# Homemade Platen Bracket



## snackdaddy185 (May 17, 2008)

Hi all, I am making an oversized platen for my press and I need a platen bracket for it. I know many people in this forums make there own platens but I wanted to know if there are any cheap alternatives to make one other than buying one from the press manufacturer. Thanks in advance!!


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

you dont have any that you dont use i took mine from one that i had laying around


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

Same thing here. I make my platens and when I switch them out I use the same bracket. 


Katrina


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

Same, we switched brackets from unused platens.


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

I have seen brackets on eBay for around $10-$15.


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## LushLoveTshirts (May 28, 2009)

Same, swith them over =D


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## Breadunltd (Aug 5, 2009)

I am going to a local metal shop today to bring my bracket in and see how much it would cost for them to build one exactly the same as the one I have. I am looking at building all of my own platens. If it ends up costing more than 25 bucks I am just going to order them online.


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## user_name (Oct 20, 2009)

Just message one of the guys on eBay that makes presses, they will sell them to you for the price that was mentioned previously.

Buying the whole platen is a bit silly as the wood is cheap and its expensive to ship.


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## Breadunltd (Aug 5, 2009)

Well I meant the cost of getting the bracket made. I was planning on getting my own wood for the platen to cut to my desired size. Do you guys have suggestions for what kind of wood to use or something to coat the wood with to prevent warping or burning from the flash dryer? I didn't get the chance to get the bracket quote yet ran out of time. I will be doing it today hopefully. I don't log on to the forum everyday, so within the next week I will let you guys know. Maybe even post some pictures.


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## mattvon (May 5, 2009)

Breadunltd said:


> Well I meant the cost of getting the bracket made. I was planning on getting my own wood for the platen to cut to my desired size. Do you guys have suggestions for what kind of wood to use or something to coat the wood with to prevent warping or burning from the flash dryer? I didn't get the chance to get the bracket quote yet ran out of time. I will be doing it today hopefully. I don't log on to the forum everyday, so within the next week I will let you guys know. Maybe even post some pictures.


Check out this thread for great details on making your own platens:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t98249.html


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## Breadunltd (Aug 5, 2009)

Wow. Too bad I don't have a Lowes near me. We have a Menard's. Not sure how far from the midwest menard's goes. I live on the border of upper michigan and wisconsin. They have the MDF boards, but I can't fit that in my car. Gotta get them cut.


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## snackdaddy185 (May 17, 2008)

Great info everyone, but I'm still trying to find a cheaper alternative for the actual brackets, not the platen itself. Thanks


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## Thundertoes (Jun 11, 2007)

You can buy them here for $21:

Catalog | Performance Screen Supply


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## 13Graphics (Jul 20, 2009)

I got all excited, but the $21 bracket is for the old ryonet press. I think the dimensions are 1"x4".

Other manufacturers brackets are on page 17... $45-$54.


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## Thundertoes (Jun 11, 2007)

Oh sorry about that! I was just looking through the website catalogue this morning...and I saw that bracket and remembered this thread....


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

Try contacting your local metal fabrication shop or High Metal shop.


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## pbj (Apr 23, 2011)

Googled homemade platen brackets last night and found this Screen Printing Press | HaHa Bird. I was toying with a similar idea but without the threaded bolts at the bottom. I was just going to tighten directly against the platen arm. 

Kudos to this guy.


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## timmythetiger (Mar 8, 2011)

I created the cheapest and effective homemade platen....for 99c !!!

I needed a smaller platen for tote bags and I found a used wooden kitchen cutting board at a thrift shop. It was in decent shape so I figured, why not? I lined up the bracket from my other platen, marked the screw holes, drilled, then put the bracket on the cutting board. I put some cheap contact paper over the board and tried it out. It works perfectly. I understand that these small manufacturers are pricing their expensive platens because they're producing smaller runs to individuals and hobbyists...but still. I didn't feel like spending $75-$100 bucks for a new platen. Instead I spent 99c and it works fine.


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## Ocamp (May 10, 2013)

Curious ... did you ever get the platen bracket made? I have been cutting my own boards but only have one bracket and I'm tired of removing and replacing the one every time I have a diff job (sleeves, youth shirts, adult shirts, etc).

Update with photos?

BTW ... thanks friends for all the links

Oeland


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