How to Build a Custom Screen Print Press
Screen printing presses are used to impose designs on a wide variety of items, including postcards, posters, book covers, signs, stickers and even T-shirts. Though professional printers use heavy duty pieces of machinery, it is possible to build a portable custom screen printing press for use in your home or small business.
Building a smaller, custom screen printing press allows for portability, meaning you can easily move it around your home or shop and put it in storage when necessary. A vital design component to a quality custom screen printing press is a base that is heavy and level.
Items Needed:
- Two sheets of 3/4-inch marine grade plywood (18-by-24 inches)
- Carpenter's wood glue
- Glue spreader
- Eight wood clamps
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Two screen printing frame hinges with screws
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Screwdriver
- Use the glue spreader to spread an even layer of wood glue over one side of both sheets of plywood.
- Place the glued side of the plywood together and clamp each side down with two clamps.
- Allow the wood glue to dry for several hours, preferably overnight.
- Remove the clamps.
- Place the glued plywood sheets on a flat surface.
- Measure the center of one (24-inch) side, roughly 2 inches from the outer edge. Mark with a pencil.
- Measure 6 inches away from the center point along the edge. Mark with a pencil.
- Position each of the frame hinges at these 6-inch points. Mark pilot locations for the screw holes with a pencil prior to removing the hinges.
- Drill screw pilot holes for each of the hinge markings. Use a drill bit that is a bit smaller than the hinge screws.
- Install the frame hinges and secure with screws and a screwdriver.