Cómo hacer un pulpo para serigrafía

Vamos a enseñarte, paso a paso, cómo hacerte tu propio pulpo de 4 estaciones (4 brazos) con
materiales muy económicos reciclando maderas y muebles que tengamos en casa. Es importante
disponer de las herramientas eléctricas indicadas a continuación para construirlo, porque
tendremos que hacer agujeros, cortar madera, lijar (mucho) y pintar, por eso es bueno tener a
mano una caladora, un taladro y una sierra, a continuación detallo todo lo que necesitaremos para
construir la máquina “Pulgón”.
Herramientas:

– Sierra Caladora para madera.

– Taladro con brocas para madera y aluminio.
– Martillo.
– Lijadora eléctrica.

Si no tienes alguna de estas herramientas pídela o cómpratela, si te gusta hacer este tipo de cosas
le sacarás rendimiento. Además, actualmente las puedes encontrar en muchos comercios y en
internet a precios muy muy asequibles.

Piezas y componentes de la máquina:

La mayoría puedes comprarlos en almacenes de madera y bricolaje de tu ciudad.

– Silla o mesa de 4 patas rectas de 70 a 100 cm de alto.

El objetivo es construir una base, por lo tanto lo mismo nos puede servir un taburete que una
mesa, y si no llega a los 100cm de alto que debería tener, encima le pondremos unos tacos de
madera hasta conseguir la altura deseada.
– Redonda circular de madera/aglomerado de 45 cm aprox. E3 diámetro y 2cm de grosor.
Irá unida a la base y servirá de apoyo para toda la estructura.

– Redonda circular de madera/aglomerado de 30-40 cm de diámetro y 1-2 cm de grosor.

– Redonda circular de madera/aglomerado de 20-30 cm de diámetro y 2-3 cm de grosor.

– 4 listones de madera que nos servirán para apoyar las estaciones, 60(largo) x 5(ancho) x
3(grosor) cm

– 4 tablas de madera lacada de 45x35x2 cm que usaremos como estación para apoyar las
camisetas.

– 4 listones de madera para hacer los brazos que sujetan las pantallas, 25x5x3 cm

– 4 U de aluminio de 20 cm de largo, 4 cm alto y 2mm de grosor. Los suelen cortar de barras

grandes de aluminio a la medida que queráis.
– 8 bisagras gruesas de unos 5cm de ancho para plegar los brazos y las pantallas.

– 8 palomitas y tornillos de 3cm de longitud y 5mm de diámetro.

– Barra roscada de 5 a 10mm de grosor y 1 m de longitud, nos servirá para hacer tanto el eje
central como los anclajes de apoyo de los brazos sobre las estaciones. 2 tuercas que entren en la
barra y una de cierre.

– 1 muelle grueso de unos 8mm de diametro.

– Nos harán falta bastantes tornillos de 3 cm de largo y unos cuantos de 1 cm.

– Esmalte de pintura de dos colores para diferenciar las estaciones del cuerpo de la máquina, con
su rodillo y paleta para echar la pintura.

Con todo esto ya podemos contruir nuestro Pulgón 1.0, poco a poco le iremos haciendo mejoras,
como extensiones en los brazos, posibilidad de plegar las estaciones para ocupar menos espacio,
etc.

Continuamos con la construcción del Pulgón 1.0. Antes de nada decir que la construcción de este
pulpo es orientativa, al utilizar materiales reciclados cada uno podrá personalizarlo a su altura o
necesidades, tendrás que ser un poco habilidoso y manitas y dejar desarrollar tu imaginación.
También conviene avisar que hace falta bastante espacio para trabajar con un pulpo, ocupa
aproximadamente 2 metros cuadrados, por lo que tendrás que reservar un buen espacio para el
bicho. Este es el esquema de las partes del pulpo:
Comenzamos a construir la base:

Empezamos a hacer la base que será lo que aguante toda la máquina. Podremos hacer un pulpo
de sobremesa en el que la altura dependerá de la mesa donde lo apoyes, y otra versión de pulpo
con altura fija.

