Your Stop for Name Brand Screen Printing Accessories
No craft would be complete without its accessories. To assist you in every screen printing project you take on in your shop, Garston offers a variety of helpful accessories for screen printing. From brushes to handles to scoop coaters, we have numerous items that can assist your next printing job.
Shop Our Selection of Screen Printing Accessories:
Why Garston for Screen Printing Accessories?
Affordable Prices
Owning your own printing shop can be expensive, that’s why we try to keep our prices as low as possible for all of our clients.
Customer Satisfaction
Here at Garston, we believe in providing all of our clients with excellent customer service. Our experts are familiar with multiple areas of screen printing, in order to best assist your next order.
Name Brand Products
Name brand products promote trust and quality. Here at Garston, we provide the best name brand products for your screen printing accessories.
Shop Our Selection of Individual Screen Printing Accessories:
Screen Printing Brushes
- Autotype CPS Blue Brush for Screen Washing
- Autotype CPS Green Screen for Mesh Preparation
- Autotype CPS Red Brush for Haze Remover
- Autotype CPS White Brush for Stencil Remover
- Autotype CPS Yellow Brush for Degreaser
- Chemical Consultants Demo Brush
Plastic Containers
- AB Container Black Plastic Cover – 1 QT
- AB Container Non-UN White Plain Plastic Lid with Gasket and Regular Skirt – 1 GL
- AB Container White Plastic Container – 1 QT
- AB Container White Plastic Tub with Handle – 1/2 GL
Gloves
- Autotype CPS Gloves – Size 9.5
- Autotype CPS Gloves – Size 10.5
- MCR Safety Powder Free, Unlined Polyethylene Disposable Gloves in Size M – 500 PK
- MCR Safety Powder Free, Unlined Polyethylene Disposable Gloves in Size L – 500 PK
- MCR Safety Powder Free, Unlined Polyethylene Disposable Gloves in Size XL – 500 PK
Screen Printing Squeegee Handles
- Printer’s Edge Classic Wood Handle Squeegee Handle – 5 in
- Printer’s Edge Filbar, Pace or Lawson Squeegee Handle – 6 in
Heat Transfer Release
Screen Printing Pallet Masks
- FLEXcon FLEXmount DFM 050 Clear – 14 in x 350 ft – roll
- FLEXcon FLEXmount DFM 050 Clear – 16 in x 350 ft – roll
- FLEXcon FLEXmount DFM 050 Clear – 18 in x 350 ft – roll
- FLEXcon FLEXmount DFM 050 Clear – 20 in – roll
- RTape Pallet Protek 4350 – 16 in X 100 ft – roll
- RTape Pallet Protek 4350 – 18 in X 100 ft – roll
Pantone Book
Screen Printing Pellon
Pens
- First Print Inc Black Fine Point Lithopaque Pen
- First Print Inc Broad Fine Point Lithopaque Pen
- First Print Inc Green Blockout Pen
Additional Screen Printing Tools
- DTG Mart Ink Mixing Stick
- Ink Innovations Ultimate Ink Cleanup Card – 1,500 Sheets
- M&R TriLoc Carrier Sheets – 8 1/2 in X 20 in – 100 Sheets
- Paper Thermometer 5-Temp Thermolabel 290-330°F – 1 PKG
- Stretch Devices Newman Heavy Duty Universal Locking Strip in Clear – 50 ft
- Tork Advanced Soft Centerfeed Hand Towel, 2-ply – 16 in X 10 ft
- Tork Premium Multipurpose Cloth – 12in x 11ft – 400 Sheets
Scoop Coaters
- Nortech Graphic Dual Edge Scoop Coater with Plastic End Caps – 14 in
- Nortech Graphic Dual Edge Scoop Coater with Plastic End Caps – 16 in
- Nortech Graphic Dual Edge Scoop Coater with Plastic End Caps – 18 in
Screen Printing Spatulas
- A.W.T World Trade Stainless Steel Spatula with Rosewood Handle – 4 in
- A.W.T World Trade Stainless Steel Spatula with Rosewood Handle – 6 in
Screen Printing Squeegees
- Fimor Serigraphy Serilor HR1 Mono Layer Hard 85shA White – 1 in X 3/16 in
- Fimor Serigraphy Serilor HR1 Mono Layer Hard 85shA White – 3/8 in X 2 in
- Fimor Serigraphy Serilor HR1 Mono Layer Medium 75shA White – 3/8 in X 2 in
- Fimor Serigraphy Serilor HR3 Triple Layers Soft 65/90/65shA White/Red/White – 3/8 in X 2 in
- Fimor Serigraphy Serilor HR3 Triple Medium 75/90/75shA White/Green/White – 3/8 in X 2 in
- Fimor Serilor HR1 Mono Layer Soft 65shA White – 3/8 in X 2 in
- M&R Double Notch Squeegee Holder – 14 in
- Trelleborg Unitex Ulon HP Green Composite Squeegee Blade – 1 in
- Trelleborg Unitex Ulon HP Red Composite Squeegee Blade – 1 in
Tape
Types of Screen Printing Accessories
Brushes: When it comes to screen printing, there are plenty of items you’ll need to clean up. One of those items should definitely be a brush, especially if you’ve had a hard time cleaning out your screens.
Containers: Perhaps you want to save additional ink, but don’t have enough room for an entire gallon or five gallon bucket. Investing in containers can be a helpful tool in your screen printing progress. You can also use them to house other accessories or products with lower quantities. You can also use containers (like a quart or pint) for mixing ink.
Gloves: You need to be safe when handling screen printing chemicals or using screen printing equipment. Since your hands are one of your biggest tools in the process, you need to keep them protected. Investing in quality gloves will help ensure your safety.
