# Building an all over screen printing press



## DowntownClothing (Aug 19, 2008)

So at the moment I'm running on a Ryonet Semi-Pro kit. Flash dryer and 20x24 inch screens. Right now I can do solid prints on shirts, it just takes a lot of time due to having to print on the same shirt 10 times on each side. 

I've been doing some research as to building a big enough screen to complete my goal of a solid print on a shirt. Of course this will just be a one color setup, old school hinged screen to a table big enough to cover from sleeve to sleeve and collar to bottom. 

Here are a few issues I'm concerned about:

Exposure:
Right now I have a 500w halogen exposure unit I run for 12.5 minuts 16" above the screen.
Is it ok for me to get a second light to expose a screen this big?

Artwork:
Right now I have a Brother HL2140 laser printer printing onto a standard size transparency. 
Who could make a transparency around 40x40 big enough to cover a shirt so I don't have to make a damn puzzle out of my artwork.

Ink:
For these solid prints I'm thinking about going with a water based ink instead of plastisol because of the span it will be hard to get the platisol ink to lay down even compared to water based.

If you have any other suggestions or info for me to look into it is greatly appreciated.


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## Blue Moose Tees (Aug 28, 2008)

DowntownClothing said:


> So at the moment I'm running on a Ryonet Semi-Pro kit. Flash dryer and 20x24 inch screens. Right now I can do solid prints on shirts, it just takes a lot of time due to having to print on the same shirt 10 times on each side.
> 
> I've been doing some research as to building a big enough screen to complete my goal of a solid print on a shirt. Of course this will just be a one color setup, old school hinged screen to a table big enough to cover from sleeve to sleeve and collar to bottom.
> 
> ...


 For exposure you can use sunlight, it only takes about 30 seconds or less - youll need a piece of glass, blanket, & something under neath to support your mesh and film or art to the glass. Use the blanket to keep it covered until you are ready to expose. remove when ready wait 20 to 30 sec.s, cover back up, take back inside and wash it out.
As for your artwork, you can buy ruby lith, or amber lith from an art store. you just lay over your image and lightly cut with an exacto blade and peel. i believe it comes on a 48 inch wide roll by so many yards.
For ink you can use anything, drying or curing your ink is the question - how do you plan to do this for such a large image?


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## DowntownClothing (Aug 19, 2008)

That sounds like a great idea for the exposure.. I never would have thought to expose it in the sunlight.. 
I'll be putting this setup in my garage so I could easily get the image ready in the garage then take it out in the driveway to expose it. 

I planned on ordering the squegee material online big enough to build like a two person pull style squegee.

I have a 18x18 flash curer right now.. thats my only other concern.. I was thinking possibly the oven if its large enough.. 

This is for preprinted shirt sales so time isn't a large concern, more qaulity. 

Thanks for the info that really helps!


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## Blue Moose Tees (Aug 28, 2008)

If you are using Plastisol - you can also buy a heat gun from home depot or similar, basically its like a blow dryer, only it will burn the hair right off your head and cause third degree burns. They work well you just have to be carefull with it. I wouldnt recommend using waterbase with it or with your current situation. Reason being - your ever try and dry water in the oven? or with a hair dryer?


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## DowntownClothing (Aug 19, 2008)

Has anyone else had any experience on exposing in sunlight? Anymore tips for this? Thanks


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## Locklear (Nov 24, 2006)

I used to have a small light like you, but switched to using the sun until I could build an exposure unit.

I never burned as short as 30 sec...always did about 3-4 min. I know that's a lot longer but it's what worked for me, and boy did it work. I was able to do multi-color registrations with halftone and everything!

I bought a piece of coffee table glass from Hobby Lobby so that it would be thick and heavy. It's important to put something under the mesh to keep very solid contact from mesh-to-film-to-glass.

Also remember you have to place your film on the shirt side of the screen, so make sure it is reversed or you will end up with a backwards image.