1) Pulpo de sobremesa, para poder apoyarlo en una mesa y cuando no lo utilicemos lo retiramos.
Nos ayudamos de unas tablas de madera para construir las patas, consiguiendo la forma que se
ve en la fotografía, así ganamos estabilidad y evitamos que el pulpo vuelque cuando estemos
estampando. Unimos las patas con la redonda de 50cm y hacemos un agujero en el centro con
broca de 10mm.
2) Opción normal, como cualquier pulpo de serigrafía, tendrá una base que aguante la estructura
y llegue a la altura adecuada para estampar, esta altura viene a ser entre 1m y 1,10m para
estampar cómodamente.

La estructura principal de la base la hacemos con una banqueta, nos puede servir también
cualquier mesa estrecha que mantenga esa estructura, en medio tenemos que hacer un agujero
con el taladro con una broca de 10 mm. Para ambas bases tenemos que tener en cuenta que el
objetivo es el mismo, una base sobre la cual irá toda la estructura rotando en un eje central, y
sobre esta base unimos la redonda de 45cm de diámetro, podemos unirla con clavos largos o
tornillos y en el medio hacemos un agujero. Para dar con el centro exacto podemos trazar unas
líneas dividiendo la circunferencia en 4 trozos y en la unión de ambas líneas será el centro.
Brazos/Bases:

Haremos 4 brazos que rotaran en el eje central, en cada brazo habrá una estación o base donde
apoyamos la camiseta para estampar.

1) Cogemos la redonda de 40cm y hacemos el mismo proceso que la anterior para hacer un
agujero en el centro.

2) Para hacer las estaciones usaremos las tablas lacadas de 45×35 cm. Vemos el ejemplo con la
primera, las demás son exactamente iguales. Si quieres puedes variar su tamaño y hacer una más
estrecha para estampar mangas. Tenemos que hacerle una forma de pico en uno de sus extremos,
colocamos la tabla sobre nuestra mesa de trabajo con la parte lacada hacia arriba, trazamos una
línea horizontal a unos 4cm del final y otra vertical de extremo a extremo, unimos el final de la
línea con los extremos de la horizontal y obtenemos unas diagonales por donde tendremos que
cortar. Después lijamos bien todos los bordes para que no quede enganchada la camiseta, evita
esquinas y líjalas hasta conseguir esquinas curvas.
3) Unimos una base a un listón de madera de 60x5x3 con tornillos y siempre por debajo,
importante que el tornillo no llegue a atravesar la base porque cualquier muesca afecta a la
estampación. Ya tenemos un brazo listo, hacemos lo mismo con los otros 3.

4) Ahora queda atornillar los brazos a la redonda que previamente habíamos hecho el agujero,
colocamos cada brazo recto con respecto a las líneas trazadas en la redonda y los fijamos con
tornillos.
Ahora tenemos que colocar un trozo de la barra roscada en cada palo de las estaciones, de forma
que al bajar el brazo sujeta pantallas encaje perfectamente en la estación, para eso hacemos un
agujero en cada palo con la broca de 10mm, entre la estación y la redonda y encajamos la barra
que quede inmóvil.

Brazos sujeta pantallas:

Su función será plegar y desplegar la pantalla para estampar, también rota sobre el eje central.
1) A la base de 30cm de diámetro le hacemos el agujero central.

2) Para hacer el sistema de sujeción de la pantalla, utilizamos las piezas de aluminio en forma de
U. Apoyamos la pieza de aluminio sobre la mesa de trabajo y le hacemos dos agujeros con broca
de 11mm.

3) Cortamos el muelle en partes de aproximadamente 2cm, introducimos un cacho de muelle en

uno de los tornillos y lo metemos por el agujero sujetándolo con una palomita, lo mismo en el
otro agujero. Os explico la función de este sistema: Cuando pretamos la palomita se encoje el
muelle y deja más espacio en la U para poner la pantalla, una vez colocada, soltamos la palomita
y hará presión sobre el marco sujetándola.

Hacemos tantos brazos como colores queramos poner en la máquina, en el ejemplo solo hice un
brazo, podéis añadir hasta 4, para hacer 4 colores.

