Vacuum frame or Vacuum frame and UV exposure unit for Photopolymer plates - Australia

[MBLEEPN]

Hi,
I am hoping someone might please advise?

I am looking at purchasing a Vacuum frame or Vacuum frame and UV exposure unit to develop photo positive film transparencies on photopolymer plates to print intaglio...any recommendations for equipment which might be for sale?

Regards,

M.

 

[MattKing]

Welcome to Photrio.
I'll delete your other duplicate thread - it isn't necessary to post the same information in multiple sub-fora.
Good luck with your search.

 

[Mick Fagan]

Welcome to Photrio.

It may not be that obvious to you, but if you told us where in Oz you are domiciled, we may be better able to help.

Are you looking for a polymer plate processor with a vacuum frame exposure unit in a drawer type mechanism, with a wash unit on top? In other words a typical photomechanical unit around in the nineties in many printing trade houses. Or are you just after the vacuum unit itself or a vacuum unit with UV exposure facilities?

Mick.

 

[MBLEEPN]

Hi Mick, Thank you for the reply, I am in Brisbane Queensland.

1. I do not think at this stage that I would be after: a vacuum frame exposure unit in a drawer type mechanism, with a wash unit on top - (probably over the top for me);

2. A vacuum unit with UV exposure facilities - would be great;

3. At minimum a vacuum unit which could be used to expose in the QLD. sun would be great as a minimum...I have had some success exposing photopolymer plates and positive transparencies with a crude home made version - but this was a hit and miss...

Any further advice would be most appreciated...

Regards,

MBleepin

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

You didn't mention how large a unit you are looking for. Here in the states we had the nuArc 26-1K (26 inches / 1 kilowatt), Unfortunately these became rather popular and the price has gone from free to $500.

An alternative is a UV exposure unit sold for making silk-screens.

 

[MBLEEPN]

Thank you, the size would be up to A3, Nu arc seems ideal, although I am not sure how I would go getting hold of a nu arc or something similar in Australia, I have seen some Vacuum Desktop UV / Led Exposure Unit for Screen Printing on line, although I am not sure how these would for a range of tones etc...

Regards,

MB

 

[awty]

What is intaglio?

 

[MurrayMinchin]

What is intaglio?

Polymer Photogravure....photo transferred to an.etched plate into which inks are forced...dark tones etched deep hold lots of ink...high tones etched very little holds little ink...moistened paper is forced through an etching, or intaglio press under great pressure...inks forced into paper. Todays modern version of copper plate, acid etched photogravures.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

What is intaglio?

Here's a good short video of the process...one which is 'direct to plate' so a vacuum frame isn't needed. The OP might be using large format negatives, so the first part (digitally enlarged negative) might not be relevant:

 

[awty]

Here's a good short video of the process...one which is 'direct to plate' so a vacuum frame isn't needed. The OP might be using large format negatives, so the first part (digitally enlarged negative) might not be relevant:

Cool, looks fairly straight forwards.
Is there any particular type of Polymer Plate necessary? Might get some to have a play.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Cool, looks fairly straight forwards.
Is there any particular type of Polymer Plate necessary? Might get some to have a play.

Sorry, I've given about all the advice I can on the subject...you're on your own!

Fairly straight forward? Me-thinks not...

 

[Mick Fagan]

Well NuArc were pretty much everywhere in graphic arts trade houses in Melbourne. On the floor where I worked we had four double sided flip units alone. Downstairs there were something like another 3-4, then there were our other establishments around various Melbourne suburbs, the total may have been as high as 40-50 units just in our group of businesses. This was the seventies through to the early nineties when film usage dropped through the floor, as did our requirements for NuArc exposure units. We didn't give them away nor did we sell them, they were mostly scrapped to ensure competitors didn't get high quality equipment at bargain prices.

There were plenty around in Australia, including Brisbane, so you may be lucky. They do however chew through electricity as their lamps are on all of the time with a blind that draws back when the vacuum frame is locked in position and the go button is pushed.

