Everybody we know owns a t-shirt. Some have several of them, especially people working in the informal sector who don’t need to wear ties. Even people working in the formal sector have branded t-shirts. This is why printing t-shirts as a business or as a hobby is such a great idea.

With the best t-shirt screen printing machine, you will have ready customers at all times. Plus, you can print several other items besides t-shirts, including bags, ties, towels, umbrellas, blankets, mirrors, key chains, boxes, and notebooks among others.

Some of the most advanced t-shirt printing machines can print up to 180 t-shirts in an hour, some can print more. But how do you choose one that will meet your business needs? There are several of these machines, and it might be challenging to settle for one if you have never bought one. In this guide, we show you how to pick a screen printing machine for your small business.

TOP Rated Silk Printing Machine – Reviews

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The Best Screen Printing Machine for Beginners

Yudu Screen Printer is ideal when you want to print a few items every hour for a small business. It prints on cotton and poly-cotton articles, which includes t-shirts and kitchen towels among other articles. The package comes with the screen printing machine, a squeegee, a mesh screen, an adult t-shirt platen, an emulsion sheet, black inkjet transparency, a platen adhesive sheet, and a bottle of black ink.

The Yudu Screen Printer is a compact option. It measures 32 inches wide, 11 inches tall, and 21 inches deep. You can use it at home and even bring it to your small business when need be. The unit sports a simple control panel from which you can adjust the printer’s light, exposure, and fan. You will need access to an inkjet printer and a computer for the best prints. With every package, you get an instructional DVD and an easy-to-follow user manual to get you started. The lid of the printer opens with ease to give you access to the lighted table for ease or printing.

The package also comes with four replaceable bulbs. So, you align the items to screen print the right way, the table features posts and registration guides. Provo Craft also sells other accessories to go with the screen printer. These include finer mesh screens, emulsion remover, and a blackout. With the purchase of this screen printer, you get a limited six-month warranty for the electronic parts.

If you need a small screen printer for shoppers on a budget, this Provo Craft printer will meet your needs. It is lightweight and compact, but advanced enough to meet all your printing needs.

• Compact and portable.
• Comes with some of the accessories you need to start screen printing.
• Priced affordably.
• Easy to use with a simple display screen.

• The inks provided do not wash off with ease.
• Only prints on cotton and poly-cotton.

The Best Small Screen Printing Machine for T-shirt

This is another compact screen printing machine for a small business. The unit only measures 21.7 by 17.7 inches when fully assembled. You can print on it, which makes it ideal for printing on t-shirts, pillowcases, and bags among other items. It doesn’t offer any accessories or even a control panel, but it has the standard design of a conventional screen printing press, which makes it easier to use.

The unit has a special spring device design, which allows you to adjust the screen device up and down, according to the size and the weight of the screen. This design offers the right spring intensity to ensure that the squeegee doesn’t splash or expel ink uncontrollably.

You can move the screen clamp up and down, which ensures the best prints for screens that are 4.5 cm thick. With the purchase of this unit, you get a lifetime warranty with 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

You can use this screen printing press to print on woven fabric, copybook, paper, plastic, wood, glass, ceramic tile, circuit board, leather, and several other plain articles. For that, we recommend it to those who have small businesses and anyone who wants to start screen printing at home. It is also easy to use and comes with a user manual.

• Offers a large printing area.
• Compact construction.
• Works on so many materials.
• You can adjust the screen device to accommodate screens of several thicknesses and weight.

• Doesn’t offer any accessories.

The Best Screen Printing Machine for Home

The Commercial Bargains Inc. machine only prints one color. It works best on t-shirts, thanks to the advanced t-shirt pallet that offers the best placement for accurate prints on t-shirts. You can further use it on items that need overprinting such as pillowcases, bags, and others. To print these other items, you need to change the pallet. Commercial Bargains Inc. created the pallet to easily detach and for you to attach another one with great ease.

The design of the spring device on this machine allows you to adjust the screen up and down to accommodate different sizes and weights of screens. When you adjust, you get the right spring intensity to ensure that the squeegee doesn’t expel or splash ink in high intensity. It also ensures that that the screen does not dismantle from the high intensity. You can also move the screen clamp up and down for screen frames within 2cm.

This is one of the most durable machines, thanks to the full metal construction. Its parts are of stainless steel, which makes the unit look attractive and also makes it easier to clean. It will not rust even after many years of use. It also comes in excellent packaging, making it easier to transport. Its table design makes it compact and space-saving. You can transport it with ease if you use it both at home and in your business. The unit measures 17.7 by 21.2 inches.

If you need a simple ink press for home use or for a small business, we recommend this machine. It comes ready to use after assembly as long as you have the needed screen printing accessories. It is also a durable machine.