4) Unimos la U a un extremo de la bisagra y el otro a un listón de madera de 25x5x3, de esta

forma la U podrá inclinarse de arriba abajo para adaptarse a la estación.

5) Ya tenemos el primer brazo listo, ahora lo unimos a la redonda de 30cm de diámetro por
medio de otra bisagra, de forma que podremos plegarlo de arriba abajo y hacemos el agujero en
la posición que encaje con la barra colocada en el palo de la estación. (barra roscada)
En nuestro Pulgón solo hemos construido un brazo (las prisas…) pero puedes hacer hasta 4 de
forma que puedes hacer estampaciones de hasta 4 colores.

Montamos las piezas y… Tachaaaan!

Atravesamos la base con la Barra con rosca y ponemos una tuerca por debajo que haga de tope,
encima montamos la redonda con las 4 estaciones y encima la redonda con los brazos
sujetapantallas y al final ponemos otra rosca de tope sin apretar demasiado, hay que dejar que
giren las piezas.
Retoque final…

Ahora podemos personalizarlo, pintando las piezas de los colores que queramos, con pintura
esmaltada o sprays. Cuidado con las bases de las estaciones, es donde apoyaremos las camisetas
y si lo pintamos puede manchar. A la hora de echar el fijador de camisetas puede quedarse
pegado si lo pintamos por lo que aconsejo dejar las tablas con el lacado original, que será liso y
perfecto para estampar.
Como habéis visto no indico medidas exactas de dónde hay que atornillar, distancias para sujetar
las bases etc…porque considero que cada uno debe ajustar las medidas a sus necesidades, suerte
y cualquier aportación podeis compartirla aquí.

Origen: Kalipo

Free Plans for a Four Color T-Shirt Screen

Printing Press
PrintingPlans.com: Free at-home screen printing
instructions, DIY money-saving tips and printing press
blueprints
Welcome! We are a resource for new and do-it-yourself screen printers who want to print T-
shirts and other items with limited money and resources. Many hundreds of people have built
high-quality, four-color T-shirt printing presses using the free plans from this site. In addition to
the plans (which start further down on this page), we sell kits that contain all the hardware
needed to build the press, and even packages that contain the precut lumber for a deluxe version
as well. UPDATE 2017: Now taking pre-orders for a new press with micro-registration.
We also are building a resource of T-shirt screen printing tips and instructions to help new screen
printers learn how to prepare for and print shirts on a limited budget. Although the more
expensive equipment can be nice, there are almost always ways to do each step for a lot cheaper.
The T-shirt Screen Printing Instructions are here, or continue down this page for the 4-color
printing press instructions.

Do-It-Yourself homemade T-shirt press instructions- Print

Shirts at Home:
This 4-color, one station screen printing press (pictured upper right) was designed and built by us
here at PrintingPlans.com. It is sturdy and precise and can be built for less than $175, which is
quite a bit less than even the cheapest commercial presses. You can see shirts that were printed
on this press at Scatterbrain Tees - Artsy Graphic Tshirts and at ScatterbrainTees.com

Buy ALL the parts and precut lumber OR Buy just the Hardware
We sell kits with ALL the hardware, parts and precut lumber ready for you to build a deluxe
version of the printing press. See what's included on the printing press kit page. Or you can buy
the hardware package from us and then buy and cut the lumber on your own. We buy the
hardware in bulk so you can buy it from us CHEAPER than if you bought it locally, even after
shipping costs! Purchase the package on the hardware page.

Questions? Email us at

Download the free plans as a PDF or continue down this page to see them now.

Plan on a few days to finish the press below. It is recommended to have a second person help out
as several steps could use one person holding while the other person attaches.

Make sure your 4-color press is precise and sturdy:

The sturdiness and precision of the press is important for the success of multi-color images, so
it’s important to be as accurate as possible in your measurements, particularly once you get to the
arms. You may want to use wood glue at each joint in addition to screws so that the press is as
stable as possible, but this does make it difficult to take apart should you make a mistake. You
may also want to pre drill holes before putting in the screws to avoid splitting of the wood (use a
bit that’s slightly smaller than the screw). This table is designed for a six foot tall person. To alter
it for someone of a different height, adjust parts N and O accordingly.

