# New screen printer, need some quick help!



## centrix (Oct 4, 2010)

Hello T-shirt community. I just started making designs for a t shirt company and found this sight, and i swear its like striking gold! I was so excited. Anyways, I had a couple questions, and ill just list them in number format so anyone who would like to help me out can respond easily!
1. My style is comparable to that of an "LRG" and "Obey" mix, and I noticed most of their shirts, Obey's especially, are really big full screen shirts with alot of color. I have some experience in screen printing in my highschool class, but thats about it. I was wondering how they make shirts like this :
http://mondomedeusah.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/27/blobeyzapatista.gif


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F5XU-nWGb7g/SntS62D3NeI/AAAAAAAAAZk/qiONHcRlP6c/s400/obey.bmp


LRG: Lifted Research Group | Shop - Broadcasting Tee - Short-sleeved - T-Shirts

They have a lot of colors and some very tiny print, along with some minor shading effects, and i was wondering if that is possible to do via your "out of your garage" screen printing? Is it possible at all? Or do you need profession equipment?


2. These company's also use very very thin shirts, that are noticeably long vertical wise. I typically use the AAA 3 for 10$ shirts at a local store by my house, but those are very thick and heavy duty shirts, and i was wondering if anyone knew what these thin and long shirts were called and where i could buy them.


3. and finally, what type of ink you as the community prefer: water soluble ink or plastisol ink. I know its situational, we went with some water soluble red ink and tried to print it on a black shirt...no bueno lol. didnt show up at all. So i was just wondering you preferences on that.


I know this is a big post, and no one will probably want to help me, but i would really appreciate it. Myself and a couple friends are trying to do this, and there has just been so much difficulty between trying to get emulsion on screens and types of ink i could use some help. Thank you so so much in advance.


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## centrix (Oct 4, 2010)

anything? would love help


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## RespecttheCraft (Feb 19, 2010)

there are a crapload of variables in screenprinting to deal with, but once you get used to it and get the process down its cake. (most of the time)

As for the shirts.. do you mean how they make their prints large? for this buy a large screen! 

(as a sidenote, please invest in roller frames. newmans are the best and will give you the fewest hassles. when i started out i was makign my own screens and buying newmans did just about everythign to increase my print quality, decrease messups, save me time and grey hair ect..)

if you get a 23" x 31" (common size) screen it will be more than enough to print an entire tshirt top to bottom. you can use a regular sized scoop coater if youre good, but one to fit the screen would be the best case scenario. purchase 18" wide squeegees and a pallet large enough to print on and youre good! as for the films/transparencies, i use a 13" epson 1400 and tile my films with the 13 inch side running vertical. usually takes 2 pieces for a full shirt. when you tile just make sure to leave a bit of overlap for putting them together. i design them full size in photoshop and transfer them to a document that is 13" wide, print one tile then move the design across the document with the arrow keys to print the next tile.

also make sure your exposure unit puts out a large enough radius of strong light to expose the edges of the larger screen. if not you may have to "cook" it in one area and then in another, but you really dont want to do that if you can avoid it.

the soft, thin shirts are usually american apparel, alternative apparel, or another brand of thin soft shirt that is popular nowadays. save yourself time and money - dont buy shirts from department stores. you can buy better quality shirts for less.. and if you register your business with the irs and get an FEIN you can buy from distributors like american apparel, sun apparel, sanmar, ect. 

waterbased ink gives you the softest feel. plastisol will cover almost any job, and if you use a high tension screen and fine mesh, the hand isnt too bad at all. but waterbase will give you the best, softest hand. waterbase clogs in the screens though because the water evaporates. so keep your stencil flooded in between prints and dont walk away from the press while printing.

if youre having problems putting emulsion on your screens.. make sure youre using a degreaser, washing all the chemical off throroughly, lettign them dry completely, dusting them off completely with your hand before coating to ensure there isnt dust on the screen, using a scoop coater and good emulsion, letting them dry completely flat, squeegee side up in a dark dry place.... you should be fine

good luck!


