How to make most durable screen? (stencil) whatever stupid noob question

[bucc]

What type of emulsion or glue or whatever makes the most durable screens? I can't seem to get more than about 10 pulls out of anything before it starts to get pin holes in it.

I've only done screen prints twice and they came out horrible.

[THE PiNCH]

its sunday and not the best night for a speedy response - so I will chime in though I don't have the best answer...

you can extend the life of your stencil by post-hardening it (reexposing once you've washed the soft emulsion out)

hope that helps a bit tonight at least.

[paul204]

You can also expose for the correct amount of time with a nice positive and get a good stencil right off the hop, no post-hardening necessary.

Any emulsion properly exposed, properly matched to inks will work for thousands of pulls. If you're printing waterbased, you'll be best off with a diazo emulsion as photopolymer emulsions get eaten up by the water in the ink. Make sure you've got the right emulsion and read up on how to burn a screen.

[THE PiNCH]

Ah, I'm in the habit of post hardening mine as the seps I get printed often vary in opacity - its often a necessity for me

...it takes little time, makes no further mess and gives me peace of mind

[vrooooom]

Not to make a big stink, but my understanding of emulsion was that once you expose and washout, it's set. It's gone though the light sensitivity phase, and post hardening doesn't really matter.

I've had underexposed screens that were "post-hardened" in sun light for hours, but they still broke down on the press as quickly as the un-post-hardened screens. Even though this has been my experience with photoemulsion, I know that post hardening is crucial for photopolymer and relief plates. Hmmm.

Nice positive + good Uv source + correct exposure will work wonders. Off hand, it sounds like your exposure needs to be increased a lot.

[THE PiNCH]

its cool, thats what discussion forums are about

however I don't have any way of explaining how or why, but PHing definitely makes a huge difference in the durability of the screens I've carefully shot and washed when the transparant wasn't at optimum opacity - I don't yet have my own big Epson and rely on tracepaper carbonfused printouts... when PHing there is rarely if ever a problem

apologies to the OP for slight deviation of thread and possibly a bad habit recommendation.

[gozo]

When you talk about post hardening, do you mean that you first rinse the stencil and then take it back to the exposure unit for an extra minute.?

[THE PiNCH]

yes - I also turn the light intensity up

just like when I spot out - look here

[gozo]

It seems the only thing we two have in common is beer and cigerette rolling.

[oldbox]

Does emulsion come off if you pull a finger across screen when washing it out?
try to dry emulsion properly, and tel us what is your light source for exposing screens, seems like it could be too weak.
also what do you print, waterbased colour or what? do you have the right emulsion for it?