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## Relik Apparel (Jul 10, 2009)

That is very interesting. I was using Murakami's HVP emulsion and exposing on an MSP. But I had the wash booth outside and the glare from the sun would make image impossible to wash out. Maybe it's in the emulsion. I am impressed that you even got to do half tones. What emulsion where you using ?

.


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## Unkle Samo (Feb 27, 2008)

DowntownClothing said:


> So at the moment...a one color setup, old school hinged screen to a table big enough to cover from sleeve to sleeve and collar to bottom.


If you build a press w/ hinges, all I can say is that I was never able to get the shirt flat enough for an adequate allover print. I always got folds by the underarms, etc. So I built an allover press w/ hinges that enable me to print a screen of 39" X 49". My press allows me to put a variety of platens (middle & 2 sleeves) together to get a better lay of the various shirt sizes and keep the problem areas flat. I will post my pics when I get home (hopefully by tomorrow). I posted them about a year ago on this forum w/ examples of my allover prints.
Some hints... 
1) I made a floor press as any ink overflow is closer to the floor  *I also felt that I could get more pressure on the screen to get better coverage by myself.
2) I'm not tall by any stretch (being 5'7") and you can get a squeegee made to any width you need, which I advise to get a smooth print.
3) My first prints were plastisol but, after having to cleanup a massive screen, I have been printing w/ waterbased Matsui. I print halftones through a 230 mesh no problem.


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## Relik Apparel (Jul 10, 2009)

@Unkle Samo Have you seen the all over pallet from action engineering ? Check out All Over Pallet Systems
I think it is a very intersting pallet. I have heard mixed opinions about it. Some ppl tell me they love it and some tell me they rather spray the inside of the shirt with adhesive and use a regular over size pallet. I have not used it personally but it looks very practical to me. The sleeves actually fold out and in to load and unload the tee

Also Vastex has this one color one station over size press that I think is very appropriate for today's market Screen Printing Equipment by VASTEX

.


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## Unik Ink (Nov 21, 2006)

Relik Apparel said:


> @Unkle Samo Have you seen the all over pallet from action engineering ? Check out All Over Pallet Systems
> I think it is a very intersting pallet. I have heard mixed opinions about it. Some ppl tell me they love it and some tell me they rather spray the inside of the shirt with adhesive and use a regular over size pallet. I have not used it personally but it looks very practical to me. The sleeves actually fold out and in to load and unload the tee
> 
> Also Vastex has this one color one station over size press that I think is very appropriate for today's market Screen Printing Equipment by VASTEX
> ...


We have used the Action AOP for a few years now. It is terrible. It takes forever to load a shirt, it pinches the shirt frequently when flipping out the sleeves, adhesive builds up on the sliding part, and the list goes on. Someone uploaded a video on youtube a few years ago of a much better designed pallet. They have since removed it, as it is still in developmental stage, and they don't want proprietary information getting out. Spraying the inside of the shirt isn't a much better option. It is very time consuming spraying every shirt, laying it out perfect to eliminate folds, putting a neck guard in the shirt to catch overprint from getting on the inside of the neck, put paper underneath to catch overprint from getting on the pallet, etc. Color registration IS much better with the AOP. IMO, the AOP is our preferred choice for all over printing, but we use both methods depending on the design.


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## Relik Apparel (Jul 10, 2009)

Unik Ink said:


> It takes forever to load a shirt, it pinches the shirt frequently when flipping out the sleeves,


Well take it from the man, Justin knows what he's talking about. Btw, congrats !! I saw your design on Impressions.

That is why I said I've heard mixed feelings. I friend of mine told me exactly what you said, that you had to very careful or you could actually rip the shirts under the armhole

.


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## Unkle Samo (Feb 27, 2008)

AND the Action AOP platen is $$$$ and that's for one size. I print Small through 3XL. Way too expensive for my pocket. Nice to hear feedback from a user... Thanks, Unik Ink!


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## Unkle Samo (Feb 27, 2008)

2 Threads that should interest you. Both have pics that I posted...

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing-equipment/t99732.html#post584531

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing-equipment/t102190.html#post597518


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