A tee shirt printing press can be built with basic tools, a trip to the hardware store, lumber yard and screen printing supplier. This design for a three-color press can be built with under $200 in materials. It has been used in low overhead start-up shops to produce professional-quality work.
Cut a 15-inch by 18-inch inch piece of 1/4-inch pressed board and attach it to the top of the shirt board area with brad nails and wood glue. Keep the brad nails to the sides of the shirt board area, out of the live printing area in the center of the shirt board. Use the jig saw to round off all four corners of the shirt board.
Use the jig saw to cut a 4 by 4-inch open area at the inside end of each cut, starting from the outside back corner and working towards the shirt board. This will leave room for the tee shirt to lay at the back of the shirt board without interfering with printing. On the bottom side of the tee shirt press table, attach a 2 by 4 board running under the shirt board all the way to the other end of the press. Cut a bevel at a 45-degree angle where the board meets the front end of the shirt board. Sand all rough edges smooth.
Attach three sets of screen printing clamps to the shirt board. One set of clamps goes on either side of the shirt board, with one set of clamps at the back. Mark the center point of each side of the press, then measure out 4 inches on either side of the center point and screw a screen printing clamp in each spot.
Cut the shape of a shirt board into the 4 by 4-foot piece of plywood. Measure in 14 inches from one side and make a cut 22 inches deep. Measure another 2 1/2 inches toward the center and make a parallel cut 22 inches deep. Cut out the interior 2 1/2-inch side of the resulting long rectangle to open up one side of the shirt board. Repeat this rectangular cut on the other side of the plywood to created the shape of the shirt board, 15 inches across by 22 inches long rectangle in the middle of the plywood.
Assemble two sawhorses with 2 by 4 boards and sawhorse clamps, using screws or nails. Place the tee shirt printing press on top of the saw horses to complete your press. Use wood screws to attach the press to the saw horses. Adjust the height of the press to about waist level for efficient printing. Clamp one to three screens in your press to print Tee Shirts.
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