• Highly durable, thanks to all-metal construction.
• Competitively priced.
• Takes a short time to assemble.
• Adjustable to accommodate different screen sizes and weights.

• The user guide is not very helpful.

The Best Multicolor Machine for Small Business

If you want a screen printing press that can print multiple colors, the VEVOR Screen Printing Press might be a good choice. It is a four-color two-station screen printing machine that you can use to print several images at the same time. It has a removable pallet that works for t-shirts and DIY printing. You can also adjust this pallet in every direction. To print, place the substrate on a pallet and adjust the screen to print the first image.

You can then adjust the pallet again and apply the next image. The fact that you can move the pallet in any direction makes the machine convenient, and you can get the best print position for your t-shirts and other items.

Besides t-shirts, you can use the machine to print on any other woven fabric, paper, metal, copybook, wood, circuit board, and other flat substrates. It measures 21.7 by 17.7 inches, which gives a large printing space.

The unit can accommodate screens up to 1.8 inches thick. Besides the pallet, you can move the screen clamp up and down to get the right position for the perfect prints. When you move the pallet and the screen, you avoid the ink splashing or expelling in high intensity as you get the right spring tension. The screen printing press comes with a user guide and instructional video to help you assemble and start using the unit.

We recommend this unit for anyone who wants to print different colors or print many items at the same time. It is easy to use and versatile.

• Screen clamps accommodate screen frames of all sizes and weights.
• Works with several materials.
• It has a compact construction for small spaces.

• The holes may have a problem lining up during assembly.

The Best Screen Printing Press for clothing line

If you’d rather have a screen printing machine that comes along with everything else you need to start screen printing, this kit is ideal for you. It is a kit with everything you need for your first screen printing task.

T-Shirt Printing Press with Stand is one of the features that make this screen printing machine unique. With it, you can create your own stencils. Better still, you can create multicolor designs. HotSwap refers to an innovative clamp that makes it easy for you to swap screenS. This clamp combines with a screen registration tab that allows you to position the colors quickly and accurately. The unit features industrial steel construction for durability and ease of cleaning.

If you need an advanced screen printing machine with accessories to get you started, we recommend this Screen Printing Kit. You can use it for different materials and for multiple color designs.

• Accommodates multi-color designs.
• Comes as a complete and ready-to-use kit.
• The screen and clamp adjust with ease.
• Easy to assemble.

• You need to keep retightening the clamp head.

Silk Screen Printing Machine – Buyer’s Guide

What Should You Consider When Buying a Screen Printing Machine?

An automatic press is always a good choice when you need efficiency, fast printing, and less work. However, these machines are expensive and not all businesses can afford them. With an automatic machine, you can print more than 400 t-shirts every hour, depending on the parameters of the job. With a manual printer, you will print less t-shirts. These manual printers are ideal when you need an affordable screen printing press for a small business or for home use. However, they are slow, and you have to do most of the work.

If you run a small business, a compact machine will be right for you. You may have a small workshop, or you may work from home where you have a small space. You need a machine that fits on the small space you have at home and is easy to move from one point to another. Most screen printing presses sport a stainless steel construction, but they are still light, and you can carry them from your home workshop to your business.

If you have the space, and you have large prints to create, however, a larger machine will come in handy. Note that larger machines will cost more than other machines.

Screen printing machines have one, two, four, or six stations. A station is a platform where you place your shirt or any other item you want to print on. A machine with many stations comes in handy when you want to work on several t-shirts at the same time. Numerous stations come in handy when you have a batch of orders for your business. The stations help you work faster.

With small screen printing machines, you get only one color option. You can use them to print logos and names on your t-shirt. The machines may have several stations, but only one screen frame on top of the platens. You can change the screen frame for a different color, but that will take a lot of time and waste a lot of ink. Machines with multiple color options offer you several screen frame attachment options.

Most one-color screen printing machines do not offer flexibility. The part that holds the screen frame can move up and down, but it may not move sideways. When you are creating designs with a single color, a screen printing press that is less flexible will work just fine. However, when you need multiple colors, and you have several t-shirts to print for your business, a more flexible unit comes in handy.

Advanced machines have a top part that can rotate 360 degrees. With such flexibility, you can add different colors without changing the filters. This gives you the speed and flexibility to swivel the screen.

Do you have other accessories or you’d rather buy them together with the machine? Buying a complete set comes in handy as you save some bucks. It is also a great way to get started. Depending on your budget, you can buy machines that are $100 or less or automatic machines that cost about $80,000.

To start using a screen printing machine, there are some accessories and materials you need. These include:

• Screen printing ink
• Photosensitive emulsion and sensitizer
• Gloves
• Squeegee
• Screen frame
• A plastic card
• Item you need to print

The first step is to create the image you want to print. Note that, the idea behind these screen printers is to block light. As such, create a block image as it will be easier to print. After that, cut out the image on transparency film.

