Bandito Blog

Finished up some new shirts!

A few people have been asking about my home screen-burning process so here is a quick and dirty explanation.

Not the most professional supplies, but you will be able to find everything you need at a Utrecht art store, FedEx/Kinkos, Target/Wal-Mart and a Camera shop.

Supplies:

Utrecht List:
1. Speedball Silk Screen Pre-Stretched - 12” x 16” - $27.39
2. Speedball Diazo System photo emulsion kit. - $21.99
3. Speedball Graphic Squeegee - $8.89
4. Speedball Fabric Screen Printing Ink - $7.39

Fedex/Kinkos List:
1. 8.5”x11” transparency of your design - $.60
2. Clear packing tape - $5.00

Camera shop list:
1. Spotlight Lamp (for the white bulb)
2. 500 watt White Bulb
3. Photo safe Red bulb

Target/Wal-Mart list:
1. Shirts
2. Inexpensive table lamp (for the red bulb)
3. Dog cleaner shower attachment (if you do not have a detachable shower head)

Step 1
Convert your 1 color design to black. Generate a hi-res pdf. Make sure to not use gradients or anything thinner than a .5 stroke. Put it on a thumb drive and take it to kinkos. Have them print it out in black on an 8.5”x11” transparency.

Step 2
Replace your bathroom light bulb with the red photo safe light bulb. Follow the emulsion mixing instructions and store it in a safe place. Make sure no normal light comes in contact with the Emulsion. Using the sqweegy, spread a thin layer of mixed emulsion over your screen. Make sure it is even and smooth on both sides of screen. Set it in a cool, completely dark place to dry. Dry over night if you can.

Step 3
Set up your exposing area. Clamp the lamp with the 500 watt bulb 32” from the ground. Pull out your dry screen and your transparency. Make sure no normal light is hitting the screen (best to do at night). Place your transparency BACKWARDS on the flat surface of the screen. Tape it down with the clear packing tape so it is completely flush with the screen using 2 small pieces of tape. Place the screen and transparency directly under the lamp. Turn on the exposing lamp and leave it undisturbed for exactly 20 minutes.

Step 4
Once 20 minutes have passed, turn off the lamp. Be careful, it will be hot. Still in darkness, take the transparency off and head to the bathroom to spray off the unexposed emulsion. Using hot water, gently spray your design so that everything that was under the black printed transparency washes away. Once your design has been cleared, let your screen dry overnight if you can.

Step 5
Place your dry screen face down on the front of a shirt and press some ink through by wiping the sqweegy down and then up, completely covering the design. Carefully lift the screen off the shirt and let the ink dry. Use a hairdryer to set the ink. Run the hot hairdryer over the design in a circular motion for 30 seconds or so.

Step 6
Wear your toasty shirt!