seen it so many times, a screen looks fully developed and shows no signs of underexposure until you're 50 shirts into a DC print. 

[Gilligan]

Do you have any of the exposure step strips?  We throw those on every screen to see how our exposures/coating/emulsion is doing.  Just sort of a checks and balance... only downside is the ink and tape react after a while.