Screen Printing - Essential Tools

Screen printing is a process where designs are reproduced by means of a stencil. Pressure to print ink through a screen onto a substrate is the main function. The process may seem straightforward, but like any art form it does take time to learn how to use the essential tools in a way that is comfortable and functional, with the best yield.

Here are the essential tools you need for screen printing:

• Screen; aluminum or wood frames. Aluminum frames don't warp like wood, so we usually recommend those. However, our wood frames are finished lacquer to help prevent warping. Try to avoid pine wood frames that are not finished with a lacquer since these warp and are very hard to clean.
• Scoop Coater; this your MOST important tool and we sale these all day long. You want an aluminum scoop coater, so that you can apply emulsion evenly and percise without drips.
• Squeegee; this is the tool you will use to push the ink through the stencil. Our top selling squeegee is the medium 70 durometer for t-shirts. Different screen sizes require different squeegee sizes. The squeegee must be able to cover the width of the design by 1" on both sides.
• Printables; there are so many materials that you can screen print on: paper, textiles, ceramics, wood, glass, metal and plastic. Think clothing, wallpaper, labels, metal and plastic signs and electronics.
• Emulsions; photo sensitive emulsions are used to create a stencil.
• Inks; two different inks for t-shirts are an air dried waterbase, and an oven cured plastisol. The colors to choose from are endless.
• Film Positives; using an ink jet printer or laser printer you would print onto a transparent film.
• Mclogan Chemicals; these are the basic 6 chemicals needed for the pre and post press process.
• Screen Printing Press for multiple color screen prints, but for single color prints you can use jiffy hinges.