Basic Basic Screen PrintingScreen Printing Procedures for Procedures for

T-ShirtsT-Shirts

GOP_5-2 Screen Printing

Prepare Your Screens and Prepare Your Screens and Run a Run a

Step Wedge Test Step Wedge Test (this will determine your exposure (this will determine your exposure

time)time)

Step 1 - Step 1 - Degrease the Degrease the ScreenScreen Degrease your screen on both sides

(use degrease brush) Rinse with pressure washer Apply micro grit on screen

(use grit brush) to roughenup fibers - DO THIS ONLY1 TIME TO A new SCREENthen RINSE

Dry screen in Drip Drain - No dust!

Wet - Degrease - Micro Grit- Rinse - Dry

Wet - Degrease - Micro Grit- Rinse - Dry

Don’t TouchAfter Cleaning!!

Step 2 - Coat Your ScreenStep 2 - Coat Your Screen(Your Instructor will do this initially - you get it set up)(Your Instructor will do this initially - you get it set up)

Get Emulsion from refrig and stirwith wooden stick only!!

Pour Emulsion into scoop coater (After taking off plastic protective piece)

Tilt Screen and coat flat side ofscreen, first starting at bottomand spreading to top

Coat other side of screen Must be coated evenly and smooth

- no bubbles Dry flat side up in light tight cabinet

in storage room overnight (or preferably screen side down if your cabinet accommodates that)

Do This in Subdued

Light Only!

Must run test for each type of mesh to determine proper exposure time

Tape test strip to flat side of emulsified blank screen

Place screen flat side down onto glass on exposure unit

Use rubylith to cover sections of test strip that you do not want to expose

Cover corner with rope so the blanket won’t seal air inside the frame

Do This in Subdued Light Only!

Step 3 - Step Wedge TestStep 3 - Step Wedge Test

Do This in Subdued

Light Only!

Hold down top of exposure unit / turn on vacuum / expose for 1 min. (turn dial past 2 min. and then back to 1min. to set timer)

Move rubylith down 1 more section and expose 1 min

Repeat until test strip complete

Mark down your test times

Step 4 - Step 4 - Step Wedge TestStep Wedge Test (cont’d)(cont’d)

Note: Clean glass on exposure unit and ifone bulb burns out replace all of them!

Step 5 - Step 5 - Step Wedge TestStep Wedge Test ((cont’d)cont’d)

Your screen stays light sensitive until you wet the emulsion with water

Take off test strip Wet both sides of screen with sprayer With flat side of screen facing you, stand back

and with soft spray wash at top of screen and work your way down

Turn screen around and lightly wash inside of screen

Blot out image area with special towels on both sides (or blow gently blow dry with pressured air)

Put in sunshine to dry or in front of a fan Write down your test results and post

Note: Note: Most eMost equipment uipment manufacturers either sell manufacturers either sell an exposure calculator or an exposure calculator or include it with the include it with the purchase of an exposure purchase of an exposure unit. One exposure with unit. One exposure with the calculator can reveal the calculator can reveal the best exposure after the best exposure after examining the image.examining the image.

Now You’re Ready to Now You’re Ready to Create Your Own Create Your Own Piece of Art Work!Piece of Art Work!

Step 1 - Step 1 - Design yourDesign your oneone color art work color art work Document size is maximum 8.25” x

10.75” Design art work using one color (black

area will be where the ink goes through the screen)

Make sure you put registration marks outside artwork so you can line up on screen with T-square

Print out a proof on plainpaper first to check your artwork

Print out your final art workon a special paper calledvellum on the Xantepostscript printer

Step 2 - Step 2 - Coat your screenCoat your screen

Open pink Emulsion and stirwith wooden stick only!!

Pour Emulsion into metal tray(take off plastic protective piece)

Tilt Screen and coat flat side ofscreen first starting at bottomand spreading to top

Coat other side of screen Must be coated evenly and smooth

- no bubbles Dry flat side down in light tight cabinet

in storage room overnight

Do This in Subdued Light Only!

Step 3 - Step 3 - Attach positiveAttach positive Attach the positive

(your art work printed on the vellum) to the flat side of the coated screen backwards with scotch tape

Use a T-square to make sure it’s straight and centered within the frame

Do This in Subdued Light Only!

Hint: Put a mark with apermanent marker on eachsection of the frame to indicatethe center point

Do This in Subdued Light Only!

Place screen flat side down onto glass on exposure unit

Cover corner with rope so the blanket won’t seal air inside the frame(can expose 2 screens at a time -drape rope over both)

Hold down top of exposure unit / turn on vacuum / set exposure time (turn dial past 2 min. and then back to 1min. to set timer)

Step 4 - Step 4 - ExposeExpose

Step 5 - Step 5 - Wash your screenWash your screen

Your screen stays light sensitive until you wet the emulsion with water

Wet both sides of screenwith soft spray

With flat side of screen facing you, stand back and with soft spray wash at top of screen and work your way down

Turn screen around and lightly wash inside of screen

Do This in Subdued Light Only!

Blot out image area with special towels on both sides Put in sunshine to dry or in front of a fan

Step 6 - Step 6 - Tape screenTape screen Use plastic tape to tape

up short sides of screen frame first(pinch & tear)

Tape long sides

Use scotch tape on flat side of screen to tape out registration marks

Block out any pinholes(use small brush and Ulano Block out)

Note: Wait 15 min. to let block-out dry

Step 7 -Step 7 - Place on pressPlace on press

Put your vellum art work on the platen, line up and tape in position(use a pencil to indicate the center of the platen)

Mount screen in the press where you want the image to print on the shirt by matching it to the position of the vellum

YOURART

WORK

Step 8 –Step 8 – Add InkAdd Ink Add ink

Attempt to keep ink away from edges and corners - it is difficult to remove with a squeegee

Secure a squeegee slightly larger than the width of your image

Taping over the gap of the squeegee keeping tape 1/4” away from the printing edge, will make cleanup easier

Step 9 –Step 9 – Load shirt on Load shirt on printing platenprinting platen

Make sure the shirt is straight and flat on the printing Make sure the shirt is straight and flat on the printing platenplaten

Step 10 – Step 10 – Print with the Print with the squeegeesqueegee

Hold squeegee at a 45 degree angle while printingHold squeegee at a 45 degree angle while printing

Step 11 – Step 11 – Remove the shirt Remove the shirt from platenfrom platen

Step 12 - Step 12 - Put in dryer Put in dryer (ink side up)(ink side up)

YOU’RE DONE!YOU’RE DONE!

Put the shirt on.