CCI HXT emulsion

[screenprintguy]

In another discussion I had mentioned that CCI had us test their HXT emulsion with discharge printing. I have to say, even though we had gone through a few gallons of it and were really happy with how awesome a non-diazo emulsion with no hardener needed worked with discharge printing, we are reeeeally happy with it now after the beating we put on a discharge under base screen over the past 3 days. We have had the same under base screen on press for the past 3 days, numerous scrub downs, between runs where we took some extended breaks, water wipe downs inside outside the screen, spray opener on it a few times where discharge gunked up during someones break because they didn't wipe it out good enough. 40psi double stroking with discharge white, and clear discharge, at least 3,500 strokes. I pulled the screen out of the machine a little bit ago for a clean out and the emulsion looks as fresh as when it was first imaged. No diazo, no hardener, $47 bucks a gallon and quick exposures, pretty dang awesome stuff!!!!!!!!  Also, for CTS users, it images very very nice on the I-Image CTS, and even with an 81 mesh screen, the image edges are way cleaner than other emulsions I've used on a heavy mesh count like that. Pretty awesome stuff. I'm so glad Robert from CCI came here and pushed me to test this stuff. It's my all in one emulsion now.

[alan802]

Didn't you get similar results from the Aquasol HV/P or am I thinking of someone else?  I thought I had found a great emulsion in the HVP without needing to add diazo or post expose for DC printing and now it seems like there may be better options.   I really like the HVP though, it burns so quick and I haven't heard of anyone breaking it down on press with DC jobs under several thousand pieces.  I'm just wondering if I should continue to test emulsions or not, just thinking out loud hoping someone might help me decide.

[screenprintguy]

Hvp worked but wasn't holding up as well as nova for us. Then cci gave us a gal of HXT to test and I'm glad we did. From what I'm told, hvp needs light like your exposure unit can give to really hold up. I can say without a doubt, for us the HXT is out performing hvp.

[ScreenPrinter123]

What type of exposure unit are you using with the HXT.  We have a quart here that you're making me want to test -- but we've been tossing around the idea of a new exposure unit to get in to the playing field of using nova and/or wr-14 as our standard emulsion so I don't have to worry about screen breakage with 3,500 piece discharge jobs, and to just keep one standard emulsion.  The drawback of the WR14 is the short pot life (I don't want to have to worry about breaking down the emulsion into smaller containers to partially add diazo!), however, and I don't know what the pot life would be for NOVA but the HXT is good for a year apparently.  If I could get screens to hold up indefinitely with our current 1k unit with HXT on 4k+ dc jobs, then that would make the decision to get a better exposure unit a moot point.

Last month, we used the  Aquasol HV (no diazo but used hardener (I think perm-x maybe) for a 4k discharge job and one screen gave while wiping the underside down.  Other than that, the screens looked somewhat beat up at the end, but were still holding up.  However, I'd like to not have to worry at all about screen breakage on jobs like this.  It seems, given your experience, like I could get away with 4k piece discharge jobs with the HXT without any problem, BUT what kind've exposure unit are you using - that could make all the difference in the world.  Again, we only have a 1k watt unit.

One thing about the NOVA, at least according to an ebay description, was that it has something like 59% solids -- that's right up the alley for someone like Alan who loves hammering out one hit whites with plastisol.  But, I don't have special beta ninja squeegees like him at my disposal, so I'm not stuck on having to go NOVA, but that's a nice solid count -- BUT, the price point for the HXT is even better than the Aquasol HV(P).  Anywho, thanks!

[ScreenPrinter123]

Let's put this into perspective:

Currently exposing wr-14's 2/1 coated on 150s mesh.  Started it, walked to my desk, ate my lunch, just walked back there and it's still exposing.   

[screenprintguy]

Tri light 3k. 300 lu on this unit is clocking about 90 or so seconds. Shooting 2 at once

[mk162]

i would really look at a new unit.  check out the baby joe LED unit or whatever it's called.

i switched to a 7.5k unit and wouldn't change it(unless I wanted to get into LEDs.  the power saving would be good for us.

[ScreenPrinter123]

I remember Pierre doing some testing with it. It seems new to the industry (?) - anyone have experience working with ldtronix and their support?  Anyone have a baby joe 2000?  Any comments? It seems like the unit is just shy of accommodating 25x36's.