Q: Can this press be made in a table-top version? A: Yes, just forgo making the legs and buy
some large clamps or rachet straps to hold it in place.

Tools You’ll Need for the build:

Power Drill/Screwdriver
Wood and Metal Bits
Miter Saw
Table Saw or Circular Saw
Electric Sander
Workbench Vise or Drill Press
Yardstick/Measuring Tape
Pencil
Level
Square
Clamps
Wood Glue
Welding Glue (or tools/materials for welding)
Paper or Card stock

Materials Needed:

In the diagram below you’ll find the dimensions of all the lumber you’ll need. The most
important thing regarding the thickness of your wood is that the sum of the width of pieces B, F
and the lazy susan turntable is equal to the sum of the thickness of pieces I and U. This will help
align everything so your screens float just the perfect height above your shirts for off-contact
printing. You should be able to cut all your 2 x 4 pieces out of six 8-foot lengths, so I’d
recommend buying seven to be safe. They should all be good, straight pieces, but it is especially
important to find a perfectly straight piece for parts T and U.

Note: Part D below is not listed in the instructions. It is a substitute for part K if you choose not
to buy a 1 x 4 and would prefer to use your existing plywood.

Note 2: If you can't find coated shelving with a rounded edge, you can create the rounded edge
yourself. This is mostly important for parts H. The platen (part G) doesn't specifically need one
rounded edge, but rather just needs to be smoothed at the corners so your shirts don't catch on it.

Note 3: The long dimension for part O refers to the length of either side of the parallelogram,
NOT the overall length of the board.
Hardware Needed:

Below you'll find a list of all hardware needed for the project. For convenience and a discounted
price, you can buy it all in one place here: discount screen printing hardware packages.
Otherwise most of it can be found at your local hardware store, though you may find they don't
have the total quantity of the c-clamps or springs on hand. You'll also need to go to a specialty
woodworking store to find the swivel (lazy susan). Make sure you get a heavy duty, 6" x 6" x
3/4"" model or you'll compromise the effectiveness of your press.

Making the Table for the Printing Press:

Step 1: Cut all your lumber, marking each piece with the appropriate letter to make assembly
easier. We’ll start by assembling the table itself. First, lay down parts L and Q and attach the
legs (part N) as shown (fig. a). Make sure that your angles are perfectly square. Where parts L
extend past the legs, use a piece of 2 x 4 to check that the bits that extend are exactly equal to the
smaller width of the wood.
Step 2: Attach the thin sides of parts M to part A as shown in fig. b. Use only glue and clamps
for now. Again using only clamps and glue, set parts A and M on top of the two legs you built in
Step 1, so that parts L and M form a square around the perimiter of A. This is shown from above
in fig. c. (Dotted lines indicate parts beneath.) Once you feel comfortable with the fit, Go ahead
and screw parts L into M, and A into both L & M from the top.

Step 3: Now you have a standing, albeit weak, table. Attach parts P to legs N as shown in fig. d.
Do it in the front and back, both times keeping part P flush to the outside, as seen from above in
fig. e. Note: Parts P act as a support beam and rests for a shelf (part E). It can be lowered or
raised to suit your preference, and additional shelves may be added if desired.

Step 4: Attach part O to the outside of both sides of the table (fig. f). Make sure you orient them
as shown for maximum support. Now secure shelf E onto crossbeams P to act as a shelf. Add
part K to the back to help keep items from falling off. You are now finished with the table itself.
It should be plenty sturdy with no give at all.

Page 2: Building the Platen Arm and Platen

Page 3: Building the Rotating Printing Press
Page 4: Building the Rotating Printing Press (Part 2)

Free Four Color T-Shirt Printing Press Plans,

Part 2
Building the Platen Arm and Platen:
Step 5: The platen arm is the board that extends from the table and on which a board (the platen)
is placed, over which shirts are pulled and printed. First glue piece F in the exact middle of the
top of the table (piece A). This can be done by drawing lines from opposite corners on piece A,
(creating an “X”). Now by matching the corners of board F onto the newly drawn “X”, you’ll get
it in the middle (see fig. g). Do not screw it in place at this time- use glue only.

