We just put it where it needed to go - looking sharp. This will allow for some easy screen burning for individuals. We will put together a bulk order for screens and get lessons hoppin. I have a silkscreen class (not the exposure unit) happening on the 19th. We be poppin.
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Umm… Guys.
That placement isn’t gonna work. The exposure unit has to be used in the equivalent of a photo
darkroom. A prepped screen ready for exposure is just as sensitive to light as undeveloped photo film
or paper. The stereotypical little red light is all you can get away with for light exposure.
It would think it would have to be on a rolling cart that can go into one of the bathrooms that we can
temporarily set up as a darkroom, the same way we’ll have to do for when people are applying the photo
emulsion to bare screens and having them dry. Will this even fit through any of the bathroom doors
without turning it on it’s side?
It has a lock down cover making it a light proof box for exposure. You need to see it.
The white you’re looking at is actually the lid not the top of glass. Easy cheesy puddin pie.
The box itself may be lightproof, but how are you going to load the screen itself into the box without exposing it to light?
The prepped screen itself can’t be exposed to any light until it is loaded into the exposure unit, mask set, etc.
You have to treat the screen exactly the same as you would undeveloped negative film, or unexposed photo paper.
Just measured, unit is 27" wide and door to Unisex is close to 36", so it should easily fit through on a cart.
I’m no pro, but does it depend on how sensitive the emulsion is? On my Yudu, I could paint screens with emulsion in the kitchen (dimly lit) and then move them into the garage where I dried multiple screens at night (pitch black). When dried, I could move them through the house (dimly lit) and then into the exposure unit on the machine quickly with no ill effects. I also stored dried screens in a doubled black garbage back until I was ready to use them so we could turn the lights on. When using the Yudu film rather than liquid emulsion, it was even easier since you activate the film and then put it in a light-blocking drying compartment on the machine and then with the room dimly lit, move it to the exposure part, but you could only prep one screen at a time that way. For an all-in-one simple home system, it worked pretty good except for registering multiple colors and pretty reasonable once you got away from using the Yudu branded consumables.
Having a dark place to let screens dry with emulsion on them is probably more problematic, unless we just have people buy their own emulsion and prep them at home to burn and print at the space.
OK, the actual Speedball instructions for the Diazo emulsion is a lot more forgiving than the way Astrud was taught. She has always done it under full darkroom conditions, and has never had a failure other than trying to use emulsion that was on the outer edge of its usable lifetime after being mixed.
It’s the way she was taught, and it’s also been more years than she specifically wants to say 
so the materials may have been improved in the interim period.
So everything I’ve seen has been ok with the prep/scoop of the screen in regular light and you dry it in a light safe box (this can be built or we get a small cabinet with fan. The transfer of screen to box shouldn’t be much of an issue- I don’t believe. But, let’s try it and see what happens. We have a few different types of emulsions now to experiment with.
I think if we experience any issues we can solve them really easy. I’m excited to see what’s to come from this! I honestly think it’s going to blow the doors off the world of silkscreening.
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Kewlness ~ I can’t wait for the new screens for the two color logo / wrench shirts are made!!! :dms: 
@uglyknees ~ do you have a list of which other Dallas Makerspace specific screens are going to be made for members who want to use the designs to screen print without having to actually re-create the screens themselves? I understand that some members are hoping to get more of the sloth shirts, too. hehe… 
According to a previous post related to this unit, here is a link to more information about it:
I’m really glad you selected the one with the compression lid! It seems it will be a lot easier to get consistent results using it (vs having to put 40+ lbs of pressure using jugs with liquid in them, etc… 
)
It looks like we are also getting a Ryonet Pre-Registration Template Transparency which is kewl! (It will help make sure those two color logo/wrench shirts line up nice 'n purdy! )
On the linked page are:
- details about the unit we purchased
- a video explaining a bit about it
- detailed instructions on how to use it including
- Set-Up, Preparation, Film, Exposure times
- Wash Out, Block-Out, Screen Tape, Troubleshooting (mesh, coating & emulsion)
- Troubleshooting (exposure, wash out & humidity), Step Wedge Test, Timer Settings
- Time Operation Key
Bonus: Here’s a video I found while looking for more information about the Ryonet Pre-Registration Template Transparency: https://youtu.be/B2w6tfVxgoo (there are other pretty helpful videos from Ryonet on YouTube as well ~ w00t!)
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SLOOOTTTHHH SHIRTSSSSS!!!
I need to get into a screening class. This stuff is too snazzy!
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Speedball is garbage though. All the emulsion sheets we have in the screen printing stuff are pretty good with some light. Even bright rooms for a short amount of time. It’s uv thats the issue
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I have no intention to make screens for DMS at this point in time. I would suggest if you want a t-shirt…make it 
Well dang… I didn’t realize that you had changed your mind. Bummer. 
I need to be safer with my energies - I’m getting burnt out here. I think it’s a much better policy to empower people to make DMS shirts and screens rather for me to put that on me for right now.
Sorry but the last week at DMS has been more about frustration and administrative headaches. Annddd the last thing I want to do is get so crispy that I begin to lament coming here. I need to stop overcommitting myself. But I don’t see why one of our 1400 other members wont totally take up making DMS screens - It’s an easy process, we will have several teachers and people can even self-educate.
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If you look at my original response, I did not imply that YOU would be doing the work… I was just excitedly recalling that during the screen printing class I attended of yours, you had mentioned that screens would be made.
[color=magenta]You have always been good at getting your minions to help… I see no reason why this would be any different.[/color] :dms:
Awesome! I guess the next question would be: When your minions and/or other members are ready to make Dallas Makerspace specific shirts for the benefit of members who want to use them, will there be supplies provided by Creative Arts or will minions and other members have to pay for the materials that would potentially be donated back to the 'Space?
The way I see it best working is that we have a few member use screens (just like we already have) with whatever image on them. If you choose to use that screen you need to pay for the consumables.
I also think most people will want to purchase a screen (more on this later) so they have a specific screen with them for personal use. Same with the others consumables need to be paid for.
If people bring consumables they bought for themselves to work on a project I don’t see the need for fees associated with it because they aren’t using DMS items. Am I answering your question?