Because I'm so new to the game, it makes sense to use proven materials. It also eliminates one cause for errors, in that if problems arise (and they will!) I won't be running down rabbit holes in the wrong direction when the real problem was in using a photopolymer not suited to photogravures.Murray, why not start with a film that's cheap and easy to find, and see how that goes? There's plenty of photopolymer film going round that's cheap as chips for PCB making and I have no doubt whatsoever that it will work fine for photogravure. Keep in mind that with photopolymer intaglio, what you're asking from the film is actually about the easiest job it could have: just image dots. The tricky bit is not in the film; it's in your process.
There's wisdom in what you say.Murray, when I started photopolymer, I went with the 'DK3' film, which was as you said 'proven technology' at that point.
Later, I went back to my electronics hobby and messed around (and still do) a lot with photopolymers (both in liquid and film form) for PCB etching. Turns out it's all more or less the same stuff, anyway.
I can see your reasoning, but I myself wouldn't be too hesitant to get a couple of ft of the cheap stuff from eBay etc. sold for PCB making and give it a go. At least you can get your feet wet and start solving the basic problems you'll run into while you hunt around for a good source of the 'right' material.
Btw, the 'right' material often ends up only being the preferred stuff because the guy/gal who publishes about it happened to get their hands on it easily and cheaply. There's often very little magic to it - except for a 'magic' price uplift in arts circles because it's the 'right' stuff.
That’s going to sting!1000' of 25" wide ImagOn comes out to $6,600.00 US dollars.
Will share the Riston price when I get it.
Will do.That’s going to sting!
Keep me in mind for distribution
Three distributors have gotten back to me and are looking for widths of the rolls.That’s going to sting!
Keep me in mind for distribution
My patience can be purchased for a $78.76 price tag.
Might be a little extra effort applying film to plates
Good point and thanks for the tips.Oh, you'll figure that out. For me, a hairdryer turned out to be the magic item. Laminate the film and then blast it with the hairdryer at high heat to make it adhere. There's a temperature window where the polymer solidifies but retains its UV-hardening properties. Heat it up too long or at too high temperature and it tends to show weird post-exposure behavior, but as long as you don't overdo it, it'll stick very nicely. In electronics manufacturing the polymer is also cured (after spray- or spin-coating) at relatively high temperature until it's no longer sticky, and then exposed.
Holy Cow!!!Update:
Tried the usually recommended 10% sodium carbonate solution for 10 minutes to 'develop' the plates...
Holy Cow!!!
That should have been a 1% solution.
Therefore, current E9220 washout is: 3 minutes in a 0.5% solution!
Massive error...hanging head in shame...so sorry...
I was wondering if you had continued to have success with E9220… I’m in the process of getting some to try.
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