High eom emulsion comparable to SP1400?

[mimosatexas]

So I am finally feeling like I have a "legit" screen making setup, at least compared to what I have been doing for the last 10 years in one form or another.  Finally have a 5k MH, integrator (calibrated with Stouffer strips), using Accurip with Accuink on a 4800, etc. 

I am currently using SP1400 because it is bullet proof and cheap as hell, and for the most part I like it A LOT, but I'm wondering if I should go through the process of testing out some more emulsions.  My only real complaint when it comes to the SP1400 is it isn't perfect in every way for every kind of printing   Specifically, it is a thin emulsion and on lower mesh counts and with S-mesh especially, I just can't really get the eom I want on something like an 83/71 for one hit whites and thicker transfer prints or shimmers.  I am very likely going to just start using two emulsions, but would love to know if there is a similar emulsion to the SP1400 with a tiny bit more body (viscosity, solids counts, whatever makes higher eom easy to achieve in those situations).

I do a fair amount of waterbased printing, though it is usually in smaller runs (100-150 max probably 95% of the time), so being able to still coat 1/1 for low eom is nice of course.  I liked HVP okay for a while, but found it to be too sticky in the Texas humidity, and had issues with dots coming out during a run even with plastisol (which was likely do to poor expo unit and poor films, but maybe not?).  I really haven't tested emulsions since I found SP1400 because it just works so well most of the time, so any insight is appreciated.  Thanks!

[Frog]

If you want more emulsion on the mesh than you can get with normal coating procedures with your 1400, how about face coating after the first application is dry?
It's an old, proven technique.

[mimosatexas]

I've never had good luck with that for some reason.  Always seems like the coater will stick oddly.  I'm sure it's a technique thing, but if anyone has tip on that I would be more than happy to try it out.  Any issues with the face coat "delaminating" from the original coating, or will the emulsion hold up the same?

[Screen Dan]

What exactly are you looking for as far as EOM goes? 

While my guys don't like HVP because of the lack of contrast against the mesh is annoying while spraying out screens with super small features, we do love HV...which I'm told by my supplier is essentially the same thing, but I have my doubts.  (It feels thinner.)

It can be built up pretty easily and is bullet proof for plastisol and nearly bullet proof for WB/DC if you expose it fully...and you can also post expose it effectively...on both sides if you want.

My screen room is climate controlled so I don't really have to contend with environmental factors...and we go through a gallon of it pretty fast.  We've had slow weeks and I've seen what a bucket that's been around for two weeks turns into.  We usually go through two or three gallons a week, so we skip that part.

[Wildcard]

I've found the Ulano Orange pretty good for building up a really thick stencil without face coats.
I've also not had any success with the face coating process, I think the dry coat gets sticky the moment the moisture of the new emulsion is applied and I end up with a wrinkled towel surface on my screen...

[Printficient]

Xenon has a few.  Nova. HD440. Plastofast.  All under $60 per gallon

[jsheridan]

The SP1400 is the bottom of the barrel cheap stuff. Used enough of it to know it's just cheap, that's all. works but meh..

If you want to stay with Murakami, HVP would be a step up. Add diazo and you have a WB screen.

CCI would be WR Blue or WR-3 WR-12 WR-14 WR-25 based on your preferences.

Ulano is always my go to brand and prefer the QT discharge with some hardener D

oh yeaah.. forgot about Autotype.. their new 9000 is some dope stuff ($$$$ of course) and of course their Blue is hands down the longest used emulsion in the trade.

[mimosatexas]

I used HVP for about 2 years.  I like lots about it, and getting high eom on lower mesh is super easy, but I had major issues with it holding halftones, even with diazo added, for whatever reason.  I may check it out again though now that I have a better setup.  The stickiness here in central texas was pretty bad though...

I liked WR14 when I tested it, but it isn't available locally and seemed pretty much on par with SP1400 in every way I could tell.

Have no tested any Ulano stuff honestly.

[TCT]

We have tried a few but ALWAYS come back to the SP-1400. There is just SO little downside. For a higher eom we just face coat whatever screen we are going to use.

We also had the "chatter" problem in the cold months up here like Jason mentioned. Talked to Al from Murakami, I thought his diagnosis and solution were nuts, but I'll be damned if it didn't solve the situation!
It would take something dramatic to have us switch emulsion!

[TCT]

I've never had good luck with that for some reason.  Always seems like the coater will stick oddly.  I'm sure it's a technique thing, but if anyone has tip on that I would be more than happy to try it out.  Any issues with the face coat "delaminating" from the original coating, or will the emulsion hold up the same?

I TOTALLY know exactly what you are talking about! You almost need some emulsion on the lip of your coater to act as a lubricant(giggity giggity).

[jsheridan]

  I may check it out again though now that I have a better setup.  The stickiness here in central texas was pretty bad though...

Have no tested any Ulano stuff honestly.

With that new light you have and a dry screen, you'll see a huge difference.

[mimosatexas]

Dryness before exposure isn't an issue.  My screen room stays under 35% humidity all the time and screens usually spend 24 hours minimum in the room before anything.  The main issue is during and after exposure. the second it leaves the screen room it gets gummy.  In the few minutes it spends on the exposure glass, the films tend to weld themselves to the emulsion (not interested in getting baby powder everywhere), and on really bad days I've even had the hvp stick to shirts on press and lift them off of waterbased tac...

no such issues with SP1400 for whatever reason.  I'm going to try to get the whole facecoating thing down and see if that works.

[Frog]

.  I'm going to try to get the whole facecoating thing down and see if that works.

Maybe just less pressure will equal less friction

[jsheridan]

I'm going to try to get the whole facecoating thing down and see if that works.

The HVP sticky.. yeah it'a a known problem and worsens the longer the screen stays on the glass.

I've done extensive face coating testing and it does not do what people think it does. It really does not increase the EOM all that much, it smooths the screen surface, known as the RZ value and allows the print side of the screen to make a really tight gasket with the print substrate, really important for flat stock printing.