Wash your screen and apply emulsion and sensitizer. Cover both sides of your screen with the mixture and allow the screen to dry in a dark place. Attach your cut-out design to the screen and then expose it to light. Allow it to cure for about 15 minutes.

Remove the image and rinse the screen with clean cold water. When you clean the screen, your artwork will remain visible. Place the t-shirt or any other item to be printed on a flat surface to ensure there are no distortions. Hold the screen in place on the item to be printed (the screen printing press should help you do that). Pour some ink on the screen and spread it with the help of a squeegee.

You can build a single color or four color screen printing press at home with materials such as wood, metal bits, wood glue, welding glue, screws, hinges, and paper or cardstock. To do that, get tools such as an electric sander, a drill press, level, square, clamps, pencil, power drill, miter saw, table saw, and a measuring tape.

The first step is to make the table. Cut all the lumber so that you have the table stands and platform. Then cut out and attach the platen arm and the platen. You can also make a rotating aim or rotating printing press, which is even more versatile.

Check out the full instructions on this article.

Screen printing presses cost as low as $100. These are simple machinery that help you position your screen for the best prints. You can make one of these presses if you have handy skills in woodwork and save your 100 bucks. If you want an automatic screen printing machine, you will pay more. These machines cost a minimum of about $250 for the smallest machines and can cost as high as $80,000. However, the machines are faster and more accurate. The $80,000 screen printer is for large businesses.

A screen printing machine is a unit that artists use to transfer graphics, logos, and art on materials and articles such as t-shirts, pillowcases, ceramic tiles, bags, hats, and mouse pads among others. Screen printing is also known as silk screening. These machines work on metals, glass, fabric, paper, and plastics among other materials. However, some only print on fabric.

Screen printing machines work by blocking out the area one doesn’t need to print while leaving the area you want to print transparent. The artist needs to create the design – and there is a lot of software to help you do that. From there, you have to cut out the design on transparency paper. Coat the mesh screen with emulsion and sensitizer and leave the image in the dark to set. Expose the image by placing it a foot or two from a bulb.

Then remove the transparency film. You should be able to see some blue lines as a result of burning. Wash off the excess ink with water and cover the areas with no emulsion with masking tape. Place the substrate on a plain surface and line up the screen with the part where you want to print the image. Pour ink on the screen and spread it using a squeegee. Push the squeegee down hard to ensure that the ink penetrates the threads of the t-shirt.

Your screen printing ink does not go bad. You can change the ink when you need to use a different color. You can also change the ink when you need to clean the machine, but there is no need to change it during normal operation. It only goes bad if it starts to cure inside the machine.

The Yudu Personal Screen Printer can be a great option if you need to start screen printing immediately. It is a complete screen printing kit with an advanced and versatile machine to accommodate all sorts of screen printing. You can use it for one color or for multiple color prints, and this makes it an ideal unit for beginners and professionals alike. It is also highly adjustable, so you never struggle to position the screen.

Every 4 color screen printing press is different. Luckily, most manufacturers offer detailed guides and instructional DVDs to show you how to assemble them. To assemble the unit, you need to follow the instructions as shown in the video. There may be so many nuts and screws, so be keen. Check out the instructional video for the SHZOND Screen Printing Press to understand how to do it.

We recommend the Provo Craft and Novelty Yudu Personal Screen Printer. It is an automatic machine with a display screen for you to set light, exposure, and time for the best results. While other machines have a conventional table-style design, Yudu sports an advanced digital design that makes your printing work easier.

The WANHUI Screen Printing Press is an ideal machine for DIY enthusiasts and people willing to learn how to screenprint. It is a one-color machine that sports a simple, but highly adjustable design. The over-printable design allows you to print several items such as pillowcases, bags, t-shirts, and many other items. It has a special t-shirt design pallet, but you can swap it for other pallets when you need to print something else at home or in your small business.

If you want to use a different size of a platen from the one provided by the manufacturer, you will need a platen bracket that accommodates the size of the larger or smaller platen. You can make a platen bracket from a piece of metal that you fold to fit the shape of a platen. You will need to drill the bracket so that you can attach it to the platen.

Instead of making one, you can buy platen brackets from a local store. These store-bought platen brackets are easy to use. If you make your own platens, you can make them in a way that they can use the brackets you already have.

Screen printing machines can be as simple as a pallet attached to a simple frame or complicated and advanced enough to have a digital display. The most advanced machines allow you to control factors such as lighting, time, and exposure and transfer your design with ease. The conventional screen printing presses allow more hands-on screen printing. Whichever machine you choose, you need a unit that allows you enough adjustment and control so that your print comes out perfect.