I myself have had a couple for my own business in the nineties through to the noughties, they were Italian designed and made and very robust. The smallest had an A4 footprint reasonably rare, my larger unit an A3 footprint vacuum system. In both cases the vacuum was created by placing the metal backed polymer plate onto the vacuum board with the squillions of holes for the vacuum. Then a rolled up semi opaque plastic sheet was unrolled over the plate and vacuum frame, then you sucked it down. The drawer was then pushed in and a row of UV tubes were switched on and away things went.

Mick.

 

[samcomet]

For what it is worth, M, my workflow in Sydney is as follows: scan my 35mm negs into iMac; futz in Lightroom; print out on GCC laser printer onto A4 GCC clear acrylic OHP sheets; spray with GCC Toner Intensifier to make toner truely opaque (does NOT affect blank parts of image only the toner); GCC printer has inbuilt halftone screens so no need to apply any thru software or 2nd exposure of plate; I glued an A4 sized magnetic sheet to some marine ply and stick the metal plate magnetically to this surface to expose; using magnetic strip tape, not the glue side, I adhere the pos printout from the Laser Printer making sure the image and plate are slightly smaller than the edges of the acrylic medium i.e. the magnetic tape does not interfere with the image; the two opposing magnetic surfaces seem to hold the plate and the image in very close and tight contact (all my magnetic stuff came from Officeworks); I use an Osram 500w. incandescent UV bulb (after checking the spectrum of the bulb and the plate marry), attached to an old Durst enlarger, without the lamphouse/head and expose using an old enlarger timer; cure & washout as per the vid in this thread. Not really elegant but it does work and I'm proud to have kit bashed the setup myself. Anyway hope this gives you something to think about in the low rent department. Best of luck & cheers! Sam

 

[gone]

Intaglio printing should be done in a manner that gives a tooth for the ink to settle into, while will give those deep blacks. Drypoint can be used w/ this style of printing, as it gives a very ragged, toothy line to the plate, and the ink loves it.

But, this is all done after a ground is melted onto the plate, the design is traced onto the ground, and it involves a toxic, acid bath to etch the lines/contrast areas. I assume the op has a proper printing press and blankets? I wonder if they meant photogravure prints?

 

[MBLEEPN]

Intaglio printing should be done in a manner that gives a tooth for the ink to settle into, while will give those deep blacks. Drypoint can be used w/ this style of printing, as it gives a very ragged, toothy line to the plate, and the ink loves it.

But, this is all done after a ground is melted onto the plate, the design is traced onto the ground, and it involves a toxic, acid bath to etch the lines/contrast areas. I assume the op has a proper printing press and blankets? I wonder if they meant photogravure prints?

Yes, indeed, photogravure, I am looking into options to more consistently expose transparencies on these plates.

 

[MBLEEPN]

Yes, indeed, photogravure intended. Really, I am looking into options to more consistently expose Photopolymer plates, yes I am set up with a press and blankets etc.

Regards, MB.

 

[MBLEEPN]

For what it is worth, M, my workflow in Sydney is as follows: scan my 35mm negs into iMac; futz in Lightroom; print out on GCC laser printer onto A4 GCC clear acrylic OHP sheets; spray with GCC Toner Intensifier to make toner truely opaque (does NOT affect blank parts of image only the toner); GCC printer has inbuilt halftone screens so no need to apply any thru software or 2nd exposure of plate; I glued an A4 sized magnetic sheet to some marine ply and stick the metal plate magnetically to this surface to expose; using magnetic strip tape, not the glue side, I adhere the pos printout from the Laser Printer making sure the image and plate are slightly smaller than the edges of the acrylic medium i.e. the magnetic tape does not interfere with the image; the two opposing magnetic surfaces seem to hold the plate and the image in very close and tight contact (all my magnetic stuff came from Officeworks); I use an Osram 500w. incandescent UV bulb (after checking the spectrum of the bulb and the plate marry), attached to an old Durst enlarger, without the lamphouse/head and expose using an old enlarger timer; cure & washout as per the vid in this thread. Not really elegant but it does work and I'm proud to have kit bashed the setup myself. Anyway hope this gives you something to think about in the low rent department. Best of luck & cheers! Sam

