# Printing numbers and letters



## ckdesigns (Jul 2, 2010)

I am a new screen printer and kinda frustrated... I just had my first order for names and numbers on front and back of 8 shirts. I knew it was going to be alot of work because I don't really even know of an easy way to print numbers yet. I quoted them high I guess and lost the order...I don't want to loose any more orders over this so I need advice as to what would be the easiest way to print numbers with quality. My two ideas are maybe keeping some premade screens with numbers ready or just getting a heat press and buying the transfers. If buying a heat press will save me time and money in the long run thats what I will do....suggestions please!!!


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Both of those are good ideas, and a heat press can be a useful thing to have around in a screen printing shop.

There are also numbering systems with frames, pre-made screens, registration systems, etc. to make them easier to screenprint. That kind of system is likely to be overkill for a new business though.

If it was me (and I don't do that kind of printing, so take this with a grain of salt), I'd start with my own set of pre-exposed number screens I kept aside for these kind of jobs, and move to a heat press with plastisol transfers later if that was getting annoying.

On the other hand, if there are additional things you'd find the heat press useful for (flock and foil for example), it might be worth going straight to that.


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## logon511girl (Jan 23, 2010)

Solmu said:


> Both of those are good ideas, and a heat press can be a useful thing to have around in a screen printing shop.
> 
> There are also numbering systems with frames, pre-made screens, registration systems, etc. to make them easier to screenprint. That kind of system is likely to be overkill for a new business though.
> 
> ...


Exactly...there are pros & cons to both depending on your business;with a heat press you have more opportunities for expansion versus a standard number screen.


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## Gilligan (Dec 11, 2009)

The method I'm looking at doing (even though I have a heat press) is using my vinyl cutter to cut sticker vinyl to use as the stencil to print the numbers. Should be easy enough... I guess cleaning the screens would be the only "waste" so to speak.


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## zymerguyer (Feb 15, 2007)

The plastisol transfer kits from Stahls are awesome. Just heat press them like a vinyl transfer. They look and feel just like you printed them straight to the shirt. Definitely the way to go!


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## logon511girl (Jan 23, 2010)

zymerguyer said:


> The plastisol transfer kits from Stahls are awesome. Just heat press them like a vinyl transfer. They look and feel just like you printed them straight to the shirt. Definitely the way to go!


We use these too and they are awesome!


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## ckdesigns (Jul 2, 2010)

Thanks for all of your help. I think I am going to go ahead and get a heat press, now I just need to figure out what would be a good one to get and where to get it....I am thinking proworld or stahls. Gotta do some research.


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## Luke T (Jan 21, 2010)

We do a lot of jerseys for local high schools with numbering on them. We use the pre cut number stencils from Sericol. It's a paper stencil that you lay on the shirt and print through a blank screen (no emulsion). You put tape on the back of the screen and/or paper strips on the shirt to protect all the non-printing areas. They sell multiple sizes of the numbers. For orders that have a lot of individual names, we usually gang up a bunch of names on a screen and just lay it on top of the shirt without doing all the usual set-up steps. Once you've done it that way a couple times, you get a pretty good eye for getting it placed straight and on the same spot for every shirt.


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## sister1 (Jun 16, 2008)

I have also been using the number stencils, except I have a special screen that I burned using a cardboard block that is 1/2" smaller on each side than the stencil. When the screen is mounted, I always use the same measurements from the top and side of the platen to place the stencils. It actually works pretty well as long as you're just doing numbers. Wash the screen, ready to go for the next order.

Names are another story, and after 3 seasons of killing myself screen printing individual names, I'm finally springing for a desktop plotter (I really hope this will be a better purchasing decision than the T-Jet 2 sitting in a box in the corner that I'll be paying on for the rest of my life!). Screening names is no problem for bowling teams, but it eats up time and money when you have to do 40 or 50 of them.


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

You all sound very knowledgeable on the subject of screen print, vinyl & transfers. I have a job coming up that needs a screen print back (white on black) and vinyl glitter names on the front. My gut tells me to screen print first and heat press the vinyl second, inserting a pillow to protect the screen print. Would you agree with that?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Numbering and lettering of jerseys is a huge business and much more profitable than just printing T's. Some screen printers do this exclusively. 

Here is a summary:
Screen print setup, numbers ready to go in several styles. From big machines to simple setups, choose your path. 
Plastisol Transfers, Order by the box or set. 
Vinyl Transfers, Order by the set or cut them yourself. 
Tackle Twill, Need to stitch them down, order by the set. 

Here is an example of pricing we have seen:
Gildan 2000 shirt, 2 color team name on front, one color number, 2nd color name, price? $24 per shirt plus shipping from an online vendor. Pricing this for locals with a vinyl cutter you can do them for $15 and get it and these are easy to do. 

Jerseys go from $40 to $100 per each depending on the style and decoration method. A split front baseball jersey with tackle twill 2 color will go for $70. The margin isn't large but the profit $ on the garment is. 

For an average baseball team just doing jerseys and hats expect to gross about $1200 on the deal.


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