Stretch a Silk Screen
A taut, evenly stretched screen will go a long way toward ensuring a good print.
Instructions
Stretch a Silk Screen on a Preroutered Frame
1. Buy a piece of silk-screen fabric that is at least 2 inches larger than your frame (all the way around). 200x mesh nylon is a good, all-around choice.
2. Immerse it in water and have a sponge handy to keep it moist during the stretching process.
3. Cut between four and eight 1-inch lengths of rope and one piece that is the circumference of the frame.
4. Put the frame down on your work surface, groove side up.
5. Center the wet fabric over the frame.
6. Take a 1-inch length of rope; place it over the groove in the middle of one side (so that the fabric is sandwiched between the rope and the frame); then use a small wooden wedge and a hammer or mallet to gently tap it into the groove (leave one end sticking up so that you can remove it easily).
7. Turn the frame around (or move around the table); pull the fabric taut; and do the same thing to the opposite side; then do the other two sides. On a small frame, four pieces of rope will be sufficient; on a larger frame, you'll probably need eight.
8. Start in one corner and gently tap the long length of rope part way into the groove, pulling the fabric taut as you go and removing the 1-inch rope lengths as you come to them. Remember to keep the fabric moist (use the sponge) so that it will stretch.
9. Test for firmness. If any area is loose or if visible waves appear in the middle of the fabric, you'll need to pull the cord out, restretch and retamp.
10. Start in one corner and tap the rope all the way to the bottom of the groove. Be careful not to rip the screen material, especially as you go around the corners.
11. Trim the excess fabric to within 1/2 inch of the groove.
Stretch a Silk Screen on a Plain Frame
12. Buy a piece of silk-screen fabric that is at least 2 inches larger than your frame (all the way around). 200x mesh nylon is a good, all-around choice.
13. Immerse it in water and have a sponge handy to keep it moist during the stretching process.
14. Put the frame down on your work surface, clean side up.
15. Center the wet fabric over the frame.
16. Use a staple gun to attach the fabric to the frame.
17.Staple the middle of one side and then pull fabric taut and staple the middle of the opposite side.
18. Work from the center of the first side toward the corners, a few staples at a time; then duplicate on the opposite side.
19. Begin at the centers of the other two sides. Continue stretching and stapling all around the edge. Remember to keep the fabric moist (use the sponge) so that it will stretch evenly.
20. Hammer staples in and trim the excess fabric to within 1/2 inch of the staples.
Tape and Seal the Silk Screen
21. Place the silk screen on your work surface flat side up and cover the entire frame in tape to seal.
22. Apply two or more overlapping lengths of tape on all sides to cover the loose fabric edge and extend about 2 inches over the screen window (so that you have what looks like a window frame of tape).
23. Apply tape to inside corners.
24. Turn the screen over.
25. Apply tape inside the inset (called the well), matching the tape to the first side. Apply tape to the inside corners all around the screen, tucking in the tape tightly to make square corners.
26
Apply tape to any visible wood.
27
Take a spoon and use the bowl to rub down the tape all along the well to seal the two tape frames together.
