Screen Printing Equipment Basics

Learn what essential items make up the screen printing equipment basics

By Nikki Wheeler

Mass printing designs onto a fabric surface using silk screen equipment is a process that has been around for a long time. There are a wide variety of screen printing machines available for beginners or experts. Anyone can screen print, from the most inexperienced screen printer using basic equipment to the most advanced.

Screen printing equipment provides the tools for a resist stenciling technique on a variety of surfaces, but most often fabric. Before purchasing screen printing equipment, consider the following:

1. Determine how many shirts or copies will need to be screen printed.

2. Think about how complicated the design is, and how many colors the silk screen machine will need to accommodate.

3. Consider how often the screen printing equipment will be used, and how often the designs will change.

Choose a frame to go with your silk screen supplies

Everyone starting out needs a frame. A cheap starter frame can be made of wood or plastic, but one that needs to last a while and does not need maintenance will be made of steel
Try: Find inexpensive wooden frames for starters at Dick Blick Art Materials. Find low-maintenance and inexpensive plastic frames at Nasco.

Include stencils with your silk screen printing equipment

A stencil is needed with the design imprinted into it. There are various techniques for creating the stencil, from hand-painting the negative space of the design using a chemical filler to photo-emulsion.
Try: Buy water-soluble screen filler from Reuels in small or large quantities. Order a kit for screen printing photo emulsion from Dharma Trading Co.

Purchase a squeegee with your silk screening supplies

A rubber squeegee is an essential tool for screen printing that is used no matter how complicated the process or design is. The squeegee is used to push the ink across the screen to fill in the design.
Try: Buy single squeegees in a huge variety of sizes from SilkScreeningSupplies.com. Choose from wooden or aluminum squeegees or order replacement blades from Pocono Mt. Screen Supply.

Move up to a screen printing press

Press print stations make screen printing more efficient, since frames and plates which hold the shirts are built in. Presses keep the frames stationary so the design never moves or alters.
Try: Find presses that range from table-top single color to 14 color at The Screen Printing Supply. Choose from rotary, manual or table-top presses from Vastex.

Buy a dryer for industrial screen printing

A dryer will speed up the screen printing process by finishing the garment and setting the ink. A flash dryer can be used for a single garment at a time, while a conveyor belt dryer can be used to dry many shirts more efficiently.
Try: See several different models of conveyor dryers at Atlas Screen Supply Company, or choose from conveyor, flash or graphic dryers from Lawson Screen & Digital Products.

Invest much less money by purchasing used screen printing equipment.
Start screen printing with the most basic equipment, and move up as production needs increase; this will help instill a better understanding of the entire process.
If you purchase a professional-grade multi-color screen printing machine, take advantage of the training usually offered by manufacturers to learn how to use it correctly and efficiently.