Introduction: Screen Printing Photograph Emulsion Light Table

Hither's a cheap method to create a lite table to burn the photo emulsion on your screens.

i made this table for 20x24 screens, so the concluding size is 27.5x26x9in. i used leftover forest from a rocking chair i made for my Girlfriend's b-mean solar day (run into my other instructables). i used 3x 24in double fluorescent light fixtures, but you could easily make a bigger table with 4' fluorescent fixtures. y'all'll demand wood for the box, fluorescent fixtures, a timer switch (or a regular on/off switch) and some aluminum tape (or glossy white paint).

Pace 1: Build a Box

that's easy enough, 4 sides and a bottom. size tin can modify depending on what screens you lot accept or what fluorescent tubes yous're going to use. i used a router to make a step on the top border where the drinking glass volition sit. this needs to be every bit level as possible otherwise the glass will not sit flat. also make sure are your corners are at 90 degrees otherwise you're gonna take a difficult time to fit the glass.

i taped the unabridged insides with aluminum tape to maximize the low-cal. this tape is expensive merely i had a coil leftover from the business firm build. you could employ glossy white paint.

Stride 2: Adding the Lights

Get rid of the plastic cover, or better still go along information technology to make something else... then bend back or remove any metal that might forestall the calorie-free from going everywhere (meet annotations on 2nd picture). i used 3x fixtures so i wired all of them together in a electrical box, then the wires become through the wooden box to another electrical box that houses the switch. i used a timer switch which has proven to be relatively precise, just y'all tin use a regular switch and use your phone or a cooking timer. so go out at least 5ft of wire and add the plug.

i had a window and mirror place cut me a glass at the correct size, besides had them slightly bevel the edges so i dont lose any fingers. cost me virtually twoscore$ for a 0.25" 10 26.5" x 24.75" piece of glass including the edges. yous could get it tempered simply its much more expensive. i made a little notch in the top edge of the table to be able to easily remove the glass.


Step three: All Washed!

You could add together legs to the table, i decided not to practise it and keep information technology on the desktop for at present.

i used 4100k lights, but use whatever is closest to daylight. i think its the UV that burns the emulsion, non the lumens (dont quote me). all i know is i used this setup earlier with SpeedBall emulsion and it worked fine using a 10 infinitesimal exposure time. the exposure time volition vary depending on the emulsion brand y'all're using, the corporeality of fluorescent tubes you lot have and the altitude between the light source and the screen.

Since this table doesnt have a vacuum cover, its important for you to cover your screens with a blanket to be certain no calorie-free spills over the flick, then add weight on top of information technology and so the mesh is flat against the pic, and the film is flat against the drinking glass.

hope this helps!

cheers

Martin

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