what fabric is best to use in a screen printing frame?

November 26, 2008 12:58 PM

diy screen printers: what kind of fabric does one use in the frame? i need my image to be supercrisp, but have only ever used speedball fabric that came with frames, so am clueless.
posted by crawfo to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (7 answers total)

When I used to print teeshirts I used a photosensitive film and "burned" the image onto the screen using a "positive" (opposite of a negative) and a light table--is that what you're doing, or are you painting your image by hand onto the fabric? Anyway if I wanted extremely sharp resolution I used a monofilament fabric with a very high thread count (it was a long time ago, my memory is blurry, but I want to say 200 threads/inch). I ordered it in bulk from the local screenprinting supply company, I doubt you'd find it at an art supply store--
posted by Restless Day at 1:20 PM on November 26, 2008

Response by poster: oh yeah, i should have said -- i am using the photo emulsion method. thanks so much, restless.

i'm in toronto, so if anyone knows of any good screenprinting supply places, that info would be totally helpful too.
posted by crawfo at 1:28 PM on November 26, 2008

Response by poster: oh, answered my own question
http://www.gsdye.com/Canada/screening_products.html
posted by crawfo at 1:31 PM on November 26, 2008

speedball also distributes the fabric without the frame, which any reasonable art supply store should be able to order for you, if they don't already carry it. a 52" x 5yd roll lists for US$145.29, and a pack of 6 sheets of 10 x 14" fabric lists for US$30.89. a screen printing supply place will likely have even more selection, of course.
posted by jimw at 2:17 PM on November 26, 2008

Best answer: Depending on the need. Small-medium scale screen printing shops can be amazingly helpful to a hobbyist and will have the stuff around in droves. They may charge you, they may charge you more than your local art supply place, but they may be a better option than ordering.
posted by piedmont at 5:07 PM on November 26, 2008

Please pretend my previous post was properly punctuated.
posted by piedmont at 5:27 PM on November 26, 2008

Last time I made some screens, I just went to a fabric shop and got some thing that was probably intended for drapery sheers, put it in the screen and went to town. I think I spent like $5 a yard.

Not promising that it's as crisp as you need, but it seemed to be able to take as much detail as photo emulsion would give.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 5:31 PM on November 26, 2008 [1 favorite]