Equipment/Screenprinting

Existing equipment

Screenprinting frame:

• Hinge clamps to hold frame
• Reversable bed with:
  • Hinged platen for printing larger t-shirts, tote bags etc.
  • Flat surface for printing onto paper and other single-layer materials

Screens outer w x h (max printable area w x h)

• 1 x 31cm x 32cm (21cm x 22cm)
• 2 x 45cm x 58cm (35cm x 48cm)
• 3 x 56cm x 77cm (40cm x 60cm)

Squeegees

• 1 x 38cm width, round profile blade (best suited to textiles)

Set-up items

Workbench, drying area and storage

• Adjustable-height bench (as in craft room but somewhat deeper)
• Drying rack for printed items

e.g., unit with wire-mesh drawers and probably on wheels which can live under printing table

• Space to store screens -- can be a vertical space, also under the table

Small tools and accessories

• Smaller squeegees for smaller screens
• Palette knife for transferring ink to/from screens
• Hose for tap to help with screen washout
• Artists' aprons (2 or 3?)
• Soft brush to help with screen washout
• Airtight plastic pots for mixing and storing ink

Consumables

Supplies

• Unprinted newsprint paper (as used for wrapping chips or pottery etc.), A2 sheets

For test printing and creation of paper stencils (using manual cutting or lasercutter) This is not considered 'stock' as it is not fade-proof and not suited to making finished products

• Washing-up liquid

User stock

Inks/paints

• Acrylic print medium (paper/general use)
• Acrylic print medium (fabric)
• Acrylic paint to mix to provide pigment colours
• Pre-formulated fabric inks (e.g., Permaset Aqua Fabric Magic) in a few basic colours

Papers

• Printing paper - this needs to be at least about 200 gsm as water-based printing will warp thinner paper (such as 80 gsm computer paper etc.)

A2 sheets?

Issues to be resolved to commission

• First-aid equipment on the wall above the bench. Could this be moved closer to or above the sink?
• How to charge for materials Suggestion is to charge for paper by size rather than ink.

Stencils made on the vinyl cutter would be charged as for other vinyl cutting.

• Methods to Allow/Support
  • Printing methods
    • Allow only Water-based printing -- oil-based methods require toxic products, specialist disposal, ventilation etc.
    • Allow printing using any screens which have stencils compatible with water-based inks. This includes photo-stencils created offsite.

• • Stencil-making methods

The following dry stencil-making methods will be trained or recommended:

• Paper-cut stencils

Using the thin newsprint paper provided, stencils can be made by manual cutting (or tearing) using scalpels or scissors. For trained users, lasercutting can also be used.

• Vinyl-cut stencils

Based on trial sessions, recommend using vinyl on the squeegee side for durability of stencil. Needs care when weeding especially on small details and lettering.

Note: We cannot reliably support photo-stencil creation, mainly because it requires a space which is guaranteed to be dark during the exposure. A small darkroom or walk-in cupboard would be needed for this, and a light-safe screen-drying rack. If there is demand, this is something we could think about, maybe for the future space.

• What classification?

Safe enough to be green but maybe should be orange as would like opportunities to make people aware of good practices to avoid wastage and ruined screens when sharing the equipment. Posters above the area would be useful to remind people to washout immediately after use etc.

• Training session formats

Probably need to run sessions focusing on either fabric or paper printing. If trainees need to demonstrate their learning then sessions will probably be 2-3 people for around 3 hours.

• Storage of screens during work in progress Printing several colours may take longer than one session, as each colour needs to dry. So a user should label their screens with a name and date on masking tape. The policy on re-using screens could be similar to the private stock cupboard.

• Determine thread-count of screen mesh

Needed to determine approximate resolution and expected results with particular inks and squeegees