John Magee

Screen printing starts with the screen so in this session you will learn how to make consistently good screens. Jump hands-on into the darkroom and learn best practices for screen selection, cleaning, coating, and exposing.

Why Someone Should Come

A perfect print is impossible without a perfect screen. The darkroom is often where the most critical, yet overlooked, steps of screen printing occur. This session covers the science and technique behind creating durable, high-quality stencils that will hold up during production and wash out easily when the job is done.

Who Should Come

New screen printers, darkroom technicians, and anyone experiencing issues with stencil breakdown, pinholes, or difficult screen reclaiming.

What They Will Learn

• Positive Imaging: Learn the best practices for printing opaque positive images onto film.
• Screen Preparation & Coating: Understand the different types of screens and mesh counts, and learn the proper techniques for coating screens with emulsion to create a solid stencil.
• Exposure Techniques: Discover how to properly expose and dry screens, including the benefits of using advanced equipment like LED exposure units for faster times and higher detail.
• Reclaiming & Maintenance: Master the cleanup process in the washout room, including the use of ink degraders, emulsion removers, pressure washers, and dip tanks to efficiently reclaim and dehaze screens for reuse.

Before we print, get hands-on with proper press setup. Taking the time to calibrate your equipment and register your job correctly saves hours of frustration and wasted garments during production.

Why Someone Should Come

Proper press setup is the bridge between a good screen and a great print. Taking the time to calibrate your equipment and register your job correctly saves hours of frustration and wasted garments during production. This session teaches the systematic approach to setting up a job so that printing becomes the easiest part of the process.

Who Should Come

Press operators, production managers, and shop owners who want to reduce setup times, eliminate registration errors, and improve overall print consistency.

What They Will Learn

• Press Calibration: Learn how to properly set off-contact and tilt to ensure the screen clears the garment perfectly after each stroke.
• Job Registration: Master the three primary ways to register a job: to film, to print, and using pre-registration systems for maximum efficiency.
• Garment Handling: Understand the differences between printing on 100% cotton versus polyester blends, and learn the most efficient techniques for loading shirts onto the platen.
• Platen Adhesives: Explore the pros and cons of different platen adhesives, including traditional spray mist versus eco-friendly water-based options.

Where the magic happens. Learn the hands-on techniques for laying down ink, curing garments correctly, and handling different materials like a seasoned production pro.

Why Someone Should Come

The actual printing and curing of the garment is where the magic happens. This session focuses on the physical techniques of laying down ink and the critical science of curing it. You will learn how to handle different types of inks and how to ensure your prints look vibrant and last through countless washes.

Who Should Come

Anyone involved in the physical printing and curing process. This is essential for operators who want to improve their squeegee technique, understand ink behavior, and guarantee washfastness.

What They Will Learn

• Ink Dynamics: Compare the handling and benefits of Plastisol inks (like Wilflex Lava) versus Water Base inks (like Green Galaxy), including when to use reducers.
• Squeegee Technique: Learn how squeegee durometer, angle (10-15 degrees off 90), and pressure affect ink deposit, and master both push and pull printing strokes.
• Flashing & Underbases: Discover the secrets to printing a smooth, opaque white underbase on dark garments, and learn the proper use of flash dryers (infrared vs. quartz) to gel ink between colors.
• Curing & Quality Control: Understand the critical temperature requirements (typically 320°F) for fully curing both plastisol and water-based inks using conveyor or flash dryers, and learn how to perform stretch, rub, and wash tests to guarantee a perfect cure.

Ink can make or break water-based production. Learn how ink systems behave, how color and additives affect performance, and how to mix for consistent results, then get hands-on getting those inks on press before starting production.

Why Someone Should Come

Ink mixing is one of the most important skills in advanced water-based printing. Printers need to understand how ink systems behave, how color and additives affect performance, and how to prepare ink that works with the artwork, screen, garment, and production environment. This session gives attendees practical insight into mixing, managing, and applying water-based ink systems for more predictable results.

Who Should Come

This session is ideal for printers, ink room staff, production managers, shop owners, and decorators who want to gain more confidence with water-based ink systems. It is especially helpful for shops working with high-solids acrylic, discharge, specialty formulations, hybrid ink systems, or color-critical retail and licensed apparel work.

What They Will Learn

• Ink System Fundamentals: Understand how water-based inks, high-solids acrylic systems, discharge applications, additives, and pigments affect print performance.
• Mixing for Production: Learn how to prepare ink for the job, garment, screen, technique, and production conditions instead of relying on guesswork.
• Color and Consistency Control: Discover how better ink-room habits improve repeatability, reduce waste, and support more accurate production runs.
• Hybrid and Advanced Formulations: Explore how new hybrid water-based formulations can expand color potential and create efficient production options with fewer screens.