T-shirt design is just one use for a silk screen printing press.
Silk screen printing has changed very little since its introduction in the late 19th Century. The process of applying photo emulsion to a fabric or metal mesh, burning an image into the emulsion, and using the burnt image as a stencil remains the essential technology behind screen printing. Whether printing art or words on paper, fabric or other surfaces, you can use a silk screen printing press with the right technique and materials.
Instructions
1. Open one of the clamps of a silk screen printing press by turning the knobs counter clockwise.
2. Insert a silk screen head-first into the clamps so the final image is facing upwards.
3. Tighten the clamps by turning their knobs clockwise.
4. Lay the material you wish to print on over the printing platform beneath the screen.
5. Pull down the screen to ensure it lays over the material in the desired fashion.
6. Apply approximately 1/2 cup of screen printing ink in a line along the top of the silk screen surface.
7. Spread the ink across the screen with light pressure using a squeegee in one smooth stroke.
8. Return the squeegee to the top of the silk screen surface and drag it firmly across the surface of the screen at a 60-degree angle in one smooth stroke.
9. Lift the screen off the now-printed material and set the material aside to dry.
Tags: screen printing, screen printing press, silk screen, silk screen, printing press, screen surface