Film Positive Printing Question

[signboat]

Just getting into the coro screenprinting world...always sub-ed the work out until now. Sorry in advance for the newbie question...

We are trying to print out our film positives using an existing HP 5000 w/dye based inks. The black is too transparent and rep says needs to be darker.

I've bumped up all the settings in Illustrator (printing direct from CC2014) but I'm still getting the same saturation level.

I'm sure this is a simple setting...any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[d fleming]

One, what film are you using? Two, are you set on black and white printing or color? Use rgb black and set saturation high, make sure printer is set to black white print. Next, have you performed a step wedge test to determine proper exposure? If you are over shooting your exposure time you can get light exposed areas under printed black. Is your design simple? you can always use black vinyl cut in reverse stuck straight to emulsion for shooting simple art to screen.

 

[signboat]

Thanks d Fleming for the reply.

We are using Acorn Waterproof inkjet film (what GSG suggested).

Using RGB settings with Saturation all the way up and just tried a sample with Grayscale selected...looks really black until hold up to light. Rep says when we expose screen it will not be dark enough (haven't actually tried one yet).

 

[d fleming]

They never look black enough to my eye either but they expose just fine. Do a step wedge test, shoot a screen or two and see. On t-shirt screens at 125 mesh (yellow), I get a good shot using unfiltered black light flourescent tubes approx. 3 inches from film at 4 1/2 minutes in a vacuum frame. I use an epson printer and film from sihl. And I find most reps don't know diddly squat about actual screen printing. They just push product.