[screenprintguy]

honestly for me right now, the way I image on the CTS, put two in the exposure unit while imaging two more screens, after the exposure is done, soak those two in the development tank, repeat steps and pull first soaking set to rinse in the wash out. The exposure unit is more waiting on me to feed it, than me waiting on it to be done. Now, let me mention, that 90 second exposure is for screens we plan to use with discharge printing, if we load it with screens set to use for plastisol, the exposure is around 50 seconds. HXT has a nice wide latitude on exposure time. I like to hit them longer for the water based printing, and so far it's the most awesome emulsion,  no diazo, no hardener, no post expose, under 50 bucks a gal. I would have stayed with nova till I found this one. We got such a nice deal on the 3k  tri-light and I was instructed on how to lower the screen holding rack closer to the bulb to get a nicer exposure, it's perfect for our system right now, but I do think in the future we will look at the 6k unit and upgrade. I've learned that any of the other units on the market that use the big covered bulb, say like the richmond unit, advertise, 7k or 10k, but that is what the lamp, "inside" the housing is releasing, they don't tell you that they light is actually knocked way down from the external housing and turns a 10 lamp into a 6k actual output. Still, I had a richmond, they are a beast. I just wasn't happy with service when we starting having some issues and really needed fast contact. I really like the way the tri-lights are built and their functionality is really nice too, so I'm pretty sure we will stay in that scope, just not sure if it will be a 6k tri-light, or the free standing 6k nu arc. Either way, Im really happy with our set up for now, and the HXT emulsion is just awesome stuff and awesome price.

[Parker 1]

What kind of detail are you guys getting from the HXT compared to WR-25 & 14? 

[screenprintguy]

I am gaining better detail, as nice as I got with nova, nova exposes very slow, which I think has alot to do with it's long lasting final stencil, as well as it's detail. This HXT is also a little slower which I feel the same thing as the nova. I'm not running 10,000 peice orders here, my average discharge order goes from 300 to 1,000 pieces. When orders come in over those numbers I will add diazo to the hxt which cci says will last very long and still hold serious detail. We just did an 8 color all discharge sim process job last week and held dots down to 2% on 230 mesh. It's awesome stuff with a low cost. Now, I'm also using a CTS so that captured percentage has to do with the direct to screen imaging, but I would imagine with a good vacuum draw down you will still have super clean detail. Contact your local CCI Rep, ours is Robert Luca, he gave me a gallon to test, and that's all it took for me to go shop wide with HXT. Very quick reclaim too. 30 seconds in the dip tank or it will all come off and settle in your tank lol. Any other emulsions we used that needed hardener, diazo ect had the standard 2-3 mins in the dip tank and still came off like a skin. Not having to harden this stuff it just liquifies in the tank.

[alan802]

Every time I think I've settled in on a DC emulsion a new one comes out that's just a little better than the last.  I'm glad Mike is the guinea pig on this stuff and not me.  I've got a 2800 pcs DC UB job coming up so I need a gallon of CCI Premium D-base and the HXT emulsion and I hope it works out.  If I screw up a bunch of shirts again the wife is going to kill me.  And she reminds us every day about the next DC job coming and how we better have things figured out.  Thanks for the info Mike, this is why this forum is the best.  I didn't have to waste $200 testing emulsion so I owe you something in return.

[screenprintguy]

Alan, you know the struggles we had finding that emulsion that worked for us. I figured I had to just find out for myself. Robert Luca from CCI said that the HXT should hold up without hardener or diazo up to 3500 pieces, and if planning for higher numbers, adding diazo will lock you in for the long haul. Your Richmond should expose the crap out of it awesome. Just another bit of info, I am coating 2 over 2 with the monster max scoop coater. I do a 10 mississippi count as I'm coating, "i know weirdo", to always make sure I'm getting awesome penatration. I picked that up from a Greg Kitson article in an older issue of Impressions I found in the crapper =). Sorry Greg, but your lessons come in handy in there lol. Let us know how it all works out Alan!

Mike

[ScreenPrinter123]

I've learned that any of the other units on the market that use the big covered bulb, say like the richmond unit, advertise, 7k or 10k, but that is what the lamp, "inside" the housing is releasing, they don't tell you that they light is actually knocked way down from the external housing and turns a 10 lamp into a 6k actual output.

So basically Alan's exposure unit sucks is what you're saying.  I can read between the lines.   

[ScreenPrinter123]

Every time I think I've settled in on a DC emulsion a new one comes out that's just a little better than the last.  I'm glad Mike is the guinea pig on this stuff and not me.  I've got a 2800 pcs DC UB job coming up so I need a gallon of CCI Premium D-base and the HXT emulsion and I hope it works out.  If I screw up a bunch of shirts again the wife is going to kill me.  And she reminds us every day about the next DC job coming and how we better have things figured out.  Thanks for the info Mike, this is why this forum is the best.  I didn't have to waste $200 testing emulsion so I owe you something in return.

Alan, does this job have halftones?  If not, blast the heck out of the screens during exposure and with either with HVP or apparently HXT, you'll probably be good -- I'd add hardener on a job like that regardless of the emulsion used just for insurance, until you have time to test.  I'd imagine screenprintguy (Mike?) and you would get similar results with the hxt since you both have very good exposure units, provided you're using similar dc inks.  My $.02.  Let us know how it goes.