How To Screen Print: 2 Color Press Set Up & Test Shirt

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Catspit Productions

I figured since we just output this film together in a previous YouTube video about out putting film positives “ghetto style” on good quality water proof inkjet film positives we should follow up and print the job. It’s a Catspit designer tee shirt made using clip art and the Catspit copyrighted logo text. This shirt is designed to be printed on a gray or light charcoal type of a color. It could also be printed on what they call silver in some cases. I really like this design and I’m going to pick out I nice tee shirt to print with it and make a few to give out to special friends, customers and Catspit followers.

This video is called, “How To Screen Print: 2 Color Press Set Up & Test Shirt” and it’s a great tutorial screen printing that will walk you through a techniques that uses the film positives on press in order to set up a multi-color job. In this case Jonathan at Catspit Productions forgot to put in his special little registration marks so the ones on the film did not washout. Therefore we used a technique where we use the film positives to line up both screens in this simple 2 color design. By actually setting up the film positives on press centered on the pallet we can then line up the clean un-inked screens. You will notice in his video I did not even have to use micro registration at all. But that is partly due to the simplicity of the design. Watch Jonathan as he tapes off the screens and sets up the film positives on the pallet. The see how he lines up the 2 screens, inks them up and has a perfectly registered design.

Thanks again for visiting my screen printing blog and how to information about printing tee shirts. I really do appreciate your time and attention. Thanks for your support. Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit!

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How To Screen Print: Lubricating Your Manual Rotary Textile Press

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Catspit Productions

So this was a very late upload and blog post for that matter. I worked on this video during the heat of the day because it was when I had time to do it. So it took a little longer to make as I took a few breaks to prevent turning into a Niagara Falls of sweat and wet hair. This was another video that once you start the job you have to finish it. But this time I’ll be doing the rest of the head early tomorrow morning. I think it was a very appropriate video to follow the last.

This is an educational screen printing video will take you through a look at how a manual rotary tee shirt press may be lubricated especially after it has been cleaned. This is a follow up video to last week’s version on cleaning the tee shirt press. Now we show you how a press like the RANAR Vista 6/6 rotary press would be lubricated for proper care and long term maintenance. In this tutorial video you will learn how to use WD-40 not only as a lubricant but also as a cleaning solvent. Find out about other lubricants like white lithium grease and 3 in 1 Oil. This how to screen printing video will show you what to do and how not to get too much on the press either. The last thing you want is to get excess oil on your printed garments. This is a great video to watch for those of you who bought a new press, cleaned up an old one or are thinking about buying a screenprinting press.

Don’t forget Catspit Productions, LLC is an authorized RANAR dealer. Please let us know if you need any help purchasing RANAR screen printing equipment.

Thanks for dropping in on my bog and reading about my efforts to teach screen printing online for free. Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit!

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How To Screen Print: Cleaning Your Manual Textile Rotary Press

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Catspit Productions

Well I finally got around to making a video about how to clean a manual rotary screen printing textile press. I do believe there was either a forum post or a personal question that lead me to do this video right now. I think because we ran down the process of cleaning the press the next video will be about the lubrication your press needs on somewhat of a regular basis. So there’s your next heads up on the video coming up on Monday. Don’t let me down with the video views, I am putting out a lot of videos right now and I need your help in keeping them going with the view counts and please rate thumbs up if just for the free information alone. I appreciate your support and without it I cannot continue the production of free educational screenprinting material online indefinitely. It’s up to you whether or not Catspit Productions continues to produce the massive amount of free tutorial information about screen printing tee shirts. Thanks so much for your support!

The new video is called, “How To Screen Print: Cleaning Your Manual Textile Rotary Press.” This is a screen printing tutorial video about how to clean up older or well used manual rotary screen printing textile presses. After some time in working with your press you will find that the press collects tee shirt lint all over it especially if you are using spray tacks to keep shirts stuck to the pallets. That causes massive spray tack over spray which gets all over your equipment especially the textile press. The best way to clean the press is discussed in this video about how to do it by hand with rags and brushes. You will also learn why a compressor can help out in the cleaning process. Find out why we don’t just drag the textile press outside and pressure wash it with soap and water. Have you bought an old used press that needs cleaning? Or are you looking to keep your investment in your equipment at the highest resale value? If you answered yes to either of those questions then this video is a must to watch.

Thanks again for checking out my blog and reading about my efforts to teach screen printing tee shirts online. Thanks for your continued of Catspit Productions, LLC online! Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit!

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How To Photograph Your Screen Printed Tee Shirts 101

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Catspit Productions

So I had a question on the Catspit Screen Printing Forum that asked about how to photograph screen printed tee shirts for Ebay and such. Since I have done a lot of product photography in Manhattan I figured I could help out here with some general tips on how to shoot tee shirts on mannequins or shirt forms. Please visit catspitproductionsllc.com and check out the details on how the videos are made as well as what type of lighting I use for both videos and still photographs:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/about-catspit-screen-printing-videos.html

You’ll find the Amazon links for the light bulbs I use at the bottom of the page! Good luck.

