How to put the image onto the screen
All screen printers develope their own way of doing things as they master the skills, but the following information can be used as a basic guide to putting the image onto the screen.
The first thing is to choose a good quality stencil emulsion. There are a lot of emulsions available on the market but they are not all the same in terms of quality.
Azocol direct screen printing is a good quality emulsion that is very easy to use.
The emulsion is put on the screen with a coating tray.
Azocol emulsion comes in two parts.
1. Emulsion ( large tub )
2. Sensitizer ( small pot ) There is only a very small, but correct, amount of powder in the small pot.
Some customers think the small pot is empty and have thrown it away, do not throw it away even if you think it is empty, there is enough powder for what you need.
The emulsion and sensitizer have to be mixed together in order to make the emulsion light sensitive.
Once mixed leave to stand overnight before using the emulsion for the first time. But remember once they are mixed together the emulsion cannot be exposed to direct sunlight or even bright light so leave the lid on the tub when not in use.
Make sure that the screen is clean and dry before you coat the screen. If there are any greasy or dirty marks on the mesh, clean the mesh with a degreaser such as Methylated spirit.
When you are coating the screen with the emulsion, work in a room with subdued light.
Azacol can be used in any workshop providing there is no direct sunlight.
You need a smooth layer of emulsion on the screen, one on each side of the mesh.
For those of you who have never done screen printing before, when you coat the screen for the first few times you may be heavy handed and end up putting too much emulsion onto the screen, this can cause the images to vary in quality.
So for the first few times we recommend that you just coat one side of the screen, the side that goes down.
If you use AZOCOL emulsion you can coat just one side of the screen.
Some of the cheaper emulsions that are available on the market can be a bit hit and miss.
Hold the screen firmly at the top with one hand while you coat the screen.
Some people may find it difficult to coat the screens this way, so as an alternative,
you can lean the screen against a wall and hold the coating tray with both hands.
Once you have coated the screen you must leave it to dry in the dark
Artwork
Your artwork should be in black print on clear acetate film.
The black image must be dark enough so that light cannot get through the black image.
When the emulsion on the screen is fully dry place the screen on table or bench with the mesh side up.
You place your artwork on the screen so that you have correct reading on the inside of the screen.
In order to hold the artwork close to the emulsioned mesh, put a piece of clear glass on top of the artwork, this then holds the artwork close to the screen and stops any light getting between the mesh and the artwork.
Turn on your light source.
The exposure time will depend on the actual light you use. A 400 watt light will take about 6 to 8 minutes to expose the screen.
After exposing the screen, wash the screen with clean water and the image will appear.
If you need any help or advice or you want to see first hand how to put the image onto the screen, you are welcome to come along to our printing workshop, by appointment, and we will show how to put the image onto the screen free of charge, and with no obligation to buy anything.
Telephone helpline 01255 553555
Steve 07776 254903
Email ... office@customcarousels.co.uk
