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screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: Maxie on March 25, 2016, 03:22:15 PM

Title: Vacuum blanket leaking
Post by: Maxie on March 25, 2016, 03:22:15 PM

Is there any easy way to find a leak in a vacuum blanket.
Mine s kind of working but not drawing down like it should.
I cannot see or hear a leak but air is getting in somewhere.
I  thought of foam suds from window cleaner.
Any ideas welcome.

Title: Re: Vacuum blanket leaking
Post by: Frog on March 25, 2016, 03:42:10 PM

If you can't locate it by hearing, how about visual? With the exposure light on (and no screens in it) anything visibla in the blanket itself or the sealing bead?
If this is a stand alone frame how about if you at least look through the blanket at a light source in an otherwise dark or dimly lit surrounding?

Title: Re: Vacuum blanket leaking
Post by: blue moon on March 25, 2016, 04:43:07 PM

turn off the lights and fire up the exposure unit without a screen in it. You should be able to see the leak. Then use the bicycle tire patch kit to close it off. My guess is you have a leak in the seal around the edge though. . .

pierre

Title: Re: Vacuum blanket leaking
Post by: Sbrem on March 25, 2016, 05:03:05 PM

Yes, you could have a piece of something raising the seal, and that's all it needs.

Steve

Title: Re: Vacuum blanket leaking
Post by: Screened Gear on March 25, 2016, 05:24:47 PM

 My bet is the hole is around where the frame corners go. I would just stretch that area and look for the holes looking at the smooth side. If you can't find them that way then they are too small to really matter. I would then look at how well your seal around the edge is.

Call me cheap but I sealed a hole in my exposure unit with emulsion, lol.