This will all really depend on your end goals and your budget. You will need to do some of this research yourself because only you know what your particular needs are. Equipment can be expensive depending on what type of printing you are looking to do. Setting up a manual shop can cost anywhere from $500 to over $20,000. How much space it will take, what electrical needs will it have and how much it will cost you, depends on what kind of shop you want to set up. I suggest Ranar equipment because it is a great balance of function, performance and pricing.

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/ra ... pment.html

RANAR Kits are here:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/ra ... -kits.html

If you want to set up a simple manual screen print shop, you will need at least:

bench press or floor press
exposure unit
flash cure unit
scoop coater
screens
squeegees

I always recommend getting a belt dryer if you can afford it. Then of course you will need the consumables like inks, solvents, screen making chemicals, etc… You will also need things like tape, ink scoops and other small accessories. Whether for hobby or commercial goals, your budget will determine what equipment you can buy.

Also check out these articles:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/basicsteps.html

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/st ... print.html

Cool supplies discounts here too:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/sc ... plies.html

But there is a decent learning curve.

Greetings,

Been watching your videos and learning lots. Thank You! With a belt-dryer do you need an exhaust system? With Plastisol ink which Image Editing software is correct? Corel Draw or Photoshop? Want to print Half-tones. And, inkjet or laser printer? Just to name a few. Would really appreciate the feedback. THANKS, frederickyboyjr

Thank you! You’re welcome, it’s my pleasure to help out and share information.

If your print shop is well ventilated then you don’t really need a special exhaust unless you are sensitive to the slight fumes that may be noticeable. If you can do it and can afford an exhaust I would put one in.

It shouldn’t matter which software you use for making artwork. You just need a good understanding of printing with plastisol ink to make artwork that will print easily on press.

You can post in the Making Film Positives section for questions on inkjet or laser printers for film positives.

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/fo ... m.php?f=32

You can post your question on CMYK in the Creating Artwork section too.

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/fo ... um.php?f=4

Please don’t be afraid to create new topics with your questions. I answer all questions on the forum currently until it picks up and people start helping each other. So I would appreciate any contributing posts you can make even if they are questions.

Thanks a lot for signing up!

Hi John, I have a question, I know there is so much info on this forum but I didn't see anything talking about color matching.

How would one go about matching Pantone colors? Does Ranar sell color matching systems? And how do they work?


Thanks, Bill

You know I don’t think RANAR sells ink systems. They sell start up kits and such with equipment and they will resell some of that for you but I don’t know if they sell any ink mixing systems. If they do it’s not their own.

Well I have not worked with Pantone colors in a long time but current versions of the Pantone Formula Guide provide the ink mixing formulas in a percentage formulation. This breaks the color down into percentages of the total volume of ink being mixed. Older versions worked on a parts mixture where you basically chose the unit of measure to be the part.

Many ink companies have their own ink mixing systems in which you buy a complete set of inks that you can mix everything else using computer software to figure the volumes. Many will be done by weight I believe.

You could post this question in the Ryonet forum and see what systems they have. They will be happy to explain how it works for you I’m sure.

Great thread.

First thank you for all the valuable information on you tube and your web site. My first question is I rent a garage that is a pole building that isn't finished on the inside so in the summer its hot and winter its cold would that still be ok to print shirts. Also I'm interested in getting the ranar startup package 1 just wondering how much shipping is to Pennsylvania.

You are very welcome, thanks for signing up to the forum and posting. I appreciate your support online in any way very much.

I would think that having your work space open to the elements some would be difficult to work with at best. It may be more of an issue in the winter as cool breezes or other varying environmental conditions can affect the cure. If you are using a belt dryer with a large tunnel then this should be pretty stable but with smaller ovens or other make shift curing techniques you can experience many problems. High humidity or cold temperatures can really affect your cure especially with plastisol inks.

Now if your shop is just unfinished but you have walls and relative control over breezes or other elemental considerations then I think you should be able to print there. In the summer your oven or flash cure will heat up fast and curing times may shorten as the day gets hotter and contrastingly in the winter the ovens or flash cure will take longer to reach temperature and it should take longer to cure.

Just make sure not to use huge fans in the summer that affect your curing process and during the winter make sure you are reaching above temp before you begin printing. In the winter it may pay off to use some electric or gas heaters if you do not have a belt oven. A decent size belt oven will actually heat the place up after a while so if you have a belt oven just turn it on ahead of your print run during the winter.

But in the end you will need to keep an eye on your cure. I would continuously do cure tests throughout the print run to make sure you are getting a good final cure.

Good luck, I hope that helps out. Feel free to post your questions as new topics in the related categories that the subject pertains to.

Catspit Productions wrote:This will all really depend on your end goals and your budget. You will need to do some of this research yourself because only you know what your particular needs are. Equipment can be expensive depending on what type of printing you are looking to do. Setting up a manual shop can cost anywhere from $500 to over $20,000. How much space it will take, what electrical needs will it have and how much it will cost you, depends on what kind of shop you want to set up. I suggest Ranar equipment because it is a great balance of function, performance and pricing.

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/ra ... pment.html

RANAR Kits are here:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/ra ... -kits.html

If you want to set up a simple manual screen print shop, you will need at least:

bench press or floor press
exposure unit
flash cure unit
scoop coater
screens
squeegees

I always recommend getting a belt dryer if you can afford it. Then of course you will need the consumables like inks, solvents, screen making chemicals, etc… You will also need things like tape, ink scoops and other small accessories. Whether for hobby or commercial goals, your budget will determine what equipment you can buy.

Also check out these articles:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/basicsteps.html

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/st ... print.html

Cool supplies discounts here too:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/sc ... plies.html

But there is a decent learning curve.

Thanks for this wonderful tips. Now, I can start to screen print at home with ease.

Thank you, glad I could help. Make sure to fully explore the website and the YouTube videos too.