Produce a Quality Screen Print
The sun was hot over St. George, Utah. The press clanked steady in the back of Geezy Tees. Ink bled through mesh like blood through gauze. If you want to produce a quality screen print, you need to live it. You must feel it in your bones. It can’t be faked. Not here. Not ever.
The First Rule to Produce a Quality Screen Print: Start Clean
A clean screen is the beginning of truth. First, degrease it. Then, rinse it well. Hold it to the light. There should be no ghost image, no haze. Only mesh, open and ready. Emulsion comes next. Coat it evenly, front and back. After that, dry it flat, in the dark, like waiting for dawn. You can’t rush that part.
Burn the Image, Burn It Right
Once the screen is prepped, the image must be burned firm and sharp. As light hits emulsion, time it true. Wash it out, and your image appears like a ghost becoming flesh. That’s how you produce a quality screen print. There is no shortcut. There is only light, time, and patience.
Set the Press Like You Mean It
With screens locked down and tension tight, you’re nearly ready. Keep off-contact low and platen hot. This is where many fail. They rush. They skip. But not us. At Geezy Tees in St. George, Utah, we do it right. Moreover, we do it clean.
Squeegee Pressure: Push or Pull with Purpose
It’s not enough to just shove the squeegee. You guide it. The angle matters. However, pressure matters more. Be firm, not hard. Use an even stroke. First flood, then print. That’s the rhythm. That’s how you produce a quality screen print.
Curing Temperature: 320 Degrees of Final Truth
Next comes curing. If you don’t cure it right, you might as well not print it at all. Maintain 320°F. Not 319. Not 321. Flash it quickly, cure it long. Let the ink bake into the fiber. That’s how it lives. That’s how it lasts.
Final Inspection: The Eyes Know
Finally, pull the shirt. Stretch it. Smell it. Feel it. Is the ink smooth? Is it flat? Are the edges crisp? No pinholes? That’s how you know you produce a quality screen print.
At Geezy Tees, we don’t just print. We print with meaning. We print with grit. Above all, we print with fire.
See us do it here: https://geezytees.com
Watch the craft: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwkSYrKIEiI