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.
Hi, I have been doing shirts for a few years as a side job. I have a heat press and do transfers and also have a vinyl cutter and do some shirts like that.
I was interested in doing 1 color screen printing and need to know what I need and what would be nice to have. I have a low budget and can't afford much.
Can somebody give me some recommendations?
Also, I have seen these flash dryers. Could I use my heat press to cure the ink? I need to keep cost low so thought I would ask.
You can get some relatively inexpensive presses from silkscreeningsupplies.com. I would just buy a tabletop press with micro registration. If you only want to do one color, you don't need micro registration but forget about changing your mind and trying to print more than 1 color. It's a real pain!
You may be able to cure your shirts with your heat press hovering over the shirt, but I wouldn't recommend it. Never close your heat press down on a wet shirt! You want to make sure that it cures evenly. In the end you'll probably end up getting plastisol all over your press and torching your shirts.
Personally, I would just order custom transfers and use the heat press. If you plan on doing a large quantity of one color shirts, it might be worth it. It will be alot more work, though. Messy too! Good luck!
With waterbased inks you let them air dry, and then you can either heat press them (put a wax sheet over the image so it doesn't scortch) or iron on the inside of the shirt over the image (or with wax sheet on top not to scortch).
Spectrachem is a great brand of waterbased inks and thats what I use when a customer wants a more environmentally friendly option instead of plastisol. Or I'll use DTG depending on colors and quantity, but that's another animal all together.
You would still need to get a 1 color table-top press and supplies (emulsion, inks, ink cleaner, screens). You can probably get a decent set up (and use the iron to cure the shirts) for around 300-500 bucks.
Thanks that is exactly what I needed. I have a heat press so should be able to do that part no problem. I wanted the water based inks for eco reasons too. Do they hold up well wash after wash?
you can get a one color one station press for around 500 bucks. i use one of these all the time to do small one color jobs while my big press is occupied with bigger jobs. i would say if you do not have a ton of business i would get one of these presses, 5-10 screens and buy your inks in small quantities. also remember that you are going to need emulsions and exposure lamps. you can possibaly try the express screen system, which does not require emulsion
New to screen printing, equipment questions 
