[Orso]

I am wanting to screen print on some 3 ring binders. Has anyone tried this before? Any tips?

 

[tpitman]

You'll have to determine what material the binder is covered in. Vinyl?

Check with Nazdar, as they have a comprehensive line of inks for various substrates. Other than getting the right ink, you'll probably want to print through a 230 or higher mesh count, depending on the viscosity of the ink you end up with. I print yard signs with a 230. On the other hand, I printed some royal blue nylon backpacks with white plastisol with nylobond additive, and I got the best print with the 305 mesh.

 

[Orso]

Any clue on the rig to hold the binder flat?

 

[tpitman]

If you're talking about printing on a floor-stand shirt press, it might be tough. On a simple homemade rig with a piece of particle board and a couple of jiffy clamps set up on a table, let the back and end of the binder hang off the edge of the platen with something to support it so it doesn't pull the face of the binder off, then adjust your screen in the clamps to center the image over the binder. Whatever would work to where the screen will come down over the print area without anything else interfering with it.

 

[Orso]

I was using a table press. Or actually I was thinking of building something for it.

We came up with the idea to take a piece of ply wood and cut a whole in it so that the binder will lay completely flat and open. Then glue vinyl tiles on the board so that it hold the binder in place. Similar to a one color home made press.

 

[mrvixx]

You might want to print on cover and spine at the same time.

 

[macmiller]

You can let it hang off the side of the pallet on a regular shirt press, use the rings to register the side, and some cardstock to butt against the top or bottom as a placement jig. I did some like that a few years ago.

As for the ink, use the nazdar vinyl inks, I can't remember the series.