Tools: Merchmakr

How to Use

https://merchmakr.com/blogs/learn all the information is on Merchmaker's youtube channel.

Tool Use

Discussion from SLACK 2019-03-28:

14:58:39 william.stillwell Jeremiah, all the information is on Merchmaker's youtube channel: https://merchmakr.com/blogs/learn

14:00:08 william.stillwell I can show you how, but you need to get the art printed ( we do not have a printer that can print the art )

14:00:51 william.stillwell if you order a pre-done screen, i can show you how to use the equipment at the space, but we have limited colors of plastisol. ( i think just white, red, and black )

14:01:20 william.stillwell if we can get a large enough group of people, Gary will come over and do a class, he is just on benjamin north of the space

14:21:57 bill.shaw are there any materials we would need to purchase for such a class? Any other requirements?

14:22:00 william.stillwell and if we are going to burn screens, we would have to buy a screen for each person as i don't think he would want dirty new ones

14:27:01 bill.shaw Have you made screens before?

14:27:22 william.stillwell Yes :slightly_smiling_face: I have probably made 5-10 different shirts with the kit. i just suck at art :disappointed:

14:28:03 bill.shaw what software did you use for the artwork?

14:28:10 william.stillwell if someone can make some cool vector art for the space, i can print and make some screens

14:28:15 william.stillwell Illustrator

14:28:19 bill.shaw I was thinking THS logo [:thumbsup_all:1]

14:28:20 william.stillwell just needs to be vector art

14:28:33 dndphstudio do the screens use that plastic that you expose to light and then dissolve with water?

14:29:19 william.stillwell no, we use actual screens that we expose to light to harden, and then need a special liquid and pressure washer to clean.

14:30:04 scottboake I have some misc screen printing parts and supplies. May still have some silk screen. Have pressure washer for space donation that needs a plug.

14:30:19 dndphstudio that's what i meant, you put like a gel on the screen, put a mask over it, harden it with the light, wash the unhardened material off, and then print with? I remember doing that way back in middle school

14:30:27 william.stillwell https://merchmakr.com/blogs/learn/76432001-how-to-coat-a-screen-printing-screen | How to Coat a Screen Printing Screen | Gary and Vanessa show how to apply Printing Screen | Gary and Vanessa show how to apply liquid emulsion to a screen printing screen using a scoop coater. How to fix it when it goes wrong and which side to coat first.

14:30:42 william.stillwell https://merchmakr.com/blogs/learn/76436737-tips-for-making-transparencies-for-screen-printing | Tips for Making Transparencies For Screen Printing | Tips for Making Transparencies For Screen Printing Lines must be Solid (If doing films by hand, don't use felt tip markers or anything that leaves a jagged edge) (No jagged edges. If on the computer, don't work in RGB color mode, but bitmap if you can, or greyscale with no anti-aliasing.) Ink Must be Dark Ink Must be B

14:31:07 william.stillwell litterly, EVERY step is on the website.

14:31:54 william.stillwell However, one exception is i used Green Galaxy CryoCoat Emulsion as it has a LOT longer shelf life.

14:32:18 william.stillwell The stuff he sells only has a < 3 month shelf life as its bacterium based.

14:33:02 roontoon Have seen it done with vinyl used as the stencil.

14:33:07 william.stillwell I have not tried "Ryonet WBP Dual Cure Water Based Plastisol Hybrid Emulsion"

14:33:40 william.stillwell Yes, you can use a vinyl stencil, but it can leave glue residue on the screen.

14:34:06 william.stillwell the benifits on using a vinyl stencil is its great for just "letters"

14:34:36 william.stillwell good luck if you have a fancy artwork with halftones, weeding vinyl to stick on a screen could be hell.

14:40:44 scottboake I’ve done the individual letters for signs. Hard to make look even decent. Cutting ruby transparencies by hand takes more skill than I have. Ink jet transparencies work ok.

14:53:16 william.stillwell basically, we use screen printing transparency from an "all black" inkjet printer.

14:53:32 william.stillwell i have a 11x17 inkjet i can print the transparency's on.

15:06:54 scottboake Thumbs up on the 11x17 - pasting smaller sheets works but ugh.

15:19:41 roontoon Use to use rubylith back it the day.

15:21:59 scottboake Had a 6 color T-shirt made once. Guy who did the artwork cut the ruby. That cost more than the art for 6 layers. And took much longer.