How To Screen Print Custom T-shirts
- Date: 2009-10-06 - Word Count: 370
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Silk screen printing is a method of printing that has a long and rich history and is still the preferred method of printing T-shirts and other articles of clothing. The quality you can get from screen printing plastisol inks on a T-shirt will give you a product that will last you a long time. Screen printing is also the easiest way to turn your design into a custom T-shirt.
Screen printing starts with the silk screen which can range in thread. Lower thread counts will accommodate thicker inks such as white or specialty inks and higher thread count is best suited for designs with high detail. A coat of light sensitive emulsion is placed over the screen and allowed to dry. Designs are then burned onto the screen by way of transparency and a light exposure in a light safe darkroom. The transparency is placed onto the screen in reverse and weighed down with a piece of thick glass in order to have good contact with the screen and burn the outline of the design correction. Once the design is exposed on the screen you can wash out the design with the use of a pressure washer or a hose with a high pressure nozzle. The water on the screen will make the emulsion light safe.
Once the screen is dry you are ready to set it in your press and begin printing. Place the screen in the press and set your off contact to provide enough space between the press and the T-shirt that you are printing on. Ink is then applied to the shirt by pulling a squeegee from one end of the screen to the other. The ink goes through the open areas of the screen onto the shirt and with good off contact the screen will separate from the T-shirt leaving your custom design crisp and with a good outline. The shirt is then dried by using a flash dryer which will evenly dry all areas where ink has been placed to prevent from washing out. Once the plastisol ink has fused together you know that the T-shirt has been dried. If the drying process is done right you can have your custom T-shirt last for many years.
Screen printing starts with the silk screen which can range in thread. Lower thread counts will accommodate thicker inks such as white or specialty inks and higher thread count is best suited for designs with high detail. A coat of light sensitive emulsion is placed over the screen and allowed to dry. Designs are then burned onto the screen by way of transparency and a light exposure in a light safe darkroom. The transparency is placed onto the screen in reverse and weighed down with a piece of thick glass in order to have good contact with the screen and burn the outline of the design correction. Once the design is exposed on the screen you can wash out the design with the use of a pressure washer or a hose with a high pressure nozzle. The water on the screen will make the emulsion light safe.
Once the screen is dry you are ready to set it in your press and begin printing. Place the screen in the press and set your off contact to provide enough space between the press and the T-shirt that you are printing on. Ink is then applied to the shirt by pulling a squeegee from one end of the screen to the other. The ink goes through the open areas of the screen onto the shirt and with good off contact the screen will separate from the T-shirt leaving your custom design crisp and with a good outline. The shirt is then dried by using a flash dryer which will evenly dry all areas where ink has been placed to prevent from washing out. Once the plastisol ink has fused together you know that the T-shirt has been dried. If the drying process is done right you can have your custom T-shirt last for many years.
Related Tags: t-shirts, how to, screen, screen printing, custom, print, custom t-shirts, screen print
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