Discuss the different types of equipment needed for screen printing. Topics include manual screen printing presses, automatic presses, dryers, folding machines, starter kits and high end machines.
I want to start doing all over prints for my line so I need a AOP pallet. Has anyone made a pallet/platen with sleeves for a manual press? If so, can you post pics so I can get some ideas on how to go about making one?
I know there is a product out there for $600+ but I was hoping to make something for cheaper.
I'd like to do across both sleeves. I thought about the flat platen but I print with plastisol ink and on dark shirts I use maxopak inks. I think the shirt will lift up when I print since the inks are thicker than water base/discharge. I dont think I can use water base since I dont have a forced air dryer? I'm going to cut out a platen either today or tomorrow and see what I can come up with.
So here's what I have so far...I am still trying to design something for the sleeves to be sturdy enough for the pressure of the screen printing process. I will now need to purchase 42X48 screens, scoop coater and squeegees. Wish me luck!
so you only made one platen? what about other sized shirts? i was suggested to cut some felt and lay it on the platen then lay the shirt on that so the shirt wont move when you print. just my info
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I Run An Epson 1400 with and ALL Black CIS system and it WORKS!
so you only made one platen? what about other sized shirts? i was suggested to cut some felt and lay it on the platen then lay the shirt on that so the shirt wont move when you print. just my info
I made this off a XL shirt, so I should be able to go down one (Large) and up one (2X). I will need to round the edges and sturdy the sleeves so it's a work in progress. If it works out the way I'm hoping I would then make one off a 4X so I could go down one (3X) and up one (5X)...so in theroy 2 platens would cover large-5X. I will also be using either felt or foam for the sleeve seams and collar.
Right now I only print with plastisol ink, if I just layed the shirt down on top of felt the shirt would lift since it's two layered (backside of the shirt and the front side). I dont have an In-TAC YouTube - mrprinting's Channel so this is my workaround, hopefully.
The hard part is going to be creating a way to hold the sleeves. The ones from Action Engineering are aluminum and the sleeves slide up and down. I don't see how it can be done with wood and be sturdy enough to print. It requires alot of pressure to print over the entire shirt.
The hard part is going to be creating a way to hold the sleeves. The ones from Action Engineering are aluminum and the sleeves slide up and down. I don't see how it can be done with wood and be sturdy enough to print. It requires alot of pressure to print over the entire shirt.
Yeah you're right...thats what I'm trying to figure out now I have two ideas that I need to put to the test so we'll see what happens. When you do your all over prints are you using waterbase ink or discharge?
Apologies for not getting these up earlier...
Various middle platens for Small through XXLarge tees. Also 3 different size sleeve addons...
P.S.I used plastisol the very first time and never again! If you hate cleaning a 23" X 31" screen covered with plastisol ink, imagine a 39" X 49" screen!
Before I built my floor AOP, my results with a flat platen were not acceptable...
1. Even using waterbase inks the shirts would lift, although I didn't use Stick Spray at the time...
2. Too many wrinkled areas where the print image did not look smooth. Especially under the underarm area of your tee.
**To avoid this, I suppose you could make various screens for different shirt sizes... That would really suck for oversized screens!
Here are a few I got made... They were done using a water jet and made out of solid aluminum. I been messing with them for about two years now and still making some mods to them. maybe one day I will have some for sale. They still need to have the Rubber top on them as well as new brackets...
The reason I made one so big was that I print on a few of the larger sizes like 5X-7X shirts, plus I can still use the bigger ones and just lay the shirt on top of the platen instead of sliding the shirt over it. Specially if I am just doing one color print.
These are just prototypes... I will post more pics when I have a final set.
I also made a set of 4 that are wide for AOP but not as tall / long for when you w
just want to go across the full front chest / back but not all the way down the shirt.
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After so many kinds of jobs... " ended up a screenprinter " Wouldn't trade it for any other job, well maybe...
So here's what I have so far...I am still trying to design something for the sleeves to be sturdy enough for the pressure of the screen printing process. I will now need to purchase 42X48 screens, scoop coater and squeegees. Wish me luck!
Seen something on youtube that had a metal all over platon that clipped to a base so you could have a thin shirt platen spreader that clips onto a big base platen, lots of work but will work
Home Made All Over Platen? 
I have two ideas that I need to put to the test so we'll see what happens. When you do your all over prints are you using waterbase ink or discharge?
