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I'm new and Would love some Help.!!

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C
Hi I'm Ashley I am just starting to look into start my own Screen Printer business.. And so here i am looking at all my Choices and hoping to figure it all out.. I'm manly looking into this cause One it looks fun and Two im looking for something to do to make money from home so i can be there with my 10 month old son.. so if anyone has Info or helpful Tips i would love to hear them
Thanks. Ashley:D
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lben
Ashley, while I admire your desire to work from home, I suggest you find something else to do until your son is a lot older. I don't know of any kind of printing that is safe to do around small children. If you do heat transfers you will need to apply them with a heat press, and that press will be out in the open at a temp of around 350-400 degrees F. If you do screen printing and dry with a flash dryer the temp under it is around 500 degrees F. Screen printing also includes the use of chemicals. Rhinestone application is the same. You need a heat press (again temps in the 350-400 degree F range) or a hand held application iron with a tip temp that reaches 300-400 degrees F.

Burn injuries happen all the time. Adults have to be very careful not to get burned. Children don't have the sense to not touch or stay away from something dangerous. As the mom, you are looking for something to do from home where you can be with him and work at the same time. If you wanted to pursue this any further you would be wise to get a sitter for him so that he doesn't get hurt in the process of you trying to make a living.
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C
well it wouldn't just be me its more of a family think we are looking into like my mother and sister and brother.. and my son wouldn't beable to get to the area that we would be doing this in..
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lben
Well that makes a big difference. It is fun, it is creative, and there are so many different ways to do it, though none of them are cheap. Each requires computer, printer, software, heat press and/or flash dryer etc.

For a quick lesson in learning each kind go to youtube and search for videos on the different kinds that I'll list here for you. That will give you an idea of what you're in for.

screen printing, inkjet heat transfers, laser heat transfers, plastisol transfers, foil transfers, vinyl transfers, rhinestones, embroidery, sublimation, direct to garment (DTG). I think that's most of them.

For screen printing supplies go to Screen Printing Supplies, Screen Printing Equipment & Screen Printing Kits. For sublimation supplies go to Sublimation Printing, Unisub Blanks, Supplies, Inks, Video Tips and Tricks, Transfer Paper, Heat Presses, Direct to Garment. For the rest browse through the vendors on the left of this screen. You will also need a vendor or reseller's license to buy shirts wholesale. If you want to make anything for children you will have to make sure that you are in compliance with federal consumer safety laws regarding products for children under 12.

In the main forum here you will find different areas dedicated to specific types of printing. That's where you'll find the experts hanging out at that can answer your questions.
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C
Thank you. I already have a wholesale number because we already buy and sell wholesale stuff but like i said thank you for the info i can't wait to learn more and figure all of it out.!
lben said:
Well that makes a big difference. It is fun, it is creative, and there are so many different ways to do it, though none of them are cheap. Each requires computer, printer, software, heat press and/or flash dryer etc.

For a quick lesson in learning each kind go to youtube and search for videos on the different kinds that I'll list here for you. That will give you an idea of what you're in for.

screen printing, inkjet heat transfers, laser heat transfers, plastisol transfers, foil transfers, vinyl transfers, rhinestones, embroidery, sublimation, direct to garment (DTG). I think that's most of them.

For screen printing supplies go to Screen Printing Supplies, Screen Printing Equipment & Screen Printing Kits. For sublimation supplies go to Sublimation Printing, Unisub Blanks, Supplies, Inks, Video Tips and Tricks, Transfer Paper, Heat Presses, Direct to Garment. For the rest browse through the vendors on the left of this screen. You will also need a vendor or reseller's license to buy shirts wholesale. If you want to make anything for children you will have to make sure that you are in compliance with federal consumer safety laws regarding products for children under 12.

In the main forum here you will find different areas dedicated to specific types of printing. That's where you'll find the experts hanging out at that can answer your questions.
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lben
I've been doing it for several years now, and I'm still learning. I do a little of everything, well almost everything. I do sublimation, heat transfers (vinyl, inkjet, foil, & plastisol), screen printing and rhinestones. If you have questions don't hesitate to ask. I may not have an answer but if I don't know I will tell you so. There are a lot of really good experienced people here who have so much information packed between their ears!

If you don't have adobe illustrator or coreldraw graphics suite, there are free graphic software online though I don't know off hand what they're called. You can do a search on here and see if you can find it. Someone was just talking about it the other day.
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mmonk
well putting aside "Debbie Downer"... there are companies out there who make green inks that are safe and chemicals also. Its a tough, cut throat business. I worked in traditional screen printing shop for 5 years. When I left i went heat transfers and have been successful. I am just now adding vinyl cutting to hopefully add to my profits.
If traditional screen printing is where you are heading go slow. dont buy the biggest and best press, or equipment. start smaller maybe a 2 color single press, flash dryer, make your own exposure set up, etc. Do your research and talk with companies and their support after the sale.
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lben
well putting aside "Debbie Downer"... there are companies out there who make green inks that are safe and chemicals also.
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Debbie Downer? Seriously? She was talking about working from home with a baby. A) There is no such thing as a safe chemical if a baby decides to drink it. B) I wasn't even talking about chemicals, I was concerned about the high temperatures from the presses and flash dryers that could easily cause serious injury to a baby or small child if they got too close to it. Had you bothered to read everything you would have discovered that she told me it wasn't going to be just her, but her whole family was going to be involved and that it would be done in an area that the baby wouldn't have access to.

There is nothing Debbie Downer-ish about safety concerns. Especially when it involves children.
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mmonk
Thats just it...I did read it ALL.
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