[dballa]

Hey All,
As my profile reads, we currently handle Embroidery & Heat transfers only in house. We are expanding our psychical space and we want to and to our in-house services with Screen Printing. I know basics but can anyone help me with the following?:

* What equipment do I need for starters?
* Are the better brands? Good deals?
* What's a good process (art, emulsion, ink, cure, etc.)?
* A good management process (job lists, job packets, scheduling?)
* Any other newbie tricks?

Any help is great, thanks!

 

[KaceMN]

Laser shmazer...you don't need those.

Read read read...there's tons of info on this forum about how to get started.

Equipment (use Craigslist and eBay to get killer deals on used stuff):
Press--get at least a 4 color/4 station with micro adjustments. M&R, workhorse, hopkins, antec, vastex are all good choices.
Flash dryer--the bigger the better in terms of surface area of the heater. You don't necessarily need an automated dryer...I bought one and found that it wasn't worth the extra $800.
Conveyor Dryer--do some research and buy one that will handle your estimated workload
Exposure Unit--look in to making your own with one or two 500 watt halogens and a 1/4" sheet of glass...simple.

For supplies...head on over to silkscreeningsupplies.com. Sign up for the newsletter for a 5% discount. Free shipping on orders over $100...you really can't go wrong.

And just as a warning...unless you get some sort of training...you're going to SUCK for a good 6 months. You learn through experience...so be prepared to bookmark this forum. Most problems you'll run into are problems that have been discussed! GOOD LUCK!

 

[Texsource Scott]

Hey All,
As my profile reads, we currently handle Embroidery & Heat transfers only in house. We are expanding our psychical space and we want to and to our in-house services with Screen Printing. I know basics but can anyone help me with the following?:

* What equipment do I need for starters?
* Are the better brands? Good deals?
* What's a good process (art, emulsion, ink, cure, etc.)?
* A good management process (job lists, job packets, scheduling?)
* Any other newbie tricks?

Any help is great, thanks!

I agree with with what KaceMN said. You need to consider what type or how much printing you are going to be doing. You will want a press that is well built. A well built, sturdy press will keep registration better over longer runs. Also, training classes are a plus. It will save you time, money and better yet, you will satisfy your customers with quality prints.

 

[dballa]

Hey All!
Good info all around. @KaceMN, simple and to the point! Target, I've been embroidering for a long time so I know what a headache poor placement can be. I'll have to look into those for the future so thanks for the heads up!

If/when I venture into the screen printing arena, I will be sure to start small and grind out the kinks. Thanks again and I'll pop back in if I have any more questions.