Step 6: Before continuing with the press itself, we’re going to build the platen. The platen
featured here is for adult T-shirts, so if you’re interested in printing other types of items you’ll
need to build other platens of different sizes. This design is such that you can use the platen
sideways for wide designs in addition to using it in its normal position. If that it not of interest to
you, just don’t cut and attach parts W-b. (After a year and a half of having this press, I
personally haven’t used it sideways, but have built larger, additional platens for wide designs.)

Using your drill press or workbench vise and drill, create half-inch holes in the middle of the
largest side of 4 of your parts W. For the remaining 4, draw a line 2 3/8” in from the end and
drill the holes in the new middle (see fig. h). Then attach them onto board G as shown in fig. i.
Use a 2 x 4 to help you space the wood so the platen will fit snugly onto the platen arm when it’s
ready. Also make sure that the distance between the holes in one direction is the exact same
distance as the holes going the other way (see fig. j). You’ll definitely want to predrill your holes
before attaching parts W or you’ll have problems with splitting wood.
Step 7: Now that you have a finished platen, let’s use it to determine where to drill holes in your
platen arm (part U). Place the platen over the part U (it should fit snuggly). The curved edge of
the platen should be 3” from the end of the platen arm. Mark the holes, remove the platen, then
drill half-inch holes throught the platen arm, making sure that they go straight through. You may
also want to drill a second set of holes 2 1/4” further in (to the left if looking at fig. k) for greater
flexibility when printing.

Step 8: Now that the holes are drilled in the platen arm, let’s attach it to the table. Use your two
carriage bolts with the appropriate washers and hex nuts to attach it and add four screws for
added stability. See fig l for placement. The dotted lines indicate where to measure to insure your
platen arm is straight (before securing). Attach part V as shown in fig. m so it’s centered in the
middle of part U. Make sure the screws go into the table AND the platen arm.
Page 3: Building the Rotating Printing Press

Screen Printing Press HOME

Page 4: Building the Rotating Printing Press (Part 2)

Free Four Color T-Shirt Printing Press Plans,

Part 3
Building the Rotating Printing Press:
Step 9: Attach your “Lazy Susan Turntable” directly in the middle of part F using 4 of your 1
3/4" hex cap bolts. Drill holes directly through parts F and A to do this and use hex nuts to
secure them underneath. Fig. n shows this as if the top part of the turntable is missing, just so
you can see the orientation of the hex cap bolts. Draw an X onto part B by dividing it in half and
in half again. Make sure this is exactly in the center. You’ll be using this later. Next glue both
parts S back to back and attach the end of the resulting block to the middle of part B. See fig. o
for two views of this.

Step 10: Your accuracy in the following steps is vital to the success of your finished product, so
measure carefully! Drill holes in each of your metal brackets as shown in fig. p. Now use a larger
bit equal to the size of your screw heads and drill in each of your holes, so that when you screw
the bracket on, the screw heads will be flush. Attach each bracket to the end of a part T, making
sure it’s in the exact middle from side to side. The vertical position of the bracket depends on the
width of your coated lumber (used for the platen). If you are using 3/4” thick wood for your
platen, the bracket should extend past the bottom of part T the thickness of your hinge. (fig. q). If
you are using 5/8” thick wood for your platen, place the brackets an ADDITIONAL 1/8” down
past part T. On the opposite end of each part T, screw in one of the hinges so that the edge of the
cylindrical part of the hinge is flush with the edge of board T. Use the screws that came with the
hinge. The hinge should be facing “up”, so that when you put in the screws from the bottom into
the wood, it will be through the “wrong” end. In other words, the tapered part of the hole is now
between the hinge and the wood, and the larger part of the cylindrical section of the hinge is
facing up (figs. q & r).

