How do you choose the best printers for film screen printing?

This is a common question for beginners. In this Epic Guide, you should find the answer.

The process of printing positive images on fabric or other media can be done several different ways: by exposing color photo emulsion to light through a negative image, by directly applying ink to a film type positives, and also by using an expensive printer called a dye-sublimation printer—known as the best option for people who want fast prints with good quality.

The dye-sublimation printer works very similarly to an inkjet printer but it heats up dyes in order to get the print onto fabric instead of using standard ink cartridges like regular printers do.

Of course, not all printers are created equal, so if you’re looking for the best option, here are some tips to help you.

Size

First of all, the printer should be the right size for your needs. If printing small items like business cards or magnets is more up your alley, then you’re probably not looking for a large-format printer that can print on larger formats—which transfer films do better than printers anyway. On the other side of things, if you want prints that are several feet long or even full-scale banners or flags then you need something bigger than just a regular office printer.

Wide-Format Capability

If you’re planning to print in wider formats, this is a factor as well. While traditional printers can only print up to about 400mm wide media, transfer films can typically accept widths all the way up to 1200mm or more.

Print Quality

The quality of the prints matters as well, so here are a few things that affect a printer’s output: resolution and dpi (dots per inch) capabilities, color range options, and finishing options such as lamination or varnishing for gloss finishes.

Price Point

This should be an important consideration if you’re going into printing with the goal of making some money off your hobby—you want your packaging and equipment to reflect how professional your business is after all. Not all printers are created equal when it comes to price, but the price goes up usually with the more professional features you get.

Print Speed

The last thing to consider is how quickly or slowly your printer churns out prints—you’ll want something that can work at a decent pace without too much downtime. This depends on how many printers you have in tow, of course, since some only print one size while others print multiple sizes simultaneously.

Ink Type

The printer you use for printing on fabric should also deposit an even and opaque image, which means that it has to be able to lay down a thick enough layer of ink. This is especially important if you’re printing transfers onto technical fabrics since those kinds generally require double the thickness of other kinds in order to look good. The same goes for dark or bright colors as well as metallic dyes—these might need extra layers as well depending on the surface they’re being printed on.

If you follow these tips, you should have no problem finding the right printers! Just remember not all printers are made equal so do your research before committing to one brand over another.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=zEvFtDhErS4%3Ffeature%3Doembed

What types of inkjet printers are used for screen printing?

There are four main types of inkjet printers for screen printing, with their own unique benefits and drawbacks. Some professional-grade printers will have access to all but one of these options so it is important to read reviews carefully before buying a printer to ensure that it has the right kind of capabilities for your needs.

Screen Printing Inkjet Printers

This type of printer is the most popular among hobbyists because they’re relatively cheap—as low as $100 or so usually—and easy to use since they’re designed specifically for screen printing projects. They can transfer ink onto almost any media, including polyester or cotton garments or color pots, ceramic tiles, etc. The image quality isn’t always perfect but they can get the job done.

Screen printing inkjets print using a squeegee and applied pressure, just like traditional screen printers. They’re not quite as fast or versatile as other kinds of printers though—the color range is limited and they cannot be used for anything except printing on fabric and similar media because they aren’t designed to print directly onto hard surfaces such as wood or metal.

Sublimation Printers

If you need to make full-color prints on various types of materials, then this is the kind of printer you want to use since it can expand your creative options exponentially. The downside however is that these printers are typically more expensive than other kinds—you’ll probably end up spending at least $1,000 for a decent one.

The technology behind sublimation printers is fairly complicated but at its core, it involves heating dyes in order to transfer them onto other kinds of material—the dye that’s being transferred should be colorfast and fade-resistant though which can limit your choices if you need to print on dark materials like cotton or hemp fabrics.

These kinds of printers are best suited for making full-color prints on paper, glass, ceramics, etc. but cannot make prints directly onto fabric which means their use will be limited to printing media instead of wearable art pieces.

Direct To Garment Printers

If you want to do simple designs with limited colors the printer might be a better fit for you since they’re generally cheaper and easier to use. They also print using cold ink instead of heat which makes them popular with screen printers because if the media picks up too much ink it won’t transfer properly onto the screen.

The downside is that these printers are limited by how many colors can be printed at once—generally only one or two will work, meaning your design options are limited as well, especially if you want to make more complicated or involved graphics.

Dye Sublimation Printers

This printer uses a lot of technology similar to sublimation printers but transfers dye onto fabric instead of paper – therefore producing high-quality results on all kinds of materials including cotton, silk, etc. Another advantage is that dye-sublimation printers can print in gradients and other effects which makes them one of the most artistically-capable printers on the market.

The downside, as with all kinds of expensive printing equipment, is that it’s more complicated to use than other kinds of printers and you need to be an experienced printer or willing to learn a lot about how they work before you buy one.

What are the drawbacks?

The main drawback is the price—all but screen printing inkjets are relatively expensive and depending on how much you plan to use your printer this could end up costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars. If you also consider the cost of media such as transfers and transfer films for screen printing and other consumables such as inks (and the time and effort it takes to learn how to use them) the overall price of using a printer for a screen printing becomes even higher.

The best printers are usually those that can be used on more than one kind of media too which also limits your options if you want to start designing fabric prints so you might need more than one printer if you want to cover all your bases. Be prepared to spend a lot on equipment and supplies, especially if this is something completely new to you—it’s definitely not cheap, although there are several decent entry-level printers available for under $200.

WHAT IS A TRANSPARENCY PAPER?

Durable 5 mils thick inkjet film	Waterproof Screen Printing Inkjet Film8.5-17" x 11-22"100 SheetsAnti-curl, anti-yellowing	Check Price
Exposure Times 21 Step Wedge	21 Step Wedge Exposure CalculatorHelp you dial in your exposure timesRegular image you want on your screenThis calculator is easy	Check Price

What is a transfer film exactly? Transfer films are material that reacts to heat in order to transfer the ink from the screen to your chosen media. They’re designed for use with CMYK four-color process printing, and they work best with large format printers.

There are two main kinds of transfer films: solvent-based and water-based. Solvent-based is more common among professionals because it works well on most types of fabrics even those made from hydrophobic synthetic fibers. Water-based transfers aren’t as ideal as solvent-based ones since they can lift or dissolve when exposed to water over time after being printed—which wouldn’t be good if you wanted your media to last for years instead of just a few washes.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=pgLONUFMOSo%3Ffeature%3Doembed

TRANSPARENCY PAPER VS TRANSFER FILM

Both have their pros and cons, but generally speaking, transparency paper is ideal for printing on items that aren’t going to be washed while transfer films are better suited for clothing or other media that need a longer-lasting print.