Screen Printing Zone

Screen Printing Zone

MakerFX has two MerchMakr screen printing presses, two heat presses and a flash heater.

Want to learn how to make your own screen printed shirts? Check the Resources section below for how-to articles, then reach out to Ian when you want to get started.

If you want to make a few shirts, have you considered heat transfer vinyl? It is WAY cheaper and faster for a few shirts...and is durable!

General Policies for the Screen Printing Zone

Note really a policy, but please note that this stuff is messy and can be expensive. Please ask Ian if you want to start screenprinting so that we can make sure you are properly trained, and we set you up for success. You will need to provide your own screens and consumables, BUT if its something we already stock we can prorate the cost of the consumables to reduce the cost to you.

Equipment

• Merchmakr Screen Printing Machine
• Heat Press Nation HPN-SIG-1515-A Heat Press
• Porter Cable PC1500HG Heat Gun

Consumables

• Cryocoat Emulsion - Ian has had good results from this, even though it states that it is not designed for DIY style lights. Ian uses 4 minute exposure time.
• Cryoprep Screen De-greaser - this is used to clean the screen before coating with emulsion. It isn't required, but if you want the best results, take the time to clean well.
• Emulsion remover is used to "reclaim" a screen. Removing the art to prep for the next screen.

• Spray Adhesive from screenprinting.com - This is designed for screenprinting. Don't use standard spray adhesive.
• Plastisol inks can be purchased from MerchMakr, or screenprinting.com. Note that white inks typically also require reducer.
• Masking tape is used around the screen edges. Ian uses standard 3M tape and avoids blue tape. DO NOT leave masking tape on screens for more than a few days, or it becomes a gooey mess. Ian is trying the green stretchy tape from ryonet (screenprinting.com) and it is pretty awesome so far...

Pre-burnt Screens

For the maker that doesn't have time to do the darkroom processes, consider ordering a pre-burnt screen. Note these links are to the companies - you still need to decide which size, which mesh count, etc. Note that if you don't order the MerchMakr screens, they won't have the alignment tab for the MerchMakr system, but that isn't a big deal for a single color shirt.

• MerchMakr Screen Burning Service - Local (Tampa) makers who invented the MerchMakr system and will make it SUPER easy for you to get started with screenprinting. If you only need one screen, this is cheaper than buying a blank screen + emulsion + transparencies!
• MerchMakr Screen Print Now Action Kit - A pre-burnt screen, screenprinting ink, and a squeegee...
• Never The Less Screenprinting Supplies - Andrew Rudolph used them, and was happy. Note that placement is critical since the screen size is larger. We also have discussed that it might be better to rotate the art 90 degrees so that the screen size front to back is more similar to the MerchMakr screen.

Resources

• How to coat a screen video - MerchMakr
• One-color screen burning how-to - MerchMakr
• Screen exposure problems - MerchMakr
• All about Inks - Water-based and Plastisol - MerchMakr
• Excellent guide on exposing screens

Maintenance

• Routine Maintenance Schedule
• Maintenance Log

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