# DIY Table top 1 color screen press?



## Leadfoot (Sep 10, 2009)

I would like to practice my printing by making a one color table top press if that is possible. I am not good at engineering type stuff so designing something that will work is not something I feel comfortable doing.

Does anyone have plans for one or have built one themselves? I would like to keep the cost down and also keep in mind I do not have access to the power tools to cut wood. I will have to have the pieces cut at Home Depot and cheapest yet durable wood as possible would be ideal. 

It doesn't have to be completely to scale or anything as I am just wanting this to practice my screens and printing on sample pieces of fabric.

I am also open to other ideas. Thanks! 

I have seen this one One Color T-Shirt Printer Plans | web2wear.com but not sure if I can do it or not, I suppose I can modify it.


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## ino (Jan 23, 2007)

Don,t be discouraged, seems easy enough to do.
Good luck.


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## IMAGESEPS (Dec 28, 2007)

i've built two before. A good place to start is getting a solid pair of clamps to hold the screen. Multicraft sells a great product, look them up! Pretty sure they were under 20 dollars!


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## Cam Lynch (Aug 13, 2009)

Sure, nail a 15"x15" piece of plywood to a length of 2x4 about 3' long. Nail a small square of plywood to the other end. Attach a door hinge to the small square of plywood. Attach the end of another length of 2x4 to the door hinge. Cut the top 2x4 to where the entire assembly is about an 1/4 inch short of the 15x15 board, after the 6" piece of angle iron is attached. Screw a 6" length of angle iron to the end of this top 2x4. Use two c-clamps to secure your screen to the piece of angle iron. Secure the whole thing to a work table, with the 15x15 platen extending over the edge so that a t-shirt can be slipped over it. A couple of strips of scrap can be attached to the sides of the lower 2x4 to keep the two halves in alignment. A small metal or wood strip can be used to hold the screen arm in the upright position or it is possible to use a spring. 

I suggest looking on this site for the homemade 4 color press plans. You can get a better idea of what I'm talking about by looking at them. This does require the use of some kind of saw, perhaps a cheap hand saw. It also requires that the person doing this have at least some basic skill. Do not attempt this if, you don't feel that you have such skills. You might be able to find a precut 15x15 plywood piece at Lowes.

Note this is more of a general idea, than a set of plans, actual measurements may depend on the materials you use.


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## Cam Lynch (Aug 13, 2009)

By looking at a few of the single screen metal presses offered for sale, you can actually make a good copy out of wood, using my post as a guide for cheap subsitute materials. Total cost, as low as zero, depending on what you have around the house.

Another even cheaper trick, is to carefully attach an old pair of door hinges to a wood frame screen, then screw the hinges to a work table with a couple of washers between the hinges and the table.


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