Step 11: Now attach each arm (part T with additions) to four sides of part B using the rest of the
screws that came with the hinges (fig. s). Make sure that “length y” is the same for all arms.
Using the “X” you drew onto part B in step 9, measure in 2 1/4” from each side and drill a hole
big enough for your 3/16" hex cap bolts.

Step 12: Bolt the piece you just built in step 11 to the lazy suzan turntable using 1/4" hex cap
bolts from underneath and the appropriate nuts and washers.. Make sure all four arms reach the
exact same spot on the platen arm (as shown in fig. t). You can probably move the whole top
part slightly until this is the case, and then tighten the nuts. If you can’t seem to get each arm to
the same spot on part U, tighten the nuts when you’ve done the best you can. You still need to
get the arms the same length, so mark the shortest one, remove part J from any arm that is
longer, and sand part T until it’s the appropriate length. Now reattach any part J that was
removed. This may seem like a lot of extra work, but it will be well worth it once you start
printing multi-color shirts.
Step 13: Twist the top mechanism 45° to get it out of the way (this will become easier when we
add the springs so the arms will be out of the way). If it won’t twist because it binds on part U,
sand enough of the inner end of part U off until there is no obstruction. Attach part I onto the
platen arm (U) using a single screw (otherwise it would probably split). It should be right where
part J lands when you lay an arm onto part U, or about 8 5/8” in from the inner end of part U
(see figs. u and v). Next attach parts H to the platen arm (part U) so that the curved part of the
board is on top and faces in, and so that parts H overhang 7/8” over the side of part A. Make sure
to predrill holes for the screws (slightly small than the screws) to make this easier. See figs. u, v
and w for different views of this.
Step 13 (continued): Fig. w shows boards H with the curved parts facing in. The reason for this
is that as you lower an arm into place, the curved edges will help it fall easily into place. Try
doing this now to make sure there is the correct width between the two parts H. The arm (T)
should fit VERY snuggly, but stil be able to go into place without excessive force. Remember
that when you have a screen connected to the arm it will become even easier to do this because
of leverage. Getting parts H to be the perfect distance apart was one of the most difficult parts of
building my own press. At first it was too tight and required some adjustment. To make these
fine adjustments, loosen the screws and use pieces of cardstock as shims in between parts H and
U. Then retighten the screws. Add more shims as necessary until you have the perfect width. If
you take the time to do this, you’re press will be ultra-accurate.

Page 4: Building the Rotating Printing Press (Part 2)

