Basic Screen Printing Process
01. Creating A Design
02. Printing A Design
03. Choosing A Type Of Screen
04. Degreasing A Screen
05. Applying Emulsion
06. Screen Registration
07. Exposing A Screen
08. Washing Out A Screen
09. Taping A Screen
10. Printing
11. Curing
12. Cleanup
09. Taping a Screen:
When taping your screen, make sure to use tape designed for screen printing. Screen printing tape uses low adhesive and is also solvent resistant. The screen printing tape acts as a barrier between the ink and the frame. I like using the 2” tape to tape my screens and I start at the top of the screen and then tape each side going clockwise. I do this so it is easier to remove when cleaning up, all I have to do is pull from one side and it will all come off.
Cut a piece of tape the length of the inside of the screen and place it into the inside corner between the frame and mesh. Make sure the tape seam is flush against the corner seam because you don’t want it to rip during printing. Press the seam to make sure it doesn’t rip. Do the same thing to the side clockwise from the top that has been taped already. Repeat till all sides are taped. I also like to cover most of the frame with tape to make cleaning the frame much easier.
Check the outside of the screen, the shirt side, to see if there are any exposed areas besides the registration marks that need to be taped. When using the screen exposure stand with the glass, sometimes the edges around the glass will expose as well.
Take the screen to the press and register it using the registration marks. After the screen has been registered, tape off the registration marks and get ready to print.