And here is the Catspit Forum post that prompted this video:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1972

This is an educational video that will introduce you to a very basic set up for photographing your screen printed garments for Facebook, Twitter, Ebay, Etsy or any other website you need to post photos of your printed shirts to. In this video I give you a basic and quick rundown of the set up I have for making photographs of my screen printing work. You’ll get to see the background and podium set up for the product as well as some of the lighting I use to get a decent shot with daylight balanced lighting fairly easily. This set up is geared toward digital photography and is best suited for product photography rather than people. By using s diffused lighting set up you can get a nice representation of your screenprinting work and if needed the image may be tweaked in Photoshop. Sometimes pumping the contrast after the image is made with diffused lighting is easier than trying to perfect the lighting yourself without the proper lights or experience.

Thanks for stopping by my humble little bog and having a read about my screen printing and photography videos. Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit!

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How To Screen Print: Water Proof VS Non Water Proof Inkjet Film Positives

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Catspit Productions

So I was about to do a video featuring water proof inkjet film when I started to have problems with my printers and RIP software. I planned on posting that video yesterday but instead I had to contend with some technical issues. But in the meantime it made me realize I had a video I should be doing first. Since we were about to talk about water proof inkjet film and non water proof inkjet film I figured it was due time to explain what the difference is between the two types of inkjet film positives. Therefore I made this video and posted it yesterday which is allowing me to work on the video for later this week.

This is tutorial screen printing video is called, “How To Screen Print: Water Proof VS Non Water Proof Inkjet Film Positives” and it’s all about inkjet film positives. What makes inkjet film positives water proof or non water proof? Did you ever wonder about that or which type of inkjet film would work best for you? How about Catspit’s Super Inkjet Film Positives, did you ever wonder if they were non water proof? These questions about inkjet film positives are answered in this video plus more. Learn about the emulsion used on inkjet films to make them receive inkjet inks. You’ll get to see a piece of 11×17 inkjet film in both non water proof and water proof versions and learn how to tell the difference visually. If you are just starting out in screen printing then this video is a must to watch as you learn how to output your artwork to film in order to make screens for screenprinting tee shirts.

Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit with Catspit Productions, LLC!

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How To Screen Print: Micro Registration Vs. Fixed Print Head

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Catspit Productions

This is a video I made to help people understand the differences between a fully functional manual print head as opposed to a fixed print head. I am often asked about equipment when people are thinking of starting a screen printing business and buying equipment. Do I really need micro registration? What does it do and why would I want to pay more for it? Since I sell RANAR equipment we get to take a close look at a couple of print heads and discuss the differences and such. Come along on a fantastic voyage and check out this new video!

This educational screen printing video is called, “How To Screen Print: Micro Registration Vs. Fixed Print Head” which discusses the differences between a fixed print head and a fully functional micro registration equipped print head. Here you’ll get to see a close up of each type of print head and compare the adjustability of the full function print head to the limitations of the fixed print head. On our 6 color manual rotary textile screenprinting press we look at the off contact, screen angle adjustment and the micro registration and how together they can make your printing life easier. Then you’ll get to look at a fixed print head on a 1 color bench press which only has off contact and a minor screen angel adjustment. This is a great video to watch if you are looking at presses that can come with or without micro registration and you need a little help with the decision. Hear what Jonathan himself has to say about it.

Thanks again for your time. I hope that you all are learning from my screen printing tutorial videos on YouTube. I have fun making them for you and a lot more fun when you all watch them. I find there is a certain inner disappointment when a video gets low views. The last video has some kick ass tips in it but because of the thumbnail it seems to be lagging in views. Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit!

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Screen Printing Polyester Shirts: Tips On Controlling Dye Migration

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Catspit Productions

So this is a late upload for a Monday on YouTube but I figured I would do it anyway so we could do some more later this week. I’ve been busy as usual so I think the late in the day uploads may become more common but I prefer early morning. It gives the video the full day to sink in a bit before things get quiet in the States. But this one is a Quick Tips video about printing on polyester. It’s like a video version of an article I have on the Catspit website. I thought it may be a good idea to make some video versions of articles for those who don’t like to read that much. So I may do more like it in the future where the video connects to an actual article on the site. And that way if you want to read the article too you get the full picture.

