Hi, Im new to this site, and I am interested in starting up my own print business on the side... I work now at a screen printing company that does everything you can imagine the only downside is that I am stuck in the art department all day so I don't get to get hands on experience with printing. I was thinking about starting out with heat transfers and working into direct print... does anyone know where I can get a good used heat press from.. or should I just try and go with direct printing... thanks.
Heat transfers are OK for simple designs... i.e. Text and bold design.
Direct printing is way better and takes some know how to get optimal results.
If you plan on sticking with it and possibly expanding, then a 6 color / 6 station press should do fine. You'll also need the following equipment:
Conveyor belt dryer
Flash dryer (for dark garments)
Squeegees
Darkroom (to coat and store your screens)
Washout tank (to washout the stencils after exposing and reclaiming them)
Light table (to expose your screens)
Computer (to render art and send to your printer to create positives)
Printer (capable of printing opaque file positives... we use vellum)
You'll need these supplies also:
Ink
Ink remover (I use Synthetic Reducer, some use Mineral Spirits)
Emulsion (I use Murkami's Aquasol HV)
Stencil Remover
Degreaser
Blockout
Tape to mask your screens
Pellons (to make test prints)
Scrapers (to scoop the inks back into their containers during cleanup)
Pallet tape to keep your pallets in tip top shape
J.R. Sanford
Production Manager
NW Awards
185 NW Chehalis AV
Chehalis, WA 98532
(shop) 360-748-7346
(cell) 360-880-6384
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Startup
Re: Startup
