# Newbie first time DIY



## ps0303 (Jan 31, 2016)

So I have two businesses, not printing related, and I was tired of buying shirts here and there and paying lots of money. So the light bulb goes on, hey print your own! I started doing lots of research on this and come to find out, it's pretty easy. I purchased a screen, 20"x24", w/ 156 tpi White Screen Mesh Pre-stretched, and a few inks, squeegee, and Speedball Diazo Photo Emulsion Kit. Printed out what I wanted on transparencies.

Today was the first day to try this out. Mixed the sensitizer and photo emulsion, that was no issue. Coated the screen both sides, no problem. Put it in a dark room and let dry for a few hours. Was dry to the touch when removed. Using an old halogen flood light set up about 20" from the screen with the print out and glass holding them down. I waited about 20 minutes. Took screen out and wash it. Used garden hose on spray setting and used a small tooth brush to clean. Seemed pretty clean. I could read the print. Tried to print a shirt, nothing came thru. Tried is a few times and no go. Did a little more research here and I took the screen out and hit it fairly hard with the hose end sprayer and this time I could see water spraying out thru the other side. I guess it wasn't really cleaned thru. However thru the process some of the letters got blown out. No big deal right now but will it print? Went inside and YES it printed this time. However like I said some of the letters were messed up.

So, I've cleaned the screen of all of the photo material so I can try again. My question is, did I not wait long enough for it to dry before exposing it or was it over or under exposed? I'm guessing since the material was blowing out with the hose the third time I cleaned it it wasn't dry enough.

Any constructive help is greatly appreciated.


----------



## ps0303 (Jan 31, 2016)

Well the second time is the charm. I completely cleaned the screen and started over. This time I let the screen dry a lot longer, about 18 hours. burned the image like before, 500 W halogen work lamp set about 20" from the screen for 20 minutes. Wet the screen in the sink and then took it outside to completely wash out. Light scrub with a soft toothbrush. Lettering is good and crisp. 

Well now I'm ready to print my own work shirts! I will say this, unless a company is digitally printing shirts, I now know what they go thru. Very enlightening process.


----------