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## RespecttheCraft (Feb 19, 2010)

and the shading effects are known as halftones. that and small details like tiny print are definitely possible "out of your garage." All you need is a highly tensioned screen (which is possible very easily with a roller frame) with high count mesh on it and a good quality emulsion. I use 230 for fine lines and halftones, and just about anythign else that doesnt specifically require low mesh counts.


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

centrix said:


> [media]http://mondomedeusah.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/27/blobeyzapatista.gif[/media]
> 
> [media]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F5XU-nWGb7g/SntS62D3NeI/AAAAAAAAAZk/qiONHcRlP6c/s400/obey.bmp[/media]


these two Obey prints were done using Index separations and printed with plastisol inks. On close inspection of the actual garment you can see there's no halftone patterns just a very fine stippled effect (Index).



centrix said:


> LRG: Lifted Research Group | Shop - Broadcasting Tee - Short-sleeved - T-Shirts


I haven't seen this LRG shirt in person but if i had to guess i'd say simulated process or CMYK+spot printing. I'd also guess plastisol inks as that is the majority of LRGs prints (can't really think of any water based or sublimation work ive seen on their products but it is possible)


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## PrintsCharming (Jan 21, 2009)

RespecttheCraft said:


> (as a sidenote, please invest in roller frames. newmans are the best and will give you the fewest hassles.quote]
> 
> why would you recomend he get Newman roller frames?
> 
> ...


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## RespecttheCraft (Feb 19, 2010)

cause. wood frames suck. i dont feel i really need to explain that one.


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## centrix (Oct 4, 2010)

Thank you guys so so so much! you have helped my tremendously! I await the day I can finally help someone else on this forum... amazing community.. thanks so much!


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## PrintsCharming (Jan 21, 2009)

RespecttheCraft said:


> cause. wood frames suck. i dont feel i really need to explain that one.


your telling someone who is just getting into screen printing to get newman roller frames. you should explain to him what a roller frame is and the tools and formulas he will need to retension them.


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## centrix (Oct 4, 2010)

Hey guys i was working with some of the Index Separations tutorials, and i was wondering: after i used the color separation things, is there any way to take all the colors i used, and put them in separate layers in photoshop so that i can print them all out on transparencies to get them ready for the screen? in other words, how do i separate my colors for multi colored shirts?


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## starchild (Jul 22, 2009)

RespecttheCraft said:


> cause. wood frames suck. i dont feel i really need to explain that one.


The don't just suck, they suck badly. The only excuse for pre-streched frames is that it is what they had to use in the industry pre roller frames.

The screen is the main piece of equipment in the print process because it's responsible for the output of your image and ULTIMATELY dictates the quality of your final image.

If it's one thing not to skimp on is screens and the education of the role of the screen in the print process.

The truth is innovation just hasn't kept pace with the industry, hence the "percieved" higher cost of roller frames. Can you name more than two manufactures of roller frames with out a week of research?

Anyway expirence improved standards and we now know that it is the correct way to go. I never owned pre-streched frames. I did use film for photography though, that don't mean it's the best for my images.


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## starchild (Jul 22, 2009)

PrintsCharming said:


> your telling someone who is just getting into screen printing to get newman roller frames. you should explain to him what a roller frame is and the tools and formulas he will need to retension them.


Better he knows now before he gets to deep and develops doing the "not the right thing to do but been doing it for so long syndrome"


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## PrintsCharming (Jan 21, 2009)

with that said he should get a Nuarc MSP 3140 exposure unit while he is at it.


