# screen printing on skateboards



## FRACTURE (Aug 30, 2007)

if i wanted to print on skateboards...what and how would i do that? i have very limited equipment at this time..... whatkind of ink and how would i get it to stay on teh wood and not wash off if it were to get wet?


----------



## jlcanterbury (Jul 26, 2007)

I don't believe screen printing is a common way to apply graphics to a skateboard. Unless the board you wish to print on is completely flat, custom equipment would be required which would be very expensive.

I believe that the graphics on a number of boards are printed using a heat transfer technique... however this would require special equipment as well which I know nothing about. Try searching google for more information on the process...


----------



## dfalk (Apr 11, 2007)

FRACTURE said:


> if i wanted to print on skateboards...what and how would i do that? i have very limited equipment at this time..... whatkind of ink and how would i get it to stay on teh wood and not wash off if it were to get wet?


 
Alright, finally something that I know about. I printed boards for a very long time for some large skate companies. We use water based inks and had frames custom built that were bent at the nose and tale so we could do full passes over the entire board. The contraption that we use is not the easiest thing to describe but I will try. 
The best way to describe it is the board itself locked into an easel set at about a 45 degree angle. The board would lock into place by having two pegs at the top and bottom slide into the top and bottom truck mounts, and then tighten by spreading apart when we pulled a handle. Then we would pull the large screen down over the board and pull our pass. Once we did one color we put the board on a drying rack to air dry and later when it was dry we would do the next color. We will do a run of 1200 boards that have up to 8 colors, one at a time. It’s quite a process. 

This all makes sense to me but I know this might sound completely foreign. If you have any questions PM me. I will try and find some photos to post of the actual press we use.


----------



## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

There is also a coating for applying to wood and other substrates for dye- sublimation printing.


----------



## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

dfalk said:


> I printed boards for a very long time for some large skate companies.


Do you know if much of this is done anymore? I got the impression that it had mostly moved over to vinyl application (not my area though, so I don't really know for sure).


----------



## dfalk (Apr 11, 2007)

Solmu said:


> Do you know if much of this is done anymore? I got the impression that it had mostly moved over to vinyl application (not my area though, so I don't really know for sure).


 
I am positive this is still done with a large majority of skateboard manufacturers. I was doing this just a couple years ago and I am still very active and involved in the skateboard industry. There has always been some companies that prefer the laminate application but still the majority is screen printed. Screen printing skateoards was my introduction into the screen printing world and now whenever I go look at boards at a skateshop I always look at how well the boards were printed. You'll be able to see where the registration was off and where colors have bled on a number of boards.


----------



## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Hey, anybody try air brush for custom boards?


----------



## racerxmccoy (Feb 26, 2007)

actually- screenprinting on boards is the way to go. here is a link to a great skateboarding site with a section dedicated to screen printing in the forums....you can actually find plans that someone has posted to make your own screens to fit the boards. In the mean time I will post them here if I find them first.
SkullandBonesSkateboards.com ~ Index


----------



## cgerth (Sep 20, 2007)

I came across this page the other day and it might be of some help to you....

D.I.Y. Archives: Screen Printing 101


----------



## FRACTURE (Aug 30, 2007)

thank u guys for all the awesoem information it is great... if u find any plans to build the frames u can PM me please... 
thanks again


----------



## dfalk (Apr 11, 2007)

I couldn't find any pictures of the press that we used. Our frames where all constructed out of wood and the sides of the frames where cut to the concave of the boards to fit the nose and tale. We would put emulsion on the entire screen and then dry the screen like any other screen. We would then lay down our artwork and place a large skateboard deck made out of clear Plexiglas over the artwork and then burn our screens. Our squeegees where also cut in a slight arc and when we pulled a pass you had to bend the tips of the squeegee in with your ring and middle fingers to be able to get full coverage on a pass.
The guy that made all of our screens and easels was located right next door to our screen printing warehouse and it would be interesting if he was still there. I am going back home in a couple weeks so if I remember I will see if he's there and get his contact info for you. You could also call TUM-YETO and see where they get there presses made.


----------



## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

dfalk said:


> I am positive this is still done with a large majority of skateboard manufacturers. [...] I go look at boards at a skateshop I always look at how well the boards were printed. You'll be able to see where the registration was off and where colors have bled on a number of boards.


Cool, I'll have to go check out a skateshop some time. I've often been interested, but don't tend to go because I'm not, and could never pass for, a skater.


----------



## doskalata (May 16, 2010)

Old thread but does anybody know if there is a company that manufactures something to print nose to tail these days? Because iv actually seen a ton of these special frames come and go on craigslist.


----------

