At my wits end trying to burn a screen

[zlandrum]

So I'm burning a screen (for printing shirts) it's a 110 screen, and I'm using the green ulano emulsion. I've not had any issues burning my other screens (156 i think) at all, but for some reason my 110 screen keeps washing out the "hardened emulsion"... and I cannot figure out why. I've lengthened the exposure times from 22 minutes to 35 to see if that would help, and it hasn't. Nothing's really changed with the emulsion, same I've used since I started printing again a few months back. I know there are a million reasons and possibilities that it could be... anyone have any suggestions? Also, I thought that the film I was using may not be opaque enough, so I doubled it up so you can't see through it at all, and is still washing out. Any and all help would be appreciated-

Zach

[NeroInferno]

Hello Zach,
how old is the emulsion? Do you keep it in fridge? Have you changed your film brand?

Very probabily the emulsion is old and keeped at room temp.

Let us know!
Fabio

[Andymac]

-doubled posis - especially mylar or vellum or paper where it is not clear - would produce a weak stencil where it should be solid.

But the usual culprit is old emulsion.

If your screens are moist when you coat, or it is really moist/humid - will also cause delaminating even with good emulsion.

[zlandrum]

thanks for the feedback. Spose I'll order some more emulsion.... I wasn't aware it's supposed to be stored in a cold location? I never read shit, I guess it would help.

[zlandrum]

Andy, do you have any suggestion for a good emulsion for plastisol?

[weathermaker]

ulano 925wr is my fav, but check on the plastisol site about best emulsions

[40ozGraphics]

On the topic of old emulsion, I was going to coat some screens today with murikami photocure. It's been stored in a dark place but only slighly below room temp for about a month and some change. Should I cut my losses an buy new emulsion or should this still be good? I don't want any heartache on printing day.

[squeegeethree]

This summer we had to start storing our emulsion in the fridge as well. Even though we go through a gallon of emulsion a day, the storing temperatures recommended were exceeded during the hottest parts of the summer and I guess it just takes a day at those temps to ruin it. A slightly cooked batch of emulsion breaks down during developing or later on while printing.

[Andymac]

IN the pit that is under the house, where the evil things reside, along with my screenmaking stuff, temp is around 66-70. We get 3-4 months out of the Murikami, although i suspect the part of the dual cure that is still working is the SBQ/photopolymer, not the diazo.
I've used screens that were coated almost a year earlier, they still washed out.

[40ozGraphics]

Cool. I should be good with the month old stuff. It's been stored in pretty much the same condition only the pit under my house is my basement.