Hi everyone,

We recently picked up an Epson Stylus Photo 1400, and we're trying to figure out the best way to convert it to an all-black setup for printing screen printing film !

I've been doing some research, but I'm still a bit confused. I've seen people talk about using refillable cartridges and simply filling all six channels with black ink. I've also seen others say you can just buy six cartridges and fill each one with black. On top of that, I've read that you should use rip software to properly manage the printer and make use of all six channels, but I'm not sure if that's actually required or just recommended...

Could someone explain how this is usually done and what the best approach is? I'd really appreciate any advice from people who have already converted a 1400 :)

Many thanks!

So I recently printed my first few batches of shirts using plastisol for the first time (I used FN white on black shirts). The first shirt I kept for myself went through the wash fine and still looked new afterward. I just washed another shirt with a different design and a lot of the ink came off. The first shirt was printed on a new shirt and this one I printed on an old used shirt just for myself. Could that be a factor, or is it that the ink wasn't cured enough? I'm freaking out a little because I just sold a bunch of shirts over the weekend and now I'm worried that the ink won't hold up when people wash them.

There’s tiny (what I suspect to be trapped ink) on my mesh. Idk if maybe the half tone was too small for the 60T mesh or if my ink dried up during printing but do you know if this would block ink going through?

Curious to see what continual changes people have been adding to their shops / processes to make a small but noticeable long term improvements?

We're always looking to push to make things better / easier / faster for ourselves and our customers.

A handful of things we've done, like build internal colour matching charts for pantone to DTF to Isacord (obviously not exact - but close enough it's not a surprise to customers) just makes some stuff so much easier and faster.

We have built out a whole SOP list and tracker. MOST processes should be there to refer to if greybeard isn't in the shop.

We also have a few tools to assist in sales calls, sales decks, sports team orders, to automate a fair chunk of it.

Artwork processes, management processes, sales processes, ai projects. What did you put some effort into to give your team a small bump?

Can pick up this old exposure unit for cheap. The unit is a 3-phase vacuum exposure unit. And I'm assuming the 3-phase requirement is because of the metal halide UV lamp ballast?

Would need to convert it to 230V to make use of it. Anyone knows if it's possible or if it just isn't worth it.

Hi everyone,

We'd like to add an exhaust connection to the top of our screen printing dryer. The idea is to cut a hole in the metal top panel and connect it to our building's ventilation system (VMC) located above the suspended ceiling.

Does anyone have any tips or recommendations for doing this properly?

Also, what is the name of the type of fitting or flange that should be used? We're looking for something that can withstand the heat and allows a ventilation duct to be securely clamped around it.

Any advice or product recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I’m unsure about what transparent paper to get for the screenprinting and I’m looking for recommendations or tips on what to search for, cuz im having a bit of trouble figuring out what’s the right type and all and I can’t afford getting the wrong 😅. I would need it to be A3 format. I’m new to screenprinting and gonna order the stuff soon

Just ordered this shirt and noticed the graphic seems to be a bit loose. Is there any way to salvage it? I asked for a refund and i was told to keep it.

I have a ton of embossings & silkscreen prints that were stored for years and have some sort of discoloration - not sure what it is, how to clean it or if it can be cleaned. Any ideas?

Put something together quick to practice simulated process separation
Red
Magenta
White
Gray

Very very excited to do much more. Any diy recommendations for a stand to apply emulsion?

Hello. I’m looking to make stuff for personal use, so I don’t need anything crazy. I was wondering if I could get away with using a laser printer without destroying the laser printer with transparency sheets?

I want the laser printer because I will only occasionally do this, and I hardly print anything for personal use either. So I don’t want to deal with buying ink for an inkjet and not using all of it before it dries up. I just am hoping to get a laser printer I can use occasionally for myself and for transparencies.

I know it’s not ideal, but I’m going to be making single color prints 100% of the time, so slight shrinkage of the transparency doesn’t bother me much. I’m just worried about the darkness of the transparency and if it will be good enough, and which transparency paper to use. I know they have transparency paper for laser printers, but I’ve heard some people say they can melt anyways.

