Economical Screen Printing Equipment

Screen printing evolved from the silk screening of the 1960's. The Andy Warhol Pop Art movement of the late 1960's and early 1970's increased the popularity of screen printing among young artists. Almost any surface material may be used, producing sharp lines as never before.

Screen printing equipment is easily found in any art supply house, at nominal expense. Expect to pay from $30 to $100. 

Here's the screen printing equipment you'll need:

1. Screen: Mesh counts (fineness of the screen) are variable. The screen should be made of nylon. Don't try to make these out of old pantyhose. The result will be a splotchy mess!

The mesh count you choose depends on the medium on which you'll print. The smoother the surface, the higher the mesh count. With paper, try a mesh count of 230. With fabric, let thread count guide you. Tightly woven fabrics like polyester and satin work best with a mesh count of 110 – 160. Smooth or shiny materials such as leather, vinyl and PVC need a mesh count of 180 or higher.

2. Frame: Wood frames are sometimes thought to be superior to aluminum. This is not true. Spend the extra $10 for the sturdier  aluminum. Wood frames warp quickly, splinter easily and become waterlogged when you wash them.

3. Chemicals: You need only two chemicals, both photographers' supplies. They are emulsion and sensitizer. These are used to light-burn your design onto the print medium.

4. Plastic transparencies: These come in clear sheets and can be run through an injet printer, set to the transparency setting.

5. Scoop coater: This is just a jumbo squeegee, specifically designed as screen printing equipment. A regular squeegee from the hardware is too small for screen printing equipment.

6. Tools and miscellaneous supplies: Some screen printing equipment items are common supermarket or hardware items.

      a. Rubber gloves
      b. A good quality spatula for mixing and spreading the paint.
      c. Photo-safe red light bulb. For the purpose of screen printing, the light must be red.
      d. Large table clamps. Check your hardware store. Table clamps are placed on top of the screen for an even application of your paint medium.
      e. A spray bottle for water.
      f. A sheet of glass. Here you can go cheap. Just buy a poster frame of the desired size. Remove the frame. Voila!

Other items necessary to complete your screen printing equipment list are probably already in your home:

An accurate timer or clock is required to time how long your design sits in solution.

A table on which to work.

A shower or hose, used to wash solution and paint from your screen.

A dark room is essential. If you don't have one, you can make one. Your bathroom can work. Using thick layers of newspaper, cover the entire work area to protect floors from chemical damage. Install your red bulb, tape windows tightly with a black-out shade and you're done.

Be sure to have fun!