 

[MBLEEPN]

For what it is worth, M, my workflow in Sydney is as follows: scan my 35mm negs into iMac; futz in Lightroom; print out on GCC laser printer onto A4 GCC clear acrylic OHP sheets; spray with GCC Toner Intensifier to make toner truely opaque (does NOT affect blank parts of image only the toner); GCC printer has inbuilt halftone screens so no need to apply any thru software or 2nd exposure of plate; I glued an A4 sized magnetic sheet to some marine ply and stick the metal plate magnetically to this surface to expose; using magnetic strip tape, not the glue side, I adhere the pos printout from the Laser Printer making sure the image and plate are slightly smaller than the edges of the acrylic medium i.e. the magnetic tape does not interfere with the image; the two opposing magnetic surfaces seem to hold the plate and the image in very close and tight contact (all my magnetic stuff came from Officeworks); I use an Osram 500w. incandescent UV bulb (after checking the spectrum of the bulb and the plate marry), attached to an old Durst enlarger, without the lamphouse/head and expose using an old enlarger timer; cure & washout as per the vid in this thread. Not really elegant but it does work and I'm proud to have kit bashed the setup myself. Anyway hope this gives you something to think about in the low rent department. Best of luck & cheers! Sam

 

[MBLEEPN]

Thanks Sam,
That sounds similar to my earlier efforts where a glass sheet was clamped on top of the film positive, then plate, which are pushed into a bed of foam mounted on ply ( this was somewhat successful).

Sound like something I will try I am still curious as to how you adhere the transparency over the top of your plate nice and tight ?

Is it something like this image:


Blue is the ply board, Grey is the magnetic mat, yellow is the plate and the black is the magnetic taped edge of the transparency stuck over the top of the plate to the surrounding magnetic mat by magnetic force?

Regards,

M.

 

[MBLEEPN]

Well NuArc were pretty much everywhere in graphic arts trade houses in Melbourne. On the floor where I worked we had four double sided flip units alone. Downstairs there were something like another 3-4, then there were our other establishments around various Melbourne suburbs, the total may have been as high as 40-50 units just in our group of businesses. This was the seventies through to the early nineties when film usage dropped through the floor, as did our requirements for NuArc exposure units. We didn't give them away nor did we sell them, they were mostly scrapped to ensure competitors didn't get high quality equipment at bargain prices.

There were plenty around in Australia, including Brisbane, so you may be lucky. They do however chew through electricity as their lamps are on all of the time with a blind that draws back when the vacuum frame is locked in position and the go button is pushed.

I myself have had a couple for my own business in the nineties through to the noughties, they were Italian designed and made and very robust. The smallest had an A4 footprint reasonably rare, my larger unit an A3 footprint vacuum system. In both cases the vacuum was created by placing the metal backed polymer plate onto the vacuum board with the squillions of holes for the vacuum. Then a rolled up semi opaque plastic sheet was unrolled over the plate and vacuum frame, then you sucked it down. The drawer was then pushed in and a row of UV tubes were switched on and away things went.

Mick.

Thanks Mick, It would be great to gain access to these
I will keep an eye out.

M.

 

[samcomet]

Thanks Sam,
That sounds similar to my earlier efforts where a glass sheet was clamped on top of the film positive, then plate, which are pushed into a bed of foam mounted on ply ( this was somewhat successful).

Sound like something I will try I am still curious as to how you adhere the transparency over the top of your plate nice and tight ?

Is it something like this image:

View attachment 283507
Blue is the ply board, Grey is the magnetic mat, yellow is the plate and the black is the magnetic taped edge of the transparency stuck over the top of the plate to the surrounding magnetic mat by magnetic force?

Regards,

M.

Yes M that is what I was trying to describe. Sorry if it was a bit obtuse but I can see that you understood the concept. cheers!