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screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: Stinkhorn Press on March 02, 2016, 09:46:46 AM

Title: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: Stinkhorn Press on March 02, 2016, 09:46:46 AM
I'm putting up walls - build them so it fits in the dark room (with room for FPU table, drying cabinet, emulsion station and screen racks) or just have it outside the room?
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: Printficient on March 02, 2016, 09:50:46 AM
I would put it just outside the door.  Hopefully this puts it near your wash out sink.  This gives you more room for screen inventory.
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: Stinkhorn Press on March 02, 2016, 10:02:56 AM
I would put it just outside the door.  Hopefully this puts it near your wash out sink.  This gives you more room for screen inventory.

Mine has always been IN the dark room, but it was a small tabletop unit - but most everyone's I see is sitting outside the darkroom, but I'm not really seeing the advantage to that - just more elbow room in the darkroom itself? It's nicer not working under bug lights?
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: alan802 on March 02, 2016, 11:43:19 AM
I like working out in the brighter space and ours is just outside the darkroom next to our film positioning table.
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: Screened Gear on March 02, 2016, 12:28:19 PM
Inside the dark room. I don't understand why anyone would risk even the sleight exposure in shop lighting.
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: Orion on March 02, 2016, 12:47:26 PM
16'X18' screen room with double swinging door access, fully climate controlled and plenty of safe-light with 3 fixtures of 4-4 ft. bulbs. Racks for up to 150 screens a Tri-Light and an I Jet II plus a rolling cart for storage and coating screens.
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: Sbrem on March 02, 2016, 01:30:31 PM
separate room adjacent, like 10 steps to the sink, 5 steps to the screen dryer...

Steve
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: jsheridan on March 02, 2016, 04:17:55 PM
I like closed loop systems with everything behind walls. No chance of light scatter or contaminated shop air.

Keeps things easier to clean
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: 3Deep on March 02, 2016, 06:10:07 PM
Our's sit in a semi dark room and then about 20 ft to the washout inside or about 10 ft to our washout just outside the back door.
Title: Re: Exposure Unit - inside darkroom or not?
Post by: ABuffington on March 04, 2016, 12:28:56 PM
Light contamination outside the dark room is always a concern, especially if there is a large warehouse door open.  Blue sky, reflected sunlight off of a nearby wall can affect fast exposing emulsions and make washout more difficult than it needs to be.  My first question on a tech call can often be; 'where are you washing the screen out?"  It amazes me how many times it's outside the shop! 

Al