Gathering equipment now, whats my second step?

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cityoftees
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Gathering equipment now, whats my second step?

Post by cityoftees »

Hi, I am a 23 year old former college student who is opening his 2nd business. My new venture is screen printing, I currently own a clothing store located in Downtown Sacramento called Lucky Lefty's (luckyleftys.com)

I have been a screen printing broker for 3 years and have accumulated a decent client list. I decided it is time for me to start printing myself and letting the other business run itself.

Any advice, comments, questions would be greatly appreciated. I have knowledge about the screen printing industry but very little on the actual printing process itself. Please join in on my quest to starting a successful screen printing business @CityofTees.
geneh
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Re: Gathering equipment now, whats my second step?

Post by geneh »

Hi,
I see that you are a screen printing broker. With that being said you probably know people in the bussiness and screen printers themselfs. Try talking to one and see if you can do some hands on work even if it is just reclaiming screens for a couple of hours a day for free. Then start asking questions I know myself if someone is interested I have no problem showing and teaching. But the key words are they must be interested and willing to work for it and with that sometimes you can get a free education. Let me know if this helps
cityoftees
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Re: Gathering equipment now, whats my second step?

Post by cityoftees »

Thanks for the advice, I have a few suppliers that I use but I dont know how comfortable I would be asking them to teach me since I am one of their current clients. Do you think they would have a problem showing me the ropes if in essence I will eventually stop using their services? Also, what is the main thing that I should focus on in terms of the entire screen printing process... I have shadowed a few prints but get somewhat lost in the process.
geneh
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Re: Gathering equipment now, whats my second step?

Post by geneh »

You are probably correct about asking one of them to teach you and them loosing your bussiness not a good thing. Now you said you have shadowed a few printers and get lost in the process where exactly do you get lost that should be your main focus point. Also how much of the process do you want to do? Are you going to make your own art, screens, ink, Or are you just going to print and sub out the rest? My advice is sub out the screens make your own art if comfortable and do your own inks and focus on the art of printing. Then when you are comfortable with that start on the screen making. But if you can find someone to shadow and work with do it... Also you can check out the SGIA website they have hands on classes with some of the best instructors in the bussiness they teach it all, plus there are a lot of good articals on there web site as well. Let me know if this helps and if you have any more questions.
cityoftees
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Re: Gathering equipment now, whats my second step?

Post by cityoftees »

I understand the process but where I get lost is when screenprinters do things their own way or prefer a certain method over another. More specifically when it comes to setting up the screeens exposure times, dryer settings, screenprinting techniques, ink brands etc. I dont know what to do when it comes to doing it "by the book". What are the best ink brands, should I use wood or alluminum screens, how many times do I need to flash dark shirts with light inks, etc?

I would like to run everything myself from setting up the screens to the artwork to the printing. I have some roller frames without mesh on them that came with the stuff I purchased, how do I put the mesh on them and do I need to buy anything else?
geneh
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Re: Gathering equipment now, whats my second step?

Post by geneh »

Ok every screen printer has his or her way of doing things you just got to take the basic idea and build from there. There are basic fundamentels of screen printing learn those then add your own twists or what works for you. One of the best teachers is this forum have questions post them. Ok but lets start with your exposure question. First off you need to figure out what emulsion you want to use. Each emulsion can act different so what you get for an exposure time with one emulsion is not the same for others. Do you have a screen printing supplier you can work with? If not get one. I like Kiwo brand emulsions there a little more expensive but in my opioin they are better here is ther link check it out http://www.kiwo.com/Welcome.htm . What type of an exposure unit do you have? This will help determine what emulsion you use. Once you have your emulsion then you can determine you coating technique the tech data sheet with your emulsion will also guide you in this decsion ( how many coates of emulsion to applie to your screen) But you need to stretch a screen so you have something to practice on you have some roller frames good practice frames here is a link check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs1crUAjT-0. First thing stretch yourself up a couple of frames do you have mesh? if not get some lets say 110 for now just some thing to get started unless ou have some then use what you got. Let me know how it goes.
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