# Screen Printing shipping boxes -pictures and info



## airborneranger

Greets all - I just thought I would add our quick 'experiment' with the first set of shipping boxes and it may help some people that have been searching all over for information (like I was).

Before I begin, my printer has a nice M&R auto printer, we were just using this as the first experiment before actually using the full-blown auto printer - We didn't want to mess around with his offset (since he had a job already setup for the next day) and the boxes were thicker than a shirt. Also, I'm not a printer by any means - remember, this was our first try 

I had a few requirements for shipping (which most of you may have) if you're using the mail system (UPS, USPS, FedEx).

MATERIALS and STUFF (not including all the standard printing stuff)
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1. *You need a good box* (like someone said above - 200 lb testing is always best) to make sure the product makes it where you need it - I ship APO a lot (overseas to troops) so I ordered boxes from ULINE. Yeah, the shipping was a lot, but if you have a place to store extra boxes (my wife doesn't use that closet) - you can order a ton and keep them and only pay once for that shipping charge.

2.* Ink *- After many searches and some advice from another forum - we settled on Nazdar 9724 (black) non-water based ink since it offers 'water proof' or as much as you an get from a box with ink on it. I've heard the waterbased 2700 series inks work well too and may actually try some of those next time. Ink air drys in 15 minutes at room temperature. Again, this is not waterbased so it has some smell to it, not that bad.

3. *Screen* - recommended around 200 mesh (we used 230) - gets you the details and doesn't let through a ton of ink - since the NazDar ink was way more runny than your standard plastic based inks for shirts. We used an old screen with holes because we only needed small areas, plus he is going to have it re-screened pretty soon anyway so if we screwed it up, no big deal.

4. *Squeegee -* We just used a standard squeegee - cleaned off with mineral spirits (ha).

5. *Screen wash (after)* - this ink drys REALLY fast - so we were really moving doing two sides of a box - they recommended this - ImageStar IMS201 or IMS301 Premium Graphic Screen Wash - since it was not water based. We didn't have that and it took FOREVER to get it clean with a mix of chemicals - haha.

6. *Two people?* Yeah, if you don't have a manual press and you only have just the screen - have one guy move boxes and the other just drop the screen on it and squeegee.

A FEW OTHER NOTES:
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When you're done with the ink and you have leftover *DO NOT put it back in the can* - it will contaminate the rest - remember, it drys at room temperature so you need to keep it covered after using. We had a small Rubbermaid container with a lock-lid for the ink - about $1.00 at the store.

Reclaim the screen as fast as you can when you're done - when it drys, it will be hell getting it out of your screen.

On our next version we will make a 'jig' to set the boxes in and make sure they are all aligned properly and consistently printed.

PHOTOS
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1 - The 230 screen completed (first image)









2 - Overview of the screen laid out (we didn't tape the edges because we were only running 25 boxes)










3 - Manual Screening on the first image










4 - Boxes air-drying










5 - Boxes stacked ready for second image










6 - Final box (side 1) - little crooked but good first try










7 - Final box (side 2) - slightly offcenter but not bad










Hope you enjoyed the post - I'm not sure if I'm able to answer many questions but if you have any post them here and I'll try to cover anything I may have missed. I'll try to post the updates when and if we use the aqua-based ink as well.


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## JamesE3

Very nice. I'm looking at doing some custom boxes soon. Thanks!


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## red514

good post, thanks for posting pics!


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## Pwear

That's awesome! I'm assuming you used solvent inks? I wonder if plastisol ink would work - not sure what temp cardboard burns at, and the ink will be thicker on the box, but on the other hand it might result in a neat "raised" appearance if the box doesn't burn up in the dryer.


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## red514

@pwear: that's a cool idea. I've ran cardboard through a dryer (340F.. don't recall belt speed) many times with no fires, scorching or anything.


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## martinwoods

Thanks for the post and pics, have wanted to print my own boxes but never can seem to find the time and was scared to try


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## Pwear

red514 said:


> @pwear: that's a cool idea. I've ran cardboard through a dryer (340F.. don't recall belt speed) many times with no fires, scorching or anything.


Cool, I might have to give it a try!


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## Unik Ink

Looks good. That is exactly how we do ours but with Matsui WB ink.


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## lburton3

Great post, and thanks for the pics! This might be something that I'll have to try...


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## jayarrsteiner

Loren do you screenprint you own shirts? I really like the gradient you have in some of them...


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## jayarrsteiner

Ive never seen anything like what youre doing with apparel as far as going with the military "remixed" theme. Its hard to say somethings original now a days. Anyway thank you for the post...i recently switched my entire line to waterbased and im pretty nervous to start printing boxes but...i have no choice..