Screen Printing Press HOME

Page 2: Building the Platen Arm and Platen

Free Four Color T-Shirt Printing Press

Plans, Part 4
Building the Rotating Printing Press (Part 2):
Step 14: Now that you’ve secured the brackets (H), you can use them to hold each arm (T) in
place while you do the next step. On each arm, draw a line 1 5/16” in from the outer edge of part
T (see fig. x). Using these as guides, screw in each of your 1/4" lag eye screws into parts T until
they only stick out about 2 1/4” from the board. Next screw in your set of four smaller lag eye
screws into part B, halfway between the bolts that are already on the dotted line and parts S. See
fig. x for the proper orientation of the lag eye screws. Now gather all your springs and
turnbuckles. You’re now going to connect one spring to the closed end of each turnbuckle. If the
ends of the springs are closed instead of hooks, clamp one pair of vise grips onto the end of a
spring as indicated by the red bar in fig. y. Next use your other pair of vise grips and grasp the
same end of the spring as indicated by the blue bar. Now as you bring the two pairs of vise grips
together it will widen the opening. Once the opening is wide enough, remove the vise grips and
attach the spring to the eye end of the turnbuckle. Now use a single pair of vise grips to sqeeze
the openings on the end of the springs closed. Do this to all 8 sets of springs and turnbuckles (see
fig. y).
Step 15: Now attach each of your turnbuckle/spring combos to the top rotating mechanism. The
hooks will attach to the large lag eye screws at ends of the arms, and the loose ends of the
springs will attach to the lag eye screws sticking out of the octoganal part B (two springs per lag
screw). You’ll need to use the vise grips to attach the springs as before. We’ll adjust the tension
of the turnbuckles later on. You can push each arm down so it touches the table to keep it out of
the way while you work. Now take each of your C-clamps and drill a hole in the the main arm 1”
up from the the point shown in fig. aa. [Clamp shown is a 2.5“ clamp. You can use 2” clamps
just as effectively.] This hole should be just slightly smaller than one of your screw heads. After
you’ve done this to all eight, weld your 1” or 1 1/4” diameter washers to the mobile part of the
clamp as shown. Welding glue will work just fine. Put cardboard in between the washer and the
adjacent part of the clamp to avoid bonding the clamp to itself. The purpose of these washers is
to create a greater surface area on the clamp so as to avoid denting your screen frames.
Step 16: (Note: Fig bb shows what to do with 2” clamps, fig. cc with 2.5” clamps.) Once the
welding glue dries, and using figs. bb (or cc) and dd as your guides, screw your altered C-
clamps through parts X into part T. (You’ll want to have parts X glued and clamped to make this
easier.) The washers that you welded onto the C-clamps need to clear the side of the vertical part
of bracket J. The bottom of the C-clamps can be welded (glued) underneath brackets J as shown
in fig cc., but this is optional. Tighten the clamps all the way while you work and while it glues
to help hold them in place. Not only will your C-clamps hold your screens firmly in place, but
they will also act as a place to rest your squeegees when your screens are in an upright position.

Step 17: Part R-a has a notch on the top, part R-b has a notch on the bottom. Glue part R-b onto
part R-a so the notches intersect, forming an “X”. Attach this “X” onto the top of parts S so that
it is centered, as shown in figs. ee and ff.
Step 18: Next attach shelf C onto the top so that the corners are each in the middle of parts R
(see fig. gg). Now sand off the corners protruding from parts Q and U. Not only will this save
you some potential pain as you print, but the smooth end of the platen arm will help shirts slide
on more easily.

20” x 24” frames work best with this press. Attach a frame to each arm (one at a time) and place
a squeegee on it. Now that you’ve got it at its operation weight, it’s time to adjust the turnbuckles
so it will gently return back to the upright position in between pulls (if released about half way
up). For each arm, make sure you adjust the two turnbuckles equally until you are happy with the
tension. If your press squeaks when the arms are lowered, use a little WD40 on the insides of
parts H. That’s it. You’re done! Happy printing!

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Page 2: Building the Platen Arm and Platen

Page 3: Building the Rotating Printing Press

Buy the hardware for the 4-color T-Shirt

Printing Press:
July 2017: $15 off of the hardware kit if you order before the end of July.
Save money, time and hassle by purchasing the T-shirt printing press hardware right here.
Because we buy the hardware in bulk, you can actually buy it from us for LESS than you'd pay
by hunting down all the parts yourself. We've also drilled the necessary holes in the C-clamps as
well as cut, drilled and smoothed the metal brackets.

Click the "Buy Now" button below to use Paypal or your credit card through the Paypal site (no
Paypal account necessary). Use the drop down menu to choose your location in order to
determine shipping costs.

To see what's included in the hardware package, scroll down to the chart below.

A. Full Hardware Kit with holes drilled in C-clamps (see chart below for Shipping
package contents) options
In stock - Price shown is $15 off the normal price until July 31st, 2017.

B. Full Kit, including lumber New version now available! This kit has its own <--------See
product page. Follow this link to go there. note

Refer to the following chart to see what's included in each package:

A. Hardware B. Full Kit, Including

Kit Lumber
Lazy Susan / Turntable (1) √ √
C-Clamps (8) √ √
Holes Drilled in Clamps √ √
Springs (8) √ √
Hinges w/ Screws (4) √ √
Turnbuckles (8) √ √
Lag-eye screws: Large (8); Small (4) √ √
Hex Cap Bolts (assorted sizes) √ √
Hex Nuts (assorted sizes) √ √
Washers (assorted sizes) √ √
T-Nuts & thumb screws (4 each) √ √
Angled metal, cut, drilled & countersunk √ √
Wood screws, assorted lengths; 18 oz (enough for
√ contains specialty screws
full press)
 ALL the lumber needed for the press, precision
√
cut and drilled
Hardware for micro-registration √

What else will you have to buy? If you purchase the hardware-only kit, you'll still need to buy
the lumber. If you purchase either the hardware-only or the full kit, you'll need wood and metal
glue (available at hardware stores) and the tools as listed on the main page.

