Aquasol HV question

[Inkworks]

I'm hoping to get away from hardener for short to medium runs, the reclaim with hardened screens sucks and we've had some issues with successive runs on the screens with ghosting and improper wash-out of exposed images. This was with Autotype 8000 emulsion and hardener.

We've got an 8K light source, vacuum frame that can fit 4pcs. 23 x 31" frames at a time, and don't burn screens 24/7, so exposure time isn't a big issue.

Only problem is we're getting so busy there isn't much time for experimenting.

[ZooCity]

I've never added the diazo.  Like others said:  completely dry coated screen, full exposure, completely dry again, emulsion blockout, post expo @ 2x initial on squeegee side, harden (if needed).

I don't bother with the hardener unless we're going over 300pcs and/or color changes are involved or the screen might be up for a couple days.  Even then I really only notice the effects of hardening when printing with very high mesh/thin stencils, it has a very positive effect in that scenario.

I insist on using the pink for no other reason than thick coated Aquasol stencils, like for plastisol, will be opaque dark with the blue.  They don't offer the undyed version in less than a drum so we use the pink.  Funny you should mention the blue feeling "more durable", Richard Greaves told me that is done by emulsion mfg's for that very reason- we printers think it's more durable.  So yes, I believe the color of dye is the only difference although different colors of emulsion, like different colors of mesh may/may not absorb light differently which could make a noticeable change in exposures.

I do keep a contact solution bottle full of the blue on hand for blockout so you can easily see what you are blocking out.

I wholeheartedly agree with Colin that the cracking of thicker stencils at higher o.c. is the only downside of Aquasol.  But, I bet that "brittleness" is what lets us confidently soak our screens in a tank of plain water and blast out 60lpi dots on a 330/30 with a pressure washer.  If you need a more flexible emulsion for those thick plastisol screens check out Kiwo One Coat.  If you are printing DC/WB I'm of the opinion the screen should be on contact so no real issue with cracking there unless you are printing over seams and such.

[Colin]

I wholeheartedly agree with Colin that the cracking of thicker stencils at higher o.c. is the only downside of Aquasol.  But, I bet that "brittleness" is what lets us confidently soak our screens in a tank of plain water and blast out 60lpi dots on a 330/30 with a pressure washer.  If you need a more flexible emulsion for those thick plastisol screens check out Kiwo One Coat.  If you are printing DC/WB I'm of the opinion the screen should be on contact so no real issue with cracking there unless you are printing over seams and such.

Chris:

I just gave the Kiwo One Coat a shot.  It will not keep detail well on the LX mesh.  It does not have the same grip that the Aquasol HV has   The reduced "surface area" of the LX mesh (and T mesh to a degree) is it's bane.  Otherwise I thought it a decent product.  Maybe it will do better on a higher wattage exposure unit?

I tried gently increasing exposure times to the point of a 45% increase (thinking I may have been underexposing a touch ) and it did not help.  I just lost detail from overexposure.

We have the side/squeegee cracking when we are doing some plastisol, and occasionally when printing over seams/off the garment.  Oddly enough it never cracks on the seam, just the squeegee edges.  We do raise our off contact a touch on seams.

I do love that I don't "have" to harden for low runs.  Up to several hundred for standard WB, about a hundred or so for discharge.  We are currently using all Rutland WB products with CCI's ZFS.  It's a smaller particle size and stirs into the ink a bit easier.

I was told that depending on the chemistry of your WB ink (i.e. how many solvents are used in your waterbse ink of choice) that has a big influence on the performance of your emulsion during the print run.

[ZooCity]

Ya know, I think we were running all Roller Mesh when I used the One Coat.  Noted regarding the thinner threads.  I reckon it's a lot of give and take with emulsion characteristics- it can flex more but will bridge less, etc.

That makes a lot of sense regarding the solvents.  We are all CCI and Sericol, both of which use Stoddard or "White" Solvent.  I believe Matsui and likely some others are different.  I know that our wb flatstock inks use glycols instead.  This could be why we see some reporting no breakdown and others seeing it happen and needing diazo.