[landon13]

Aloha,

I am trying to cut costs and screen print my shirts myself. I know very little about screen printing (other than research and videos I have seen on-line).

I only am printing black and white photos on the front of my shirts. Can anyone give me list of supplies that I will need to do this (please be as detailed as possible and remember that I am ONLY printing black and white photos).

Thank you in advance for the help

 

[lben]

Oh dear. Well if you know very little about screen printing, there is no way you are going to be able to print photos black & white or colored on a shirt by screen printing it. That requires skill, knowledge, and proper trade tools. You will need design software (adobe illustrator or coreldraw), color separation software, accurip, an Epson 1400 printer or maybe an 1100 printer, transparent inks, fine mesh screens 300 and above, and the ability to do halftones.

The keyword to your problems is photos. If you are printing on white shirts you can get an Epson workforce 1100, some JPSS transfer paper, and a heat press. Then you can print your photos on them in color or black & white without the fuss and mess of screen printing. You can also do them on darker shirts but that will require a cutter/plotter or very sharp scissors and some special paper for darks.

 

[cyclesurgeon]

OK Landon,
It will take a few items, such as a screen press, screens, squeegees, ink (I use water base hobby inks because I'm not selling anything), Diazo Emulsion, Emulsion remover, A scoop coater, degreaser (for cleaning the screens), and tons of patience. You'll also need photo/graphics editing software for creating halftones. I use a basic edition of Printshop Pro 7 and I also have Adobe Illustrator (but don't know how to use it yet).

Actually doing the halftones of your B/W photo can be done a number of ways. The link below shows my third ever print (you'll have to scroll down to the pic of my dad on an airplane).

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/show-your-stuff-screen-printing-print-job-examples/t173863.html

The method I used to create this halftone can be seen in this thread: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing-equipment/t165740.html

This is the hobby level. Imagine if I had used the good stuff mentioned by by Iben.

 

[suthernkumfert]

i know you want to keep cost down but you may want to check into some local printers that print from home and maybe you can run by some one that will cut a deal for you! if not then the list above is a great list and just keep trying until you get it right!

 

[landon13]

thank you so much guys... this really helps!

i'm gonna give it a shot and see how goes... i actually know a little more about printing than lead on to believe but i just didn't want a bunch of really detailed/advanced replies where i didn't know what the heck they were talking about.

mahalo again!!!