Silk Screen makers

george tichbourne

george tichbourne

Joined
Apr 19, 1999
Messages
3,560
I am experimenting with making my own silk screens for etching blades and am working with a liquid emulsion. I have worked with transfer films in the past and they are not very sensitive to light but have never worked with these direct emulsions. Does anybody else have experience with them?

How much ambient light of what colour do I have to work with before I get into trouble with exposing the medium? Is a yellow bug light safe for working light? I have a red photography safe light for black and white but I find it too limited for silk screen work....OK I can't see what I am doing. When working with transfer film bright ambient light is OK as long as it is yellow and the exposure light needed is rich in UV. I have chosen the emulsion because it can be exposed with a bright incadescent light.

Any help will be appreciated.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
This silk screen making for stencils is becoming a bit of a headache.

The safelight problem has been solved with a yellow 15 watt bulb.

The screens are coming out quite crisp and clear but only last for one impression each. They go porous after the one impression and fuzz around the image. I have tried coating the emulsion heavier but that didn't seem to work. What I need is a more durable emulsion. Is there a method to increase emulsion durability? I am using an emulsion that is water resistant.

Help!!!

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
I just got my shipment today from IMG (International Marking Group): electrolyte, neutralyte, impression stencil material, and a small sheet of photo stencil material. I'll experiment and let you know...

If you have access to a dot matrix printer I'll send you some of the impression stencil material. Design your graphics on a PC and print. The impression is now your screen. Can't get much easier than that.

The photo stencil came with these recommendations for longer stencil life.

1. When you are done with the stencil be sure to rinse if with fresh water and blot dry.
2. Use the best self-cleaning electrolytes.
3. Use a contour block if you are electro-marking round parts (or hollow ground blades).

Hope this helps. Send me an email if you want some impression stencil material.

Steve
 
Of course we're talking apples and oranges here... You're trying UV marking and I'm referring to electro-marking.

Sorry for the confusion. I'm still willing and able to send you some impression stencil if you're interested.

Steve
 
We are talking the same thing I am trying to make screens for electro etching but cannot seem to get a stable screen. After the first etch I get a serious haze around the letters.

The photo stencil has me interested. Does it come ready to expose and use? If so it may be exactly what I am looking for.

I have used the temporary stencils before and don't particularly care for them. That is why I am trying to create my own screens for electroetching.


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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
You're welcome. Let me know how it works out. I'm going to play with the impression stencils first.

BTW: I really like you web site and work.

Steve
 
George/Steve,
Photo-etching is "iffy" at best and more exacting. For the folks like us I believe that electro-etching is the way to go. Like you, I just purchased one of these units but due to my "day job" I haven't had any time to tinker with it. I bought the "Personalizer Plus" that Texas Knifemakers Supply offers. I am going to try to make some stencils with a dot matrix printer sometime in the future, I will let you know how it turns out. I may just bite the bullet and spring for the thirty bucks (plus $8.95) for the 3 X 6 inch sheet if its too much trouble.
Let me know what kind of luck you guys have with it.

CLWilkins
 
Thanks Steve, the web site was a major undertaking even if I had someone else do it but I wanted to put the best foot forward so to speak.

CL we are electro etching but the demand for personalized knives makes it necessary to have some means in house to produce the stencils. The computer produced the black and whites then I have them copied onto transparencies at the local Business Depot to use as photo masks then I burn the screens or stencils as some people call them.

My only problem now is that I can't get a screen that will last for more than one impression. Because I am now capable of making them up this is easily overcome by making up multiple images on each screen and having spares if the initial etch has to be redone. I would dearly love to find a better method that would result in a reusable screen. I can't help but think that the emulsion that I am using is the problem.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
george,
this is brian for the knifeart forums,
i'd like to thank you for your advice on the bowie knife, it's coming together nicely. i just finished the blade, and i'm going to send it for heat treating, i went with o-1 tool steel, and did a saber grind on it, i just finished cuttting out the half guard, and polished the buffalo horn to a 10,000 high gloss, i can see my face in it. i've even mirror polished the rivets. well i'd just like to thank you for the advice, it was a big help.
 
Oh, uh, I understand now, it must be the heat down here in Texas, I am a little slow moving as of late. My wife claims I'm a little dense anyway....some things don't seem to sink in at times.

I know this may sound silly but the emulsion is usually on one side. Have you given any thought to making a "mirror image" on the emulsion side and flipping it over? This may be another silly suggestion and I don't fully understand the implications....

CLWilkins
 
Actually that method gives the crisper image but I still get only one impression before the haze appears. I have tried images from either side of the screen, double coating the screen, and light coatings on the screen.
I also have tried to re expose the screen after washing out the image to ensure emulsion hardness. They all result in only one image then the haze takes over even at very low voltage (2V).

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
i'll see if i can use the scanner, it's not my fisrt large knife, i've made one other bowie, it's my second, the first one was a trial and error type thing, and it didn't look to good, but this one is the best yet, i just can't find a heat treater that will get it back to me in a week or 2.
 
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