# How many "fingers" down from collar on front prints?



## drunkswithapress (Jan 15, 2009)

I'm printing some kickball shirts and have printed other shirts in the past. I am wondering, do i need to change the distance from the collar to the top of the image when printing different size shirts? My friend worked at a screen printing shop and he said the norm was "4 fingers" from the collar. This seems to work well for S/M/L but do i need to add more space for printing XL/2 and 3XL? It looks like there is too much dead space at the bottom when i do 2/3X. Any suggestions?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

The four finger rule should work on all sizes if you want a uniform position on the chest. If you have too much dead space on the larger shirts, you could always increase the design size for those.


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

I don't use the hand method because I have small hands which would be less than 3". I use a ruler and measure down 4" and if I am printing on a 3XL or larger tee, I come down to 5" and make the design a tad bit larger. If I am printing on a youth tee, I measure down 3" and adjust the design. 

Katrina


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## drunkswithapress (Jan 15, 2009)

If i wanted to make the design larger, then that would require me to burn another screen for the larger t-shirts. I'm not wanting to do that. I guess what i was looking for was a "uniform chest print" as Splathead suggested. The same size print on a 3XL compared to a m/l (which is what i would wear) looks odd to me. I can put on a M/L shirt and see what it would look like but an XL- 3XL is out of the question on my narrow ***. 

Is the "finger method" a reliable method, and is it practiced by screen printers who do custom jobs on a regular basis?


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## ASW21 (Aug 13, 2009)

Kinda depends on your platens and the product you are printing on. When I'm training new printers, we use t squares and line the platens. We will usually go 3" down for a full front to register on a square 14" x 14" platen. Load the collars on or half on the platen for your smalls and possibly mediums depending on the type of tee (ie: ladies or men's). Load right to the collar for L and XL, and continue to adjust pulling off the platen for larger shirts. Basically I tell them, "Think about whose going to be wearing the product and MAKE IT LOOK GOOD!" =)


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## JonnRamaer (Aug 7, 2009)

Hey Brandon, 

I do what Veedub does, I measure by inches. I find it more uniform n precise. Even my shirt board has a grid drawn on it, by markers. The stencil is in the clamp, the platen is positioned, then I fit on a shirt to set my placement just right, before printing a test. During the run, I know where the collar falls everytime. I usually measure stencil position on the platen grid for the smallest shirt (my girlfriend's great idea) and when have to print xl and xxl ...drop the collar approx 2 iches higher to accomodate. I have printed large sized the same distance as s/m/l in the past..whew! talk about prints up under your neck


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## lost1 (May 12, 2007)

Diamond Threadworks Embroidery Placement Charts


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

i use the four fingers but id depends one the design really.


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

I also do the four finger rule, but because mine are smaller I spread them a little  The only time I actually measure is when do pocket prints


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## Artsplace-CBR (Feb 22, 2007)

That must be quite a way down the shirt, I only measure 2 inches. Alway have & never had a complaint.


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

Artsplace-CBR said:


> That must be quite a way down the shirt, I only measure 2 inches. Alway have & never had a complaint.


really? seem a lil high but oh well


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## Freakazeenie (Jun 25, 2009)

I accually never even knew this rule exsisted till i saw this post .. Ty for the information


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## jdlou (Jun 20, 2015)

Since all images and shirt sizes vary in size, there should be no absolute rule for placement below the front neckline. Many shirts are printed 2" below the neckline, which tends to look odd. Unless specified by our customer, we adjust between 4-6" below the front neckline and the distance we chose often is determined by the actual height of the image to be printed. When the image is proportionately placed based on image size and shirt size, your good. If the final product is appealing to the eye, you have done well. Using a "4 finger" method is not the way to go.

Lou, U.S. Male


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## ModernTreasures (Jul 9, 2014)

Matt at The Rhinestone World taught me to use the armpit for up and down measurement and the sides of the neck hole as the side to side measurement.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Average size image, round/square, 4 fingers down, 3 fingers from center, based on L-XL. Needs to be adjusted slightly for other sizes. If you don't have average size fingers, find a shirt that's just right measure it, then see how many of your fingers equal that. When in doubt. put one on and place print where you would want it on your own shirt. Short designs go a little lower. tall designs go a little higher. Don't do nipple prints on womens shirts.


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## ShirlandDesign (Nov 29, 2009)

Start with 4 fingers and adjust by feel after. Scoop necks kill me, I just have yet to find grace full method for scoops and ladies V's.


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## jennGO (Mar 11, 2014)

I've been using a business card instead of fingers so the designs are 2" from the collar since that is typically what I've seen on shirts I've received. Sometimes I turn the card to use the 3.5" length. 

Scoops are tough I usually have basically no distance from them...maybe 1 cm or less


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Scoop n Vs suck. I'm constantly doing orders with a big left chest and they throw in a few small Deeeeep Vs so if it's almost touching the collar, it's still bellow the embarrassing spot. There's gotta be a shirt there. to put a print there.


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## ShirlandDesign (Nov 29, 2009)

I still catch myself staring at a left chest placements at inappropriate moments in public. lol Maybe I'm just fooling myself to think it's all business.


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## Keenworth (Jun 25, 2015)

I would go with 3-4.


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## Mammath (Jul 21, 2014)

drunkswithapress said:


> I'm printing some kickball shirts and have printed other shirts in the past. I am wondering, do i need to change the distance from the collar to the top of the image when printing different size shirts? My friend worked at a screen printing shop and he said the norm was "4 fingers" from the collar. This seems to work well for S/M/L but do i need to add more space for printing XL/2 and 3XL? It looks like there is too much dead space at the bottom when i do 2/3X. Any suggestions?


Brandon, forget hard rules here. The beauty of screen printing is you get the opportunity to choose the distance from the collar to the start of the design you're printing. The top of the platen is your mark. 

Use the 'film work' to find the perfect position to begin with. Lay out the 'middle size' shirt of your order, usually size L. Use the 'base white' film and lay it over the shirt. You can see through this. From here you will find the prefect position for where that size print should fall on the shirt. Do the measurements and set the design up accordingly to your platens. Adjust as you go up and down in size during the run.


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## Printavo (Oct 7, 2007)

Yeah 4 finger rule from the bottom of the collar is how we printed


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## jeron (Jul 16, 2012)

I usually do about 3-4" from the collar. 

But more importantly I make sure the design looks right.. I've noticed that just about any design on any shirt looks right if about 1/3 of the design is above the bottom of the arm pit.. Dosent matter if it's v's or youth, if it's about 1/3 above it usually looks good.. Still not a hard rule though.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using T-Shirt Forums


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## Lees Custom (Mar 1, 2013)

IF you cut your transfer to the edge of the image, 4 fingers on adult shirts S-XL, 3 fingers on youth L-XL, 2 Fingers on youth S-M. 2XL shirts are always a crap shoot as the shirts are not longer, just wider. You will always have a large amount of dead space unless you print a screen or transfer for them. I never do and just stick it 4 down anyway and have never had a complaint. On most chest pieces I find that 6" down is a good mid point [I embroider a lot of chest logos right there], or you can just use the 2/3s of the way down the armpit.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)




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