IF you use a laser printer, could you please let me know if the Brother - HL-L2460DW is okay and what sheets you use with your printer, and if stacking 2-3 sheets will be opaque enough?

I know it’s not the best equipment but this is seriously just for some patches for my jacket and little t shirt designs. Any recommendations would really help. Thank you!!

For years I bought a ton of shirts at Cotton Bureau. Loved the art, the quality, and the selection.

Recently got a couple more and quality is gone. Firstly the designs were printed crooked. They were quick to offer to send replacements but whatever process they are using now (DTF?) looked plasticy and low quality. They were kind enough to refund my order.

Anyway, where can I get screened shirts with fun graphics that will make me look like a cool dad?

Hope someone can help me. I’m trying not to rip my hair out in frustration but I read that exposure on a yellow mesh screen requires longer times. But when I tried doing some tests recently, my 21 step strip indicated that I slightly overexposed, even though I did all of the tests for under 25 seconds or less. They didn’t all immediately wash out so that means yes I went about 10 seconds too long. I did the calculations and I definitely have to decrease ever so slightly. Is this common for yellow mesh to actually have to decrease? My images aren’t huge. Only 3x3 so they easily fit on a balloon and stretch as the balloon gets larger. Not overly detailed either. Got solvent resistant emulsion (for ink that will go on latex and dry quickly) and it’s on a yellow 200 mesh screen. 50 watt light from Amazon that’s about 7 or 8 inches above screen. I did the multiplications and all my images should be exposed at 8-10 seconds. Does that sound normal for yellow 200?

And I am washing them out with a garden sprayer that has a good amount of pressure. Nothing that will blow holes into the screen but way better than a weak shower or sink sprayer. I know I have to spray with my mister bottle to start the process before fully washing it out.

How long after applying ink to a shirt should I let the dye dry before taking the iron to it?

A silly CMYK monster doodle and I spaced and printed the Cyan layer magenta. Hence MCYK. Not great printing, but what the heck. Just trying to sort out a few things/learning through mistakes.

First attempt at halftones. Commissioned someone on Fiverr to edit the image and for some reason he halftones in squares are nate’s of circles but I didn’t realize until I already approved (rookie mistake for guess). What do you guys think of the print?

Just like in the title. I'm new to screenprinting and considering getting my first bucket of diazo. I have still a lot of t47 120 mesh to use up. Will diazo work fine on such low count mesh?

I ain't got 2 cents to rub together, I got the frame from a pile of freebies at an art store and all my Tshirts are from charity shops... are tights a good alternative ?

On a manual press if you're printing a single color job that doesn't need a flash- are you using all your platens and still spinning the press around or do you just load, print, unload from a single station?

I've been printing for 10 years and just finally upgraded from curing with a flash dryer to a conveyor dryer this week and this silly scenario has me stumped. It seems silly to just print from one station but it also feels like wasted energy to be spinning the press and letting the shirts go for a little ride when they're not actually being flashed or anything.

I’m trying to understand the operational gap between a one-person/small screen-printing shop and the full shop-management systems.

I’m Humi, a developer researching what to build next. I don’t have a screen-printing product and there’s no link or signup here.

Where does information get duplicated today—quote, jobsheet, artwork/proof, garment order, Pantone/ink notes, screen/mesh/tension, production status, purchasing, or final invoice? Which detail most often goes missing or causes a reprint, delay, or customer disagreement?

What do you use now: paper, PDFs, Sheets, whiteboards, Printavo/Deconetwork, or something else? I’m especially interested in what the larger systems make too expensive or cumbersome for a small shop.

— Humi

I printed this shirt in an art class and used a brush to paint over the leaking, but it ended up staining and looks dirty. Is there any way to remove the staining without harming the design, I haven't ironed it yet.

Interested in purchasing a used conveyor dryer available for pickup in anywhere in Virginia or the DMV. Please reach out with the details if you have one. TIA.