Testing for LIGHT SAFETY in our Screen Printing Darkroom!

[@CoryatFloodway]

What kind of lights are you running in your darkroom?

[@Bunker27-Apparel]

I am about to use the same plastic curtains for our dark room, so glad those passed the test! What I found out was that most clear plastic curtains are UV-protected. In other words, you don't have to use amber plastic curtains; they offer the same UV protection as amber curtains.

[@CoryatFloodway]

Good to know! I would love our coating side to be a little brighter. I think I just defaulted to welding curtains!

[@momentumcustomapparel]

Cory, from one screen printer to another I love your channel and what your doing for the industry, THANK YOU! In my "darkroom" I use "yellow LED bug lights", basically the same as in your darkroom.... which has got me questioning my set up? Time to do some testing to eliminate some of the over 2000 variables in screen printing! (I borrowed that little fun fact from Cory @floodway)

[@CoryatFloodway]

Thank YOU!! Always good to question your setup, especially when the tools and tests are so simple.

[@Tim.McElheny]

Great info, thanks for posting! I have the restaurant style racks for my screens. They have a clear dust cover over them too. I had the idea to try and find a UV blocking spray paint to spray over the plastic dust covers.

[@CoryatFloodway]

Wouldn’t be the worst idea! ‘Uv strip curtains’ are what we have. Maybe a welders curtain would work too!

[@rudierbarrantes3324]

What a great video! In all the fb groups you always read the "experienced" screen printers claiming the darkroom is really not neccesarie. I have a dark room, but reading the line above over and over again was making me feel bad and spending on unnecesary things. This video shows exactly the opposite, throuh science, the whole scientific method. But even more important, it reminds us no to trust everuthing we read only cause everyone is saying it.

[@CoryatFloodway]

Every shop is different, but the difference really comes from you at the top! Some will settle for the inconsistencies, or maybe not even realize it’s coming from the darkroom. But to settle is to literally sink to the bottom. I’ve always liked having a dedicated space for screens.

[@jrainsford]

Great vid Cory. My experience with led bulbs is that unless you’re using a well known brand, the specs on the bulbs can be ‘loose’. Are uv-free led bulbs uv-free because of the led or the cover over them? I keep my screens in a sealed box as I don’t have the room for a dark room and where I live there is minimal natural uv, so I have been working quickly under low light. I would like to improve this setup, don’t get me wrong!

[@CoryatFloodway]

Understanding the variables is the first step to controlling them! If you know when to work quickly and all the other stuff is dialled then you’ll keep having a good time.

[@cheddarcheese]

Can you link to the turtle tester?

[@CoryatFloodway]

Right here buddy: www.encapsulite.com/graphicarts.html But they don't have a product page for it. I had to email and ask!

[@Aztshirts]

Don’t be blinding baby turtles people!😂

[@CoryatFloodway]

haha, gotta be careful out there!