#DARKROOM BOOTH SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS SOFTWARE#
Tune in next week when Colin will look at the details of his stencil through a microscope to see how well it was captured.Buying a booth/other equipment with Breeze software installed (Windows based software) Not being able to wash out to step seven means the screen is over-exposed. If you're able to wash out past the seven, the screen is under-exposed. If you're able to wash the calculator out to step seven, the screen has been exposed perfectly. Your exposure calculator comes into play while you're washing out the screen. On the shirt side, you may use a pressure washer, but do not get too close because you may wash out some of the image or emulsion. Remember, the emulsion is thinner on the squeegee side, so you don't want to blast any of your details out. Insider's Tip: When you're washing out the screen on the squeegee side, you don't want to use any sort of pressure. When you rinse the screen with a hose, you'll see that thin layer come off. It's important to note that you will have a tiny layer of emulsion that's underexposed (unless you purposely over-exposed it), and that's okay. If the emulsion looks milky, that means the emulsion did not crosslink well, so the screen is underexposed. You'll start to see signs whether or not the screen was properly exposed. If the screen has been cured fully, screens can stay in the tank overnight. Exposed screens can sit in a dunk tank from 30 seconds to a minute before you can wash them out.
#DARKROOM BOOTH SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS HOW TO#
LEARN HOW TO CALCULATE EXPOSURE TIME WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE WASHOUT BOOTHĪfter exposing the screens, Colin placed the screens in a dunk tank filled with water to loosen the areas the film blocked out (the image). The more weight you put on the unit, the more contact you'll create between the film and the screen. If you're using an X1620 LED Exposure Unit, put as much weight as possible on top of the lid where the cushion is pressing against the screen. If your budget can handle it, get an exposure unit with a vacuum. The purpose of the vacuum is to seal the film onto the screen. The vacuum leaves no room for the light to wrap around the stencil, which creates soft, fuzzy edges. In the video, he exhibits that thin thread holds more emulsion than standard thread therefore, you'll need to expose thin thread screens longer than standard thread. Colin has the device to show the differences of the layers of emulsion between thin thread and standard thread. This device isn't necessary for a printer to have. In the video, Colin uses a device that can measure the thickness of the mesh and emulsion. The test will demonstrate the halftones the screen will be able to capture. Lastly, you could use a Grayscale Halftone Test. After exposing the screen, the Droplet Density Test will show the minimum droplet weight for a good stencil. You could also use a Droplet Density Test. It's small, so it'll easily fit on the screen without interfering with the design. This calculator will inform whether or not your screen is over-exposed, under-exposed, or perfectly exposed. EXPOSURE TOOLSĮvery printer should have a 21-Step Grayscale Calculator in their shop.
Thin or thick, you can dictate the density of the ink to fit the needs of the design. Why do you need RIP software with an inkjet printer? The software allows you to have a droplet density that you can control. During his time at Ryonet, Colin has been using an Epson T3270 printer with UV-blocking ink and has had no issues with high-detailed prints or halftones. The ink could be UV-blocking (Epson printers use this ink) or it's a dye ink that's meant to completely stop all light. When you print on film, the printer is using one of two inks. The coating also helps maintain the density and shape of the image. The coating is important because it holds onto the ink from the printer. Inkjet film has one side that's coated, and one side that isn't coated. Many types of film output printers exist.
He'll also address nuances within the exposing and washout process and share ways to improve your darkroom procedures. In the latest videos, screen printing expert Colin Huggins goes over the tools you need to create optimal and to make solid, exposed screens. After coating a screen, it's time to expose and washout the screen. Dialing in screen exposure is no easy feat.