News
3 Ways to Create Soft Prints with Plastisol Ink
Soft hand prints are best achieved with water-based ink but can be done with plastisol ink as well. Between the inks you choose to use, the garments you're printing on, to the available ink additives, achieving soft plastisol prints is possible. Let's take a look at three ways to create soft hand prints with plastisol ink.
A Walkthrough of Screen Printing on Zipper Hoodies
Screen printing on zipper hoodies is a great way to diversify your printing options. Zipper hoodies can be a bit difficult to print on. A normal platen won’t cut it, and print placement is key. Don’t worry though: we’ve got you covered. In this video, Josh Wells walks through the basics of printing over zipper hoodies.
Which Flash Unit Benefits My Shop?
Every shop needs a flash unit. They’re a useful tool — flashing or gelling ink, curing ink and warming up that grilled cheese you’ve been looking forward to eating for lunch. A flash dryer isn’t a one-size-fits-all piece of equipment, though. Depending on the size and needs of your shop and plug type, you’ll look for different features in a flash dryer. Do you print large prints? Do you want to print water-based ink? These questions are important when considering which flash unit to purchase. Let’s talk about the differences between the four flash units, and how each serves a different shop.
Want to Screen Print? Here’s How to Choose the Best Start Up Press for You
The day has come: you're ready to jump into the screen printing world. A key factor needed to get started in this adventure is a screen printing press. With tons of press options, it may be difficult to choose the best press to get started with. Luckily, there’s a guide to choosing the best startup press for your shop. Keep reading.
Best Practices to Ensure Proper Ink Curing with 4 Curing Methods
Curing your prints is one of the last steps of the screen printing process, but it is one of the most important steps. Ink needs to be cured properly so it sets into the garment. If the ink does not cure fully, it will crack, fall apart, and not last for long. Printers use either heat guns, heat presses, flash dryers, or conveyor dryers to cure inks. Let's take a look at how each curing device works.
YouTube Q+A with Ryan Moor and Brandon Schmunk
ScreenPrinting.com’s YouTube channel hit 100k subscribers recently. To celebrate that achievement and thank the community, we looked back on the years of YouTube videos with CEO Ryan Moor and President Brandon Schmunk. You may recognize Ryan’s face from early videos, like the “How to Screen Print” series. We asked them a few questions about the beginnings of YouTube and the role that the screen printing community has played in the making and success of the platform. Here’s what Ryan had to say.
Tips for Printing Puff Plastisol Ink Additive to Achieve High Detail Designs
There’s no doubt that Puff ink is awesome. It’s a favorite for printers of all types because it can be added to so many different types of prints. Whether the design is block text or fine-line detail, Puff makes it stand out. How much detail can you achieve with Puff? Print expert Colin Huggins wants to find out.
How to Handle Plastisol Ink in Cool Temperatures
Are you dreaming about warm summer days when your ink flows oh so smoothly? Winter and its cooler temperatures sure make it difficult for a screen printer, especially with white plastisol inks. The ink feels thick, stringy, and stiff. It requires more effort to lay down a good ink deposit. Does it have to be this hard? Nope. Ink and chemistry guru Colin Huggins shares his secrets to making white plastisol ink easier to handle during the cooler months.
A Crash Course in Choosing the Best Conveyor Dryer and Dialing It in
Are you ready to experience increased output, faster production, and consistent cures? It’s time for a conveyor dryer. Conveyor dryers are more efficient at curing than flash dryers or heat presses because they provide less guesswork and output at higher volumes. But how do you get it all set up and dialed in to work best for your shop? Let’s jump in.
The Best Way to Set up a Screen Print Shop in a Garage
Tons of print shops start off in basements, spare rooms, and garages. Think about it, they're already investing a good chunk of cash into purchasing the equipment and supplies, why not set up shop in a space they have already paid for?
Print expert Darryl Sapp shares his past experiences of working in a garage shop, offering best practices to make the most efficient workflow in the space you have.
Make Film Alignment Easy with 4 Steps
Aligning screen printing films to a screen can be tricky. If it’s not done correctly, it can slow down your process. To avoid that, you need a way to align your screens correctly every time. Here are a few tips on how to make the most out of your screen creation process.
Why is LED Exposure Better and How Does it Work?
LED exposure units are the new standard for any screen printer’s darkroom. But why? Many factors make LED light optimal: light output, speed, consistency, and more. Here are three benefits of using LED exposure bulbs in any darkroom.
