I've been screenprinting t-shirts for nearly a year now, but only as a bit of a hobby. I've sold 30ish shirts on eBay, I prefer to screenprint up my own designs. I'm currently in the process of setting up my own label and selling my shirts on an eCommerce site. Things are running smoothly, but I still am quite new to the actual printing process.
The Basics:
I've bought really nice aluminium frames from a guy, as well as a one-arm tshirt screenprinting machine thing. Wow, what a bad description. Basically a wooden board to put my shirt on, attached to it an arm with springs/hinges (which the screen attaches to), and dials for adjustment of screen, etc. I just buy some screenprinting ink from a local supplier here, I use a kitchen spoon to scoop it onto the screen once it's down, then use a squegee (from screenprinters shop) to do the actual print. Dry it with a hair dryer, cure it with an iron for 5 mins (I use WB ink)
Making the actual screens... I coat the screens as best I can with a squegee, let them dry in the dark. Put a postivie (printed out onto transparency) over the screen (with a bit of glass for good measure), chuck it under a hardcore halogen lamp for 10 mins, wash it out over the grass with a pressure attachment for the garden hose.
Now - I've actually printed in the range of 40 shirts like this of 5-6 different designs. But now I want to set up my online store with 24 designs - with more to come every month. That's 24 screens I have to do up over the next few weeks! So far I usually take an average of 2 screens to get one that's right. I don't want to be doing this with 24 screens.
I've searched the net high and low for answers to my problems. My major issue is that I'm a student, and I don't have $1000s to play with. I need relatively cheap solutions here.
My Issues:
Exposing: What is the best way to expose these screens? Like, what sort of light, what distance away from the screen? What is an exposure unit, which one is right for my purpose, what's the average cost? I can't really see them on my screenprinting shop website. Sometimes they are called vacuum something or others, and they're $1600. Hmm?
Curing: Is my hair dryer/iron method the best? Are heat presses useful for screenprinters or is that only for DyeSub stuff?
That will do for now. This post is long and annoying as it is. Thanks for reading this far guys, I appreciate any and all help you give me!
Exposing: What is the best way to expose these screens?
A professional exposure unit, bought from a screenprint supply company. Average cost is hard to say because they do vary, but hundreds to over a thousand, rather than pocket change.
Quote:
Originally Posted by etctees
Sometimes they are called vacuum something or others, and they're $1600. Hmm?
The vacuum frame is what holds the screen while it is being exposed. Sometimes the vacuum frame and exposure lamp are an all in one unit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by etctees
Is my hair dryer/iron method the best?
Far from it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by etctees
Are heat presses useful for screenprinters or is that only for DyeSub stuff?
They're useful for curing waterbased ink, though a conveyor oven is still better. A heat press is a good compromise between cost and effectiveness though, and has other uses (like applying foil). They're also used for a lot more than dye sublimation - that's just one form of heat press decoration.
why not just get custom plastisol transfers made? it will be much cheaper than investing in all that equipment, super easy to apply to shirts, so easy to determine cost so you can set your selling price. and since your costs are far less you can have many more designs and press them on the size/color shirt that your customers want (rather than screenprinting and guessing which sizes and colors will sell). i could go on about it, i've been where you are, try transfers!
why not just get custom plastisol transfers made? it will be much cheaper than investing in all that equipment, super easy to apply to shirts, so easy to determine cost so you can set your selling price. and since your costs are far less you can have many more designs and press them on the size/color shirt that your customers want (rather than screenprinting and guessing which sizes and colors will sell). i could go on about it, i've been where you are, try transfers!
Agreed. And it will be much, much better quality than the process described above. If you are going to be selling shirts online, I would not recommend the process you described. That's for hobby or craft type stuff where you just make shirts for fun. You can't create professional quality screen prints for $1000.
And it will be much, much better quality than the process described above.
There's nothing Mitch specifically describes that would by necessity lead to poor quality: just extra effort.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rusty
You can't create professional quality screen prints for $1000.
Codswallop, you totally can. Even plastisol can be done for less than that, and waterbased inks are even cheaper to work with.
Don't get me wrong, I think people should invest money to save themselves some headaches, but if you really want to do professional quality screenprints using unprofessional techniques, it is totally possible.
There's nothing Mitch specifically describes that would by necessity lead to poor quality: just extra effort.
Codswallop, you totally can. Even plastisol can be done for less than that, and waterbased inks are even cheaper to work with.
Don't get me wrong, I think people should invest money to save themselves some headaches, but if you really want to do professional quality screenprints using unprofessional techniques, it is totally possible.
Yeah you're right. It's possible. Not likely, and very difficult, but possible. It's kind of like trying to create a masterpiece work of art with a toothbrush and a box of water-color's from Wal-Mart . A professional artist could do it. But for somebody new to painting, it would be very difficult.
I guess I didn't look into it too heavily before deciding to go with a backyard-screenprint method. I was never happy with the prints on shirts from a site called TShirt Hell, and I just assumed that was what all plastisol transfers were - hard, "ontop" of the thread rather than "in" the fabric. I like to not even be able to feel the design when I'm wearing it, and after feeling a few screenprinted shirts I quite liked it.
Now I've found out that plastisol transfers can feel exactly the same as screenprinted ones, and there are some screenprinted shirts which feel all rough and hard to the touch as well. I don't claim to be too much of an expert, I just stumbled upon a method that works for me and am happy with the results so far
I will, however, be taking a look at blacklight prices tomorrow morning. Might have a weekend project of a homemade lightbox.
I don't think there is any reason for me to upgrade my drying/curing method, and that was the major reason I posted this thread. Maybe one day if people like the shirts I make and I actually break even on this thing, I might see if I can acquire a second hand conveyor dryer. Though they seem a bit easier to source in the US than here in little ole Brisbane
Thanks again guys, way to make a newcomer feel welcome!
You can build a light box yourself, if you are handy.The man who taught me had a home made one for years.The secret is to make sure the screen is absolutely flat on the glass when exposed.He used a thick piece of foam cut to the size of the screen.When the lid was closed,it pressed the foam down,securing the frame flat.Used flourescent tubes for light.Took a while, but worked.
New to Screenprinting - Need Advice! 
. A professional artist could do it. But for somebody new to painting, it would be very difficult.