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

centrix said:


> Hey guys i was working with some of the Index Separations tutorials, and i was wondering: after i used the color separation things, is there any way to take all the colors i used, and put them in separate layers in photoshop so that i can print them all out on transparencies to get them ready for the screen? in other words, how do i separate my colors for multi colored shirts?


hey centrix,

yup you can and it's fairly easy.
i need some time to write the steps out for you but if you bare with me i should be able to finish the guide for you during my lunch break.
here's the start of the process.

start with you original file set to the appropriate resolution, enhance the image as needed then make a copy as a new document. do the index, convert the image back to RGB and copy the layer back to your original file (its a good idea to keep the original for reference and back up).
now we start preparing separate channels that will be used to print your films.
using the magic wand tool, set with 0 tolerance and no antialiasing, select a color and save as a channel. do this for each color in the index.
Now you can apply whatever spot color for that channel using channel properties (i'd suggest leaving it as a channel for now and not converting to spot color just yet as it creates a heavier file)

back in a bit to finish this up..


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## RespecttheCraft (Feb 19, 2010)

true.

centrix, just so you know roller frames are an excellent investment. they allow you to stretch your own screens reliably and easily, and maintain high mesh tension which leads to consistant, precise prints, less ink usage, being able to register multi-color designs easier and hold that registration.. and youre able to use less pressure while printing to deposit the ink on the surface of the material instead of pressing the ink into it. I've bought newmans on used on ebay. i got seven 18 x 20's for $120 with shipping. Also got some from various supply distributors who were selling them used.. all were good buys and the screens have been working perfectly for more than a year now.


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

PrintsCharming said:


> with that said he should get a Nuarc MSP 3140 exposure unit while he is at it.


and at least a 14 color automatic.......


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## starchild (Jul 22, 2009)

Or he could buy 100 pre-streched frames, get some experience and then get seven used roller frames for $150 or so when he "pays his dues" lol


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## DNeeld (Sep 8, 2010)

Roller frames are usually a bad investment for someone just starting out. Reason being is they are easy to pop and require delicate handling. It is better to purchase a handful of pre-stretched frames to familiarize yourself with the process of setting up a job, tearing down a job, and reclaiming screens. Otherwise, you run the risk of wasting good mesh via stupid mistakes we all make when first starting out, such as scraping screens against one another, dropping screens, etc. Also, not too mention the learning curve, tools required and extra upfront expense such as tension meters, etc. If you are going to do roller frames, you have to do them right, and that is a big expense, especially for the beginner, and an investment usually better made down the road a bit.

Pre-stretched screens will be more than adequate to meet your needs for the first six months of business. Then you can slowly transition into rollers.

Just starting out, most definitely go with wood screens. Long term, transition into rollers.


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## centrix (Oct 4, 2010)

I would just like to thank all of you for being so helpful, this is a great community and i love how helpful everyone is, so that being said, thank you everyone <3. i have one last question for you advanced guys and girls out there, what is the best way to do multi colored shirts? and by that, i mean getting all of your screens perfectly lined up every time. is there a system to use or do you just have to do it by eye? because im not sure how im going to match 3+ color screens up perfectly. right now im just having friends hold the screens down, is there some sort of clamp system that i should make/invest in? thank you!


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## PrintsCharming (Jan 21, 2009)

centrix said:


> getting all of your screens perfectly lined up every time. is there a system to use or do you just have to do it by eye?


This is known as Registration (color register). (an extremley basic explanation) It's important to place your film negatives on each screen in the same place. This alone will not line up exactly for you. To aid in your accuracy of lining up your screens, you should print your film negatives with register marks, which are Cross-haired lines that help visually ensure that a set of films are in register. You must dial in the register marks by eye. The more attention you pay in placing your films for exposure, the easier it is to line up register marks. 

On a press print one screen(either the image or your register marks). Make sure it's a color that you will be able to see threw the next screen. Use that print as a guide to line up the rest of your screens.

there are locking systems but even those are not 100% accurate and your are still left with using your eye. This is just a part of screen printing you need to learn, very important.


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## PrintsCharming (Jan 21, 2009)

I forgot to mention... to line up your films, find the center of your frame and use a T-square. Everyone has there own techniques.


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