[Skobtees]

Hey again folks. Back with another question.

Last time I posted in the forum, I spoke about how my friend and I are trying to do the whole screen printing process as diy as possible... making all our own materials and stuff. And people pretty much said that we'd get nowhere by doing that. However, we tried the process the other night, and everything worked pretty well. I knew it was possible without buying loads of unnecessarily expensive materials.

When we carried out the process, we'd made our screen using some silk which we bought at the local fabric store. However, although the image did transfer onto the t-shirt, the fine details weren't good, and it looked a little blurry. So, I was wondering if anyone knows what the material used in screens is called, or what alternative materials work, to improve the image quality? To be fair, our first image was a fairly complicated one, but we figured we might as well start as we mean to go on.

Thanks for your advice!

skobtees.

 

[TYGERON]

And people pretty much said that we'd get nowhere by doing that.

You can't listen to just anybody

There's nothing wrong with DIY. Do what you do and figure out the most effective way(s) to do it.

Various materials can be used to screen print with varied results. What I think you're asking about is monofilament polyester. It comes in many counts and different colors white, yellow, orange and is available from screen printing suppliers.

Learn and understand as much aout the whole of screen printing and adapting to DIY will be easier.

And there is a DIY section on this forum and TONS of videos on Youtube and the 'net.

(Cue the Doctor....Doctor? Is the Doctor in?)

 

[ScreenFoo]

I'll drop a jerk comment before CS drops some frugal wisdom.
Blurring will happen with 'mesh' that won't hold tension, or is poorly stretched.

Organdy is the standard sub for real mesh. Seems like a waste of materials to me though--even buying by the yard you can get low and middle mesh counts that will last more than a couple runs for 10-15 dollars a yard.

Don't get me wrong, I've threatened to stretch curtains on picture frames, make stencils with Elmer's glue, and print with stiff cardboard before, but it's an idle threat. Lots of stuff can by done with unusual materials, the intelligent question is *why* you do it.

 

[TYGERON]

I'll drop a jerk comment before CS drops some frugal wisdom.
Blurring will happen with 'mesh' that won't hold tension, or is poorly stretched.

Don't get me wrong, I've threatened to stretch curtains on picture frames, make stencils with Elmer's glue, and print with stiff cardboard before, but it's an idle threat. Lots of stuff can by done with unusual materials, the intelligent question is *why* you do it.

Foooooo!!!

Nothing jerky. There are certain elements necessary regardless of the materials used. Tension and overall technique are just two of many.

And sometimes the best answer to "why?" is "just because".

 

[ScreenFoo]

True--and I should clarify--I have serious respect for anyone who makes more out of less, and builds their own gear. Especially if you're not doing long run production, you can make everything everything, and make it work.

And if you're like me, you'll never be satisfied with someone elses why--you'll need your own.