Screenprinting/screenburning assistance needed

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

I have the bright idea that I'd like to print a design of my own on a couple of t-shirts in the next week, and have been doing some online research on DIY screenprinting. I think I can handle most of the actual printing myself*, but I do need someone to burn a screen for me--I can buy a blank screen of my own, but I don't have the facilities or equipment for actually burning the design on it, so if there are any silkscreen artists out there who'd be willing to help me out for a small sum, please let me know; I might even be persuaded to bake some chocolate-chip oatmeal cookies for you as an additional bribe, I mean, token of my appreciation. :D

Thanks in advance for any and all help!


*although it's entirely possible that this line WILL come back to haunt me...

Comments

[teratomarty.livejournal.com]

Hey, nice to meet you! I only recently taught myself how to silkscreen, using this Instructable (http://www.instructables.com/id/Screen-Printing%3a-Cheap%2c-Dirty%2c-and-At-Home/). My own notes on the process are here (http://teratomarty.livejournal.com/128747.html). It is dead simple, trust me. If you'd like, drop me a private message and we can get together for a silkscreening workshop or similar.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's pretty awesome! I've done a little screen-printing, but only in a class-room setting where there was all the fancy equipment. This looks utterly do-able.

Would you mind un-friends-locking the post with your notes on the process? I'd love to read them.

Also, I have heard from other silk-screeners, that you can take your screen to the self-car-wash down on Somerville Ave, and use their pressure-hoses to clean the screen. I'm not sure, though, whether they meant the step where you're cleaning out the un-exposed emulsion, or when you're done printing and and trying to clean your silk to re-use.

thanks for the pointer!

[teratomarty.livejournal.com]

Derp, no idea why I had that locked. And they're probably recommending the high pressure for washing out the un-exposed emulsion- the left-over ink just rinses away if you get it before it dries. However, I didn't find a need for high-pressure hose even to get the emulsion out. I just used the sprayer attachment in the kitchen sink and some gentle brushing with an old toothbrush.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't mean the ink afterward; I meant the emulsion, all of it, once you're done with the project and you want to use the screen again for a new project. I have these beautiful screens in my basement that I never cleaned when I was done with them-- something like 5 years ago now--so i doubt anything will save the silk. But I've been told that if you do all your printing within a week or so it's not to hard to clean and re-use the screen?

[c011een.livejournal.com]

Tracy, the person who made that Instructable tutorial, lives in Somerville. She taught a screenprinting workshop at Willoughby and Baltic last summer and it was awesome. I've done some screenprinting on my own since then and it is really easy. I still have some problems with the emulsion - sometimes it's too thick and the image doesn't show up right, or sometimes too much will come off. It's probably worth doing a few practice screens before you do the real one. In the Instructable, Tracy recommends using sun to harden the emulsion. I've also found that you can use a light indoors. I think we used a halogen spotlight kind of thing and it worked great.

Good luck!

Screens

[i-lack-cohesion.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine sent me this post. I operate a silk screening shop in Cambridge just outside of Union Sq. I have the dark room and all of the facilities/materials necessary to burn a screen. If you'd like, I'd be happy to help. And I'm local! You can reach me at wornoutdesign at gmail.com.
-Keith
Worn Out Design