AustinJeff

Howdy from Texas.

I want to thank the members of this board. This is my first post, but I've spent the last couple of days reading threads here, and I've already learned so much. Thanks.

I first got interested in screen printing a couple of years ago. Had a bit of extra money at the time and I came across what seemed like a good deal on a 4-color 1-station press and bought it. I didn't do enough research and now I wish I would have bought at least a 2-station. Oh well.

As luck would have it, I soon found 15 old wooden screens for free on Craigslist. I bought an instructional DVD on eBay, but it was not very good. And that's about as far as I got.

So now I've decided that I want to persue it again. I've decided to develop an eco-friendly brand -- organic cotton (and maybe bamboo and hemp) shirts, water-based screen printing and DTG (contracting this out, at first.)

I have some questions that I would really appreciate some help with.

1) I'm going to order wholesale shirt catalogs next week, but in the meantime, what can I expect for a price range for organic cotton shirts ordered in quantities of 100-200?

2) Regarding the screens I was given: They are quite old (dated between 1977 and 1982.) They seem to be in very good shape. Do you think I will be able to reclaim them and use them? If not, is it worth it to get them rescreened (they are wooden) or try to rescreen them myself? Or should I just get some new (aluminum?) screens?

3) A couple of the screens have some cool designs for businesses that are long-since defunct (a Corvette salvage yard, for example) that I would like to print for practice before I burn my own screens. Will they still work after 25+ years? Would it be a copyright violation to sell the shirts I print?

4) Curing water-based inks: I understand that a conveyer dryer (and not just any conveyer dryer) is by far the preferred method for drying/curing water-based inks. But that's not in my budget at the moment. I've read mixed reviews on using a flash dryer for WB. Is it necessary to air-dry the shirts in addition to flash drying? If so, I've been thinking that I would skip the flash dryer and just use catalyzed inks (particularly since I only have a 1-station press.) I have about 200-300 square feet that I can use for a drying area. Is this realistic?

I guess that's enough for one thread. Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

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Solmu

Quote: Originally Posted by AustinJeff 1) I'm going to order wholesale shirt catalogs next week, but in the meantime, what can I expect for a price range for organic cotton shirts ordered in quantities of 100-200?

$4-6

Quote: Originally Posted by AustinJeff 2) Regarding the screens I was given: They are quite old (dated between 1977 and 1982.) They seem to be in very good shape. Do you think I will be able to reclaim them and use them?

I don't like your chances, but it's worth a try. Being that old the tension will presumably have deteriorated over the years, and the stencil may be locked in by now. I've reclaimed screens that were (as far as I know) about ten years old without a problem. Thirty seems like it would be really pushing it, but I don't have a frame of reference.

Quote: Originally Posted by AustinJeff If not, is it worth it to get them rescreened (they are wooden) or try to rescreen them myself? Or should I just get some new (aluminum?) screens?

If you want practice screens and screens for basic one colour jobs, a staple gun and a roll of mesh would probably be a worthwhile investment. But otherwise, if you can't reclaim them you're probably better off buying aluminium screens.

Quote: Originally Posted by AustinJeff 3) A couple of the screens have some cool designs for businesses that are long-since defunct (a Corvette salvage yard, for example) that I would like to print for practice before I burn my own screens. Will they still work after 25+ years?

The mesh might be blocked up, or the emulsion may have deteriorated. But they may have held up - there's one way to find out. Ten year old screens I've used to print - older I haven't tried. I'd give it a try if I had some.

Quote: Originally Posted by AustinJeff Would it be a copyright violation to sell the shirts I print?

Almost certainly. If there's anything particularly cool you could use it as the starting point for inspiration though.

Quote: Originally Posted by AustinJeff Curing water-based inks

Cheapest way would be a heat press, or an air catalyst.

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walkjogcanter

Newbie with organic tee question.
Hi Everyone
We too have found this website extremely helpful -thankyou to everyone for their fantastic input .We are in Sydney, Australia and looking at starting a tshirt business and like the idea of using organic cotton shirts. Can Lewis or anyone else tell me where in Australia I can buy organic tees for the sort of price Lewis just mentioned?
With appreciation
Cheers

 

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