photo emulsion on the design peels after several prints

[halmi]

hi there...i'm from malaysia learning to screen print from your forum n your youtube for a few months now... your advices have been very helpful thank you... one of the problems i'm having is that the emulsion on my screen tends to peel off little by little after printing 20-30 prints.... is there any way i can improve it's durability? or is it because i'm using too much pressure when using the squeegee? thanx in advance

[ApeShirt]

If you're sure you are using the proper emulsion for your printing then you can try a screen/emulsion hardener. They do make re-claiming more difficult though. What emulsion are you using and what type of inks?

[Catspit Productions]

You’re welcome, thanks for taking the time to check out my videos and forum. I appreciate your posting on the forum!

First make sure that you are preparing your mesh properly. It needs to be thoroughly cleaned and degreased after you reclaim it. If it’s a new screen then all you need to do is clean the mesh very well and abrade it slightly. Check out these articles for more on that:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/me ... ation.html

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/pr ... mance.html

It also may be as Apeshirt suggested. You need to use the appropriate emulsion for the ink you are using. Water based inks require water proof emulsions which are formulated for water based inks. If you are using plastisol or solvent based inks you need an emulsion that will hold up against those inks. Therefore this could be caused by using the incorrect emulsion for the ink being used.

A hardener could be a good idea if you are experiencing premature stencil breakdown while printing but you should first check the two items above starting with the emulsion. If you are using the correct emulsion for your inks then check on your mesh prep. If you think the mesh prep is good and the mesh is abraded enough then try a hardener perhaps. A hardener will increase the stencil durability.

You also will need to make sure the emulsion is properly cured. If it is under exposed you can experience stencil breakdown on press as well. It sounds like poor mesh prep especially if it is a new screen. What emulsion are you using and what type of inks? I'd check on that as well. You’ll have to explore each factor individually and eliminate them one by one.

[halmi]

hi thanx for the replies by both of you guys.... the ink i'm using is waterbased but i'm not sure yet what type of emulsion i'm using but mainly here in malaysia most printers use waterbased ink since it's the easiest to get n cheapest.... and yes the screen was new .... well i'll check out the links n update if theres improvement.... thank you very much guys....

[Catspit Productions]

Okay if the screen was new then definitely see that it gets some abrasion. There should be a micro grit combination degreaser you can get.

And yes like Apeshirt said you’ll need to check to make sure you are using water proof emulsion.

You're welcome, thanks for posting!