Heat Transfer Paper: This type of paper is usually seen in textile projects, and one side of the paper is coated with wax and a pigment. More often than not, you’ll see screen printers using a inkjet printer (or other screen printers) to add an image to a transfer paper. A heat press can also transfer an image onto a heat transfer paper.
Pallet Mask:
Protect your pallets or surfaces from ink spills, leaks or spray adhesive with the help of pallet mask.
Pantone Color Guide: Instead of buying multiple inks without knowing the true color, Pantone color guides can be of assistance. These guides include a variety of different colors to show the true appearance of the ink.
Pellon: Pellon squares are great for testing certain designs and prints before you create an entire production. They can be used for troubleshooting a screen, looking for pin holes in designs, and trying to catch any expensive mistake before you permanently start printing.
Pens:
There are a variety of different pens you can use in Screen printing. These include blockout pens and lithopaque pens.
Scoop Coater:
Scoop coaters are a necessary tool for screen printing. You can use them to properly apply liquid emulsion, and are designed for ease of use.
Spatulas:
Every screen printer should have spatulas in their inventory. This is a key tool for keeping your ink distribution clean and fast.
The Use of Accessories in the Screen Printing Process
Screen printing doesn’t just take a screen, stencil and a press, there’s tons of accessories you can use to make your printing jobs easier and quicker.
Preparing Your Screen
As is customary with screen printing, it’s important that you remember to prepare your screen in a light safe room excluding any UV rays, and having all of your screen printing accessories handy. An easy way to achieve this is to obtain a yellow bug light from a local hardware store and replace any standard light bulbs in sight.
You can then start applying your emulsion with a sensitizer, but be sure to have gloves and an apron on during the whole process. The best way to coat your screen with an emulsion is to fill a scoop coater, have a screen coating stand and simply coat both sides. Keep in mind that when you apply emulsion, you should be covering as much as your screen as you can. When the process is finished, you should be left with a thin layer of emulsion. Let this dry for an ideal 12-24 hours.
Once you’re emulsion has completely dried, you can then move on to using your screen printing equipment. Begin by first rinsing and drying your screen off, which should take place where the exposed image is then return to drying off your screen.
Keeping unnecessary amounts of ink away from your mesh is necessary. By adding a layer of tape around the inside of your frame, you’ll prevent paint from leaking into the portion where mesh intersects with the frame. This will also prevent any additional ink from getting on your garment. After adding the tape and later washing your frame, you can still re-use it a few more times. Through multiple washes and printing jobs, you’ll eventually need to replace it.
Getting Ready to Print
Even before you print, you’ll need to select the perfect screen printing ink for your project. You can use a pantone color guide to find the right match. A pantone color is a part of a standardized matching system. This is helpful for manufacturers who might be in different locations identify a certain pantone color by its reference number and providing a printer with an image of how it will look when printed.
When you’re ready to start using ink on your screen, you can use a quart container (or pint containers) to mix multiple ink colors to achieve your desired color. These containers will also come in handy later on when you have additional ink that needs storage.
Before you place your garment on the press, make sure to lay down a fresh sheet of pallet mask. This will help to extend the longevity of the pallet rubber on your pallet or shirt board. It can also protect against any spray tak adhesive you use to keep your garment in place or pallet glue you may have applied.
You can then carry on with printing your image, curing the ink, and possibly repeating the process in the event that you’re using multiple inks.
Last Steps
Toward the end of your printing sessions, you’ll need a to transfer excess ink back into the pot. It’s recommended that you only save or return ink that isn’t dirty and can be used once again. The perfect tool for the job is a spatula, which will help you carefully transport your ink. The shape of a spatula and the ease of use, makes it a great tool for capturing almost all of your ink for reuse.
You should also invest in high-quality brushes that serve multiple purposes throughout the screen printing process. They’re are plenty of soft bristle brushes that you can use for cleaning that are specific to ink degrader, emulsion remover and degreaser. Which can be used throughout the screen printing process.
Screen Printing Accessories FAQ
Can I Use a Brush to Paint on Plastisol Ink Instead of a Squeegee?
A squeegee is the most optimal way to screen print, but if you’d like to use a brush, it is possible. Since these are two different types of screen printing tools, you won’t get the same smoothness with a brush as you would with a squeegee. If you brush on the ink, it shouldn’t wash out either. The results could potentially be better with a water based ink instead of a plastisol as well.
What Screen Printing Accessories Can I use to Fix a Pinhole In a Print?
If you’ve just printed your stencil and you see pinholes in your design, there is still a gap of time where you can potentially save the print. Before you cure the ink, you can use a knife, mixing spatula or disposable cleanup card to add additional ink into the hole.
What Is a Blockout Pen Used For?
Blockout pens are convenient pen applicators that can help with pinholes and general screen repair issues. You can think of a blockout pen like masking tape, a quick fix for jobs that aren’t completed.
Blackout Pens come in a variety of different options:
- Red Pen: This type of pen is fast drying, water soluble and mostly used in screen preparation. It will resist all solvent based, plastisol or UV inks. (10 to 15 minutes for drying)
- Blue Pen: You can use the blue pen during screen preparation seeing that it works with all stencil systems. It will resist water based, plastisol, UV as well as other solvent based inks. (15-20 minutes for drying)
- Green Pen: The green pen has ultra fast drying and is also water soluble blockout for 30-90 seconds. You can it either on the press or off and make touch-ups directly onto the stencil system. It’ll resist plastisol, UV and most solvent inks.
Honest, Fair Prices On All Screen Printing Accessories
Here at Garston, we are always looking for the best ways to assist our clients. For all of your screen printing needs, we have the screen printing accessories to help you get the job done right. If you’d like to place an order or talk to one of our screen printing experts, call us at 860-289-3040