How To Mix Diazo Emulsion | Screen Printing Tips 

You are welcome!

Hope all went according to plan.

You're welcome 😊

Happy to help! Let us know if there are specific things you need help with and will endeavour to add it to our "to do" list.

Glad I could help! It would be nice if you could consider supporting small businesses like ours as we sell the product as well.

Glad you think so!

Well I am no chemist, but I am going to assume that the diazo is calculated pretty exactly based on the quantity of emulsion. By now you have no doubt tried the emulsion out and there is no harm in trying it, but be aware of the fact that you may have exposure problems or issues with early breakdown of the stencil or indeed a complete failure. It all depends on how much the chemistry was altered. I am sorry I cannot be more specific but do let us know what your findings were.

Hello and thanks for joining us. It wouldn't be advisable to be outdoors in bright sunshine but indoors in normal light conditions for the time it takes to mix it, it is not a problem. Just don't leave the pot open and wander off for a brew ;-). Hope that helps.

No, you should keep the pot closed.

If I am understanding this correctly, your screen is getting blocked during production, which can easily happen with water based inks. It sounds as if the chemical you are using is harming your stencil. Assuming I have understood all this correctly, you need to use an on-press wash that is suitable for your chosen ink. Your best point of contact is the company you bought the ink from. The trouble with water based inks are that in theory you should be able to open the screen with water, but once the ink has really set, you need some very aggressive chemicals and the screen can sometimes become permanently blocked. Never use random chemicals suggested on forums when you screen print. Always buy the correct chemicals from your screen print supplier that work with your ink. Since the QT DISCHARGE U92 emulsion is specifically for discharge inks the only additional advice would be to make sure you fully expose your stencil to make it as strong as possible. Most stencils are just too weak because of not exposing long enough. If I have misunderstood your question, please let me know and I will do my best.

You're welcome!

You don't need water if the powder is supplied in a sachet like this. You simply add the powder to the emulsion and mix very thoroughly and allow to stand for several hours before using the product to allow off-gassing (bubbles to escape).

It is safe to do in normal lighting conditions, but do be sensible. It does not take long to mix, but don't leave the open pot standing in the sun or anything silly like that. Once it is mixed, put the lid on and leave to stand to allow the product to off-gas.

Awesome thank you

A quick search I did on the internet about this emulsion makes me think this is likely an SBQ emulsion that does not require diazo. However, if it was supplied with diazo, you need to use it. It is impossible to diagnose your problems here with so little information. You need to check the quality of your artwork first and foremost. If the image is not dense black, you will have many problems.

No it should be ok. It is just best to avoid prolonged exposure to metal, so leaving the thing in the emulsion for instance or leaving the emulsion in your scoop coater for a prolonged time would not be good.

@@DaleswayPrintTech okay thank you so much! I i figured since a lot of emulsions say to mix with a non metallic paddle,

Hi, the particular product we used did not require water to be mixed in with the diazo. The water is basically helping to fully dissolve the diazo. I would let the emulsion sit for longer before using and ensure I stir it very very thoroughly and you may find it is ok. It is going to be a test but you may as well have a go. You could also ask the manufacturer / supplier of the product you have.

Different manufacturers use different colours of emulsion and once the diazo sensitiser goes in, this affects the colour. Your emulsion may still be ok, so it is worth having a go to be honest. Just remember that you need to use it up within 30 days of sensitising it.

Well, I gave it a try after all the worst thing that could happen is to wash again tge screen and re- coated, which is what I did. After allowing the photo emulsion to dry on the screen, I exposed the screen with positive film for about 10-12 minutes. However, the image was not transfered at all, the whole material very much rinsed with water. I'll get a new material, np. Thanks for your reply.

@@pbtubelog hello, i just read your problem u had, im a newbie not trying to spend too much $ , could i just fix small amounts to not waste?

@CA You cannot mix small amounts of emulsion with diazo as it would be impossible to correctly estimate this. If you buy a pure photopolymer emulsion (SBQ) that does not require diazo, you can use as much as you need. Just check that this type of emulsion is suitable for the ink you are using. There may be hobby suppliers that may sell smaller amounts of emulsion as well. Good luck.

Sonia I am sorry I could not find information about this product when doing a quick search. It would be best to contact the supplier and discuss your needs. They will tell you if it is suitable for your application. Sorry I could not help more.

This shouldn't make a substantial difference as the bubble trouble is caused both by chemical reactions and the physical action of mixing the diazo and the emulsion by thoroughly stirring.

আমি সত্যিই বুঝতে পারছি না আপনি যখন বলছেন যে আপনি রাসায়নিক নিতে চান তখন আপনি কী বোঝাতে চেয়েছেন। হয়ত অনুবাদ সঠিক হয়নি কিন্তু কিভাবে উত্তর দিবো বুঝতে পারছি না, দুঃখিত।

Glad you liked it

😀

How old is the product? It could have gone off. Once sensitised, the emulsion should be used within a month normally. Another hint that it has gone off is a foul smell. If it has gone off, you will need to discard it. Be sure to dispose of it safely by pouring it over something like cat litter that is absorbent.

@@DaleswayPrintTech I’m not sure cause I order it a week before all that stuff that that happened in Texas so it took a while to get shipped to me and at that It was crazy cold when they dropped it off could that be a reason why?

It is possible that it has been damaged by freezing perhaps if it was really cold. Have you had a word with the supplier yet?