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## lburton3

jayarrsteiner said:


> Loren do you screenprint you own shirts? I really like the gradient you have in some of them...


Thanks! Nope, I just send my designs to the printer and they handle the color separations and everything.. I thought it would be much more difficult, but my printers are awesome.


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## gotshirts2ink

Where are you picking up the boxes?
Wholesale on the internet, big box store?


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## hiGH

Those are great. How much are you spending per?

Thanks for sharing.


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## Unik Ink

We get 24"x16"x16" from Uline for $2 each. They will hold 75-100 shirts.


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## airborneranger

I too get my boxes from uline - the shipping is a little much, but if you order a lot of them, it offsets the overall costs from somewhere like Staples or other local places to get boxes.


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## Solmu

Pwear said:


> I wonder if plastisol ink would work


Personally I prefer waterbased paper printing ink for these applications, but people have reported back successful results using plastisol.



Pwear said:


> not sure what temp cardboard burns at


451 Fahrenheit according to Ray Bradbury...


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## iamavol

That is a great idea. I am Active Duty Army and do alot of work on the installation. I have always used the boxes that I get the shirts shipped to me in but this is a great way to advertise.


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## airborneranger

Hi everyone... as a follow-up to the original post and now trying the 'water based' ink - Which is the other NAZDAR brand, it was REALLY less like your standard ink and more like runny black paint. I actually printed a box with it and it cleaned up really easily (with the standard 2537 Screen Wash and water) but the boxes sucked so I'm not posting an image out of shame - haha.

I think I'm going to go back to the original posting and use the other ink as the thickness makes it a little easier to control - I've ordered the IMS301 Press wash to make sure that cleanup is good so maybe I can post a few images then.


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## 13Graphics

I just printed a piece of cardboard with plastisol for Sh*#s and Giggles.

155 mesh, Union ultrasoft black ink. 

It's a little on the thick side, but it doesn't look bad. You can feel that it's rubbery if you touch it, but I don't think it will matter for the 10 or so boxes I'm gonna need in a couple weeks.


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## airborneranger

13Graphics said:


> I just printed a piece of cardboard with plastisol for Sh*#s and Giggles.
> 
> 155 mesh, Union ultrasoft black ink.
> 
> It's a little on the thick side, but it doesn't look bad. You can feel that it's rubbery if you touch it, but I don't think it will matter for the 10 or so boxes I'm gonna need in a couple weeks.


Did the ink cure in the dryer? Usually the plastisol type inks separate from the cardboard... just curious.


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## 13Graphics

I didn't feel like firing up the dryer, so I grabbed the heat gun. I did however heat it to the point of smoking ink. 

It was some retail cardboard... plain on 1 side glossy on the other. Neither side separated.

I'll try again this week though. I have a big order (for me) coming up.


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## moe_szys1ak

You should try using Speedball Acrylic ink. It's what a lot of flatstock printers swear by. It's water-based, easily cleaned up, fairly inexpensive and you can find it at almost any craft shop. No curing, all air-dry.


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## kriscad

Ok wanted to say thanks to airborneranger, who started this thread! lol! I decided to print up 500 boxes of our own based on your advice. We ended up printing them on one of the auto's, using Nazdar 9724 black ink. We were able to print 500 boxes front and back with one screen. I will say your right about the jig, if you want a consistent location. We ran them through the over at 120 degrees with no problem. Took 6 people to run this job! 3 to load and unload, 1 to help on the front of the oven, and two people at the end of the oven.

*Here they are:*


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## Pwear

Sweet! Thanks for sharing the pics, looks great.


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## Gorillawhite

That came out really nice. Thanks for posting results and pictures.


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## TwistedLogik

Great pics! Thanks for sharing.


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## Just Breathe

Great looking boxes guys.


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## azdesigns

just wondering...do you think you could do the same thing with a cutter and heat press?


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## moe_szys1ak

azdesigns said:


> just wondering...do you think you could do the same thing with a cutter and heat press?


I don't think it would work too well. The heat press would probably warp the cardboard, and if it was corrugated cardboard, you'd probably squash it.

If you used sign vinyl or something similar that doesn't need heat to bond to the substrate, then it might work. Not sure how economical this would be, however. It'd probably be cheaper to buy some hinge clamps and create a simple 1-color flatstock printing setup and use Speedball acrylic ink.


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## kriscad

azdesigns said:


> just wondering...do you think you could do the same thing with a cutter and heat press?



lol I had to try it.

I took a thin piece of cardboard, and 8 seconds at 250 degrees caused the vinyl to stick without burning. Second hit, caused the loose ends to adhere to the cardboard.

But... I do not think it would be cost effective lol


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## azdesigns

James, thanks for the response. I am not a screen printer, so I am always looking at the alternatives.


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