This tutorial screen printing video is called, “Screen Printing Polyester Shirts: Tips On Controlling Dye Migration.” It’s about working with polyester garments and the challenge of dye migration. Since polyester fabrics are dyed through a sublimation process they can cause problems when heated to cure plastisol inks. The darker dyes like red, maroon, navy, black, orange, brown and so on can easily sublimate into the ink layer during curing especially if the ink is white. So we as screen printers often encounter the problem called dye migration, bleeding or sublimation. This educational screenprinting video is all about how to prevent that and what causes it. It’s a supplemental resource for you that compliments an article on the Catspit website. If you want to learn more about dye migration, the technicalities of it and how to prevent it then check out this article: Dye Migration: Screen Printing Polyesters & Poly Blends.

I hope you all enjoy this new screen printing video. Thanks for stopping by the blog and having a read. Learn how to screen print with Catspit Productions, LLC!

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Screen Printing: Small Manual Textile Shop Electrical Tips

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Catspit Productions

Alright then, here is the latest educational screen printing video from Catspit Productions, LLC. Since a lot of our audience includes people who are just starting out in screenprinting I thought it would be helpful to go over some of the electrical needs you may require to set up a small manual textile screen printing shop. Whether you are setting up at home or using a small commercial space, this is a basic guide to powering up your own shop.

This is educational screen printing is called, “Screen Printing: Small Manual Textile Shop Electrical Tips” which will take you through a guided tour of the small manual textile printing shop and its electrical needs. You’ll get to take a look at each of the essential pieces of equipment and learn about the electrical requirements they may have. Find out about 110 and 220 power and what it means to use either in your home or commercial shop. Find out the main reason we use 220 power to run the infrared belt dryers. You’ll also get a look at nay electrical needs a washout booth might have. That’s right; besides water and a drain you may need some juice for your washout booth. What about a heat press? In this video you’ll learn why it is often necessary to use a dedicated fuse for your heat press. If you are looking to build your own small manual screenprinting shop at home or in a commercial space then you need to watch this video.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and checking out my posts. I appreciate your time and attention. Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit!

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How To Screen Print: Cleaning & Maintaining Squeegee Tips

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Catspit Productions

I did something I don’t often do. I mean it’s not that I don’t listen to my audience and the generous people who spend time watching my educational screenprinting videos but I have to say requests are not my specialty. That’s because I don’t just make videos. I am an actual working screen printing shop which not only prints but also sells equipment and supplies. So the videos I do make tend to fall into the category of “easy enough to do in the normal course of business.” After all I have to spend the most time where I make my living. But this new video is an outright request fulfillment and maybe, just maybe I’ll try to do more if they aren’t too wild. I hope you enjoy this rather simple yet informative screenprinting video.

This video is called, “How To Screen Print: Cleaning & Maintaining Squeegee Tips.” This is an educational screen printing video that was requested by an audience member. This video is all about cleaning and caring for your squeegees. First we take a look at why it is the easiest to clean squeegees directly after printing. Then we look at a few squeegees that were left a few days before we clean them in this video. Now while we are doing all this we discuss the benefits and disadvantages of cleaning squeegees immediately after printing as opposed to letting them sit with ink on them. You’ll actually learn about how squeegee materials can and will absorb inks and chemicals affecting their performance. This video shows you the easiest way to clean squeegees using the least amount of solvents or chemicals. Do you want to learn how to save a little of your press wash? Then watch this video. Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit!

Thanks much for dropping by my humble little screenprinting blog. I appreciate your time and support online very much! Make sure to drop by the YouTube channel and subscribe! Learn how to screen print with Catspit Productions, LLC!

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Summertime Screen Printing Mesh Preparation

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Catspit Productions

Happy Memorial Day weekend to all! I hope you have a safe and entertaining 3 day holiday. In honor of summertime and screen printing tee shirts I thought I would make a fun video in a satirical fashion. I was printing some shirts this day and it was above 100 degrees F outside so in the shop it was like a convection oven with the belt dryer running too. On days like that I often print in my shorts and just run out to the pool and jump in to cool my body temperature down and get a refresher. Then as I go back to print and my hair dries along with my shorts I get an evaporative cooling action. So to celebrate pools, summertime, screenprinting and the holiday I made this video for fun. I hope you like it!

This screen printing educational video is a satire and a welcoming of the summertime fun we all enjoy. It’s called, “Summertime Screen Printing Mesh Preparation.”  Do you want to find out how I prepare all of my screen mesh for coating with emulsion during the hot Arizona summer months? Then this video is for you. Here you’ll get to see how I don’t recommend getting your mesh ready to coat with your scoop coater. All I needed was a cooler full of beer, some girls in bikinis and a grill with some steak on it and I could have cleaned mesh all day…. LOL. But seriously, have a great Memorial Day weekend and please be safe in your backyard activities. And don’t do what I did in this video kids. That’s right. Don’t try this at home…. or in your screen print shop or your Jacuzzi or anywhere! 🙂 Unless you have the girls in bikinis with the cooler of beer at least…. 🙂

Thanks again for reading my blog especially over this holiday weekend. Long live the United States of America. Learn how to screen print for fun or for profit with Catspit Productions, LLC!

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