Film Tension Tip..
Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 3:13 pm
Hello everyone. It doesn't seem that long ago but about 18 months ago I was in the same boat as most of you. Starting to print with the Solus. I would like to share a observation with you and a easy tip to make your printing life a little easier. The number one issue with printing I see with people starting out is the film tension. Most print failures are attributed to this issue once you have everything else set up properly.
So how do I get my film tension set properly? A few things I have learned and tested which really don't make a tremendous amount of difference if you know what you are trying to do. First I can install the film on the vat a variety of ways. Some install the film tighter and some looser on the vat. To me that is not the true issue. The real issue is the film tension once the vat is filled and installed on the machine.
At this point if the vat is installed to tightly against the quartz the print could have issues and on the other end of the spectrum if the vat is to loose against the quartz the print may have issues. The most important thing to remember is that the film you install does stretch the more you print. This is the most important thing to remember. I will say it again the film stretches the more you print. Knowing this will help you resolve many printing issues,
Now that you know this you should also know that there is a pretty big window between the vat being to tight and to loose where your prints will come out perfect every time. My procedure is very simple. First off I like my film to last for at least three months and I do a lot of printing. I have also found and some might not agree that minor imperfections are really not that big of a deal while printing.
So now how to adjust the vat with all these variables? It is simple. First of all I tend to install my film on the vat fairly tight whether I use the spacer method or by using the non spacer method. The important thing is to know how the vat fits against the quartz itself so that the tilt of the quartz works properly. Once I am ready to print and have done the homing cycle without the vat in place(Very Important) I place the vat with resin on the printer. I next install the thumb screws that hold the vat in place all the way down (which will be to tight on new film). I then loosen the vat screws 1/2 to 1 turn at a time till the vat feels loose against the quartz. When this happens I tighten the thumb screws 1/4 to 1/2 a turn. I am now ready to print. It is most important to not over tighten the vat as this effects how the machines tilt mechanism works.
Now as time goes on and the more you print you will learn that you will have to tighten the vat a little more as the film stretches. When you get to the point where the vat is tightened all the way down it is getting close to the time to change the film on the vat.
Now this is what works for me and I am sure others have other methods. I just know I haven't had a misprint in well over a year now so it works for me.
So how do I get my film tension set properly? A few things I have learned and tested which really don't make a tremendous amount of difference if you know what you are trying to do. First I can install the film on the vat a variety of ways. Some install the film tighter and some looser on the vat. To me that is not the true issue. The real issue is the film tension once the vat is filled and installed on the machine.
At this point if the vat is installed to tightly against the quartz the print could have issues and on the other end of the spectrum if the vat is to loose against the quartz the print may have issues. The most important thing to remember is that the film you install does stretch the more you print. This is the most important thing to remember. I will say it again the film stretches the more you print. Knowing this will help you resolve many printing issues,
Now that you know this you should also know that there is a pretty big window between the vat being to tight and to loose where your prints will come out perfect every time. My procedure is very simple. First off I like my film to last for at least three months and I do a lot of printing. I have also found and some might not agree that minor imperfections are really not that big of a deal while printing.
So now how to adjust the vat with all these variables? It is simple. First of all I tend to install my film on the vat fairly tight whether I use the spacer method or by using the non spacer method. The important thing is to know how the vat fits against the quartz itself so that the tilt of the quartz works properly. Once I am ready to print and have done the homing cycle without the vat in place(Very Important) I place the vat with resin on the printer. I next install the thumb screws that hold the vat in place all the way down (which will be to tight on new film). I then loosen the vat screws 1/2 to 1 turn at a time till the vat feels loose against the quartz. When this happens I tighten the thumb screws 1/4 to 1/2 a turn. I am now ready to print. It is most important to not over tighten the vat as this effects how the machines tilt mechanism works.
Now as time goes on and the more you print you will learn that you will have to tighten the vat a little more as the film stretches. When you get to the point where the vat is tightened all the way down it is getting close to the time to change the film on the vat.
Now this is what works for me and I am sure others have other methods. I just know I haven't had a misprint in well over a year now so it works for me.