Frequently Asked Questions:

Within the pages of the Yudu Reviews you are reading, I will give you the exact step to setting up your new yudu screen printing machine.

Setting Yudu Up:
Question: How do I set up if I want to make a t-shirt?
Answer: Make sure you have a large clean area to work on, like a table or countertop. Clear everything off of it, except for the supplies you will need.

This is a list of things you will need to begin:

• A squirt bottle
• Wet wipes or paper towels
• A sponge
• Clear packing tape
• An iron and ironing board
• Be sure you are also near a sink

Creating Art:
Question: How do I determine the correct side of the transparency to print on?
Answer: Be sure to print on the milky white side. Lightly moisten your fingers and rub them into the corner. The correct side will be just a bit sticky. Make sure you let the transparency dry before you begin printing on it).

Question: Is it okay if I use other transparency products in creating my art, or even an image printed on copy paper?
Answer: We have seen the best results when using Yudu Transparencies, but it is no problem if you wish to use another ink jet or laser transparency. Make a note, however that when using other transparencies it will sometimes not be as crisp or detailed. Do not use regular copy paper for your printed image, it is too opaque and the image will not be transferred correctly to the screen.

Question: What types of programs should I use to create my own artwork?
Answer: You can use any design programs, so go ahead and use one that you feel comfortable using. There are no limits to be able to only create within the graphics programs. It’s common for people to cut out their own shapes from paper. By using your Cricut or freehand shapes, you can put your own designs directly on the transparencies.

Question: Why are the transparencies milky white instead of being completely transparent?
Answer: Yudu screen maker has transparencies that have a special coating on them. This makes the ink from your ink-jet printer denser, causing the black ink to appear even blacker. This special coating will also make the image resistant to water which in turn makes it last longer.

How To Prepare Emulsion:
Question: Is it okay to set my screen over a heater in order to dry the emulsion faster?
Answer: It is recommended to use the YUDU dryer that is specially designed for this, or you may use a blow dryer but making sure to use a cool, low heat setting while holding it 6 to 12 inches away. Be sure that you don’t keep your yudu mesh screen out in the light. Keep in a low lighted area to prevent the emulsion from being exposed.
 
Question: I attempted to burn my design but it did not come out, why is the design not there?

Answer: Things To Look For:

• Check to make sure that your exposure time is correct.
• Check to see that the emulsion side of your screen comletly flat against the transparency with the platen on top of the screen.
• Be sure that you have enough weight on your platen, the protective sheet is been removed from the emulsion before you begin burning.
• Make sure to always remove the protective sheet when the emulsion is dry. If you do try to remove it when it’s wet, you may very possibly pull the emulsion of .

Question: The clear protective sheet is not coming off easily. What do I do?
Answer: If the protective sheet doesn’t come off easily, then the emulsion isn’t dry yet. So put it back into the YUDU machine, making sure to press the dry button again (or use your hair dryer on the low cool setting again). When the emulsion is dry the clear protective sheet will come off easily this time.

Question: I just have a small image that I want to print, do I need to use an entire sheet of emulsion for this?
Answer: No, you have the option to actually cut your emulsion so that it fits your design area. This will save you emulsion sheets. Making sure to tape off the surrounding screen areas that aren’t covered by the emulsion.

Question: Is it possible that my screen is too wet before putting the emulsion on?
Answer: Yes, it is possible that you may have used too much water to apply the emulsion. If it’s too wet, it will run and probably leave holes in the emulsion. Make sure you always start with a completely wet screen, but be sure that it is not dripping wet. Yudu reviews recommends letting your screen sit for about 30 to 60 seconds after wetting it, and then squeegee off excess water. This way the water is not running or dripping from the yudu screen.

Question: After I’ve burned and washing my screen the image is now washing off, what should I do?
Answer: You must be sure that your emulsion is completely dry before burning your screen. If it’s still moist, it will not burn properly and might wash off.

Question: How can I tell which side is the top and which side is the bottom of my screen?
Answer: The top of your screen has a lip around the edge. The bottom side will be flush with the frame to make sure that it lies flat against the machine when the image is burning during the printing process.

Question: Why does the emulsion come in a black bag?
Answer: The emulsion is light sensitive. If it is exposured to light for long periods of time, it will render useless before burning your image. Make sure to keep your emulsion sheets in the bag before you create your screen. You will want to work in low light when preparing the screen, and then store your prepared screen in a dark area when you aren’t using it before exposing.

Question: How long do I have to work with the emulsion once I take it out of the black bag?
Answer: This will depend on the type of light you are using. Make sure to work in a dimly lit area when using unexposed emulsion. Do not pull the emulsion out of the bag until you are ready to use it. So, a good tip would be to wet your screen first, and then take the emulsion out of the black bag to apply to your screen. Once you have applied it, put the screen immediately in the machine to dry.

Question: How do I know if I the emulsion has been applied correctly?
Answer: After you have applied the emulsion to the back side of the screen, turn it over. If you see any white spots, spray them lightly with water and then squeegee the excess off. When the front of the screen is an even green color, then you’ve applied the emulsion correctly.

Question: Which side of the emulsion do I apply to the screen?
Answer: Apply the dull or sticky side to the back side of the screen. The shiny side of your yudu printing screen acts as a protective sheet for the emulsion.

Question: How long does it take for the screen to dry?
Answer: This will depend mainly on the humidity level and temperature of the area your in. The colder and more humid, the longer it will take to dry. It sometimes takes a few drying cycles with the machine for the screen to be completely dry. Speed up this process by using a blow dryer on cool setting.

About Burning the Image:
Question: Why do I need to add weight while I exposing my image?
Answer: Using weight ensures that your image will expose with crisp, clean edges. The weight is used to hold the platen down so that no extra light gets in around the image. Other screen printing kits may use different methods, but this works the best for optimum yudu machine results.  

Question: Why 8 minutes, is this perfect time to expose my image?
Answer: In testing, Yudu has found the optimum time for yudu Emulsion is set at 8 minutes. In some cases you might need to decrease the time just a bit to make sure you get a crisp exposed image.

About Cleaning the Burned Image:
Question: What’s the best way to clean the emulsion from the unexposed areas?
Answer: Run your screen under cool water, be sure to get both sides wet and let the screen sit for 60 seconds. You can also use a soft sponge to rub away the emulsion. Make sure it is completely dry before moving on to any other steps.

About Taping Screen:
Question: Which side of the screen should I tape off?
Answer: Tape off the edge of the emulsion on the front of the screen. In order to block out any other images you need to tape them off from the backside of the screen.

About Flooding the Screen:
When you flood use soft, even pressure.  Hold the squeegee upright, you do not want to press so hard that the ink is dripping out of the side of your image. Flooding is good. Be sure to flood the screen between printings as well so your screen doesn’t dry out.

Heat setting:
Question: My image seems to be fading, what can I do?
Answer: Be sure to heat set your image with your iron. Go ahead and iron both sides for 3 to 4 minutes.
 
Cleaning the Emulsion:
Question: If the image is on my scree for a while, does it ruin it?
Answer: No, the image will not hurt your screen. The yudu Emulsion Remover will take it off at any time.
 
Question: May I re-use the screen?
Answer: Yes you can. Just use the yudu emulsion remover.

Question: How come I can still see the image on my screen after I’ve cleaned it?
Answer: Sometimes the ink dries and will stain the mesh of the screen. It’s not a problem at and completely normal.

I hope you enjoyed this Yudu Reviews FAQ article. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me and I’ll do my best to answser them for you.

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