Kit A (Hardware-only kit):

Note: Colors of actual items may vary from pictures.

Shipping: Hardware is shipped via USPS Priority Mail. Orders are sent out in 0-3 business days
and typically take 2 days in transit (in the US, longer elsewhere). If you are concerned about the
timeline, please contact me at
prior to purchase to double check that it can be sent out right away.

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Page 2: Building the Platen Arm and Platen
Page 3: Building the Rotating Printing Press
Page 4: Building the Rotating Printing Press (Part 2)

Free Four Color T-Shirt Printing Press Plans,

Part 2
Building the Platen Arm and Platen:
Step 5: The platen arm is the board that extends from the table and on which a board (the platen)
is placed, over which shirts are pulled and printed. First glue piece F in the exact middle of the
top of the table (piece A). This can be done by drawing lines from opposite corners on piece A,
(creating an “X”). Now by matching the corners of board F onto the newly drawn “X”, you’ll get
it in the middle (see fig. g). Do not screw it in place at this time- use glue only.

Step 6: Before continuing with the press itself, we’re going to build the platen. The platen
featured here is for adult T-shirts, so if you’re interested in printing other types of items you’ll
need to build other platens of different sizes. This design is such that you can use the platen
sideways for wide designs in addition to using it in its normal position. If that it not of interest to
you, just don’t cut and attach parts W-b. (After a year and a half of having this press, I
personally haven’t used it sideways, but have built larger, additional platens for wide designs.)

Using your drill press or workbench vise and drill, create half-inch holes in the middle of the
largest side of 4 of your parts W. For the remaining 4, draw a line 2 3/8” in from the end and
drill the holes in the new middle (see fig. h). Then attach them onto board G as shown in fig. i.
Use a 2 x 4 to help you space the wood so the platen will fit snugly onto the platen arm when it’s
ready. Also make sure that the distance between the holes in one direction is the exact same
distance as the holes going the other way (see fig. j). You’ll definitely want to predrill your holes
before attaching parts W or you’ll have problems with splitting wood.

Step 7: Now that you have a finished platen, let’s use it to determine where to drill holes in your
platen arm (part U). Place the platen over the part U (it should fit snuggly). The curved edge of
the platen should be 3” from the end of the platen arm. Mark the holes, remove the platen, then
drill half-inch holes throught the platen arm, making sure that they go straight through. You may
also want to drill a second set of holes 2 1/4” further in (to the left if looking at fig. k) for greater
flexibility when printing.

Step 8: Now that the holes are drilled in the platen arm, let’s attach it to the table. Use your two
carriage bolts with the appropriate washers and hex nuts to attach it and add four screws for
added stability. See fig l for placement. The dotted lines indicate where to measure to insure your
platen arm is straight (before securing). Attach part V as shown in fig. m so it’s centered in the
middle of part U. Make sure the screws go into the table AND the platen arm.
Page 3: Building the Rotating Printing Press

Screen Printing Press HOME

Page 4: Building the Rotating Printing Press (Part 2)

Free Four Color T-Shirt Printing Press Plans,

Part 3
Building the Rotating Printing Press:
Step 9: Attach your “Lazy Susan Turntable” directly in the middle of part F using 4 of your 1
3/4" hex cap bolts. Drill holes directly through parts F and A to do this and use hex nuts to
secure them underneath. Fig. n shows this as if the top part of the turntable is missing, just so
you can see the orientation of the hex cap bolts. Draw an X onto part B by dividing it in half and
in half again. Make sure this is exactly in the center. You’ll be using this later. Next glue both
parts S back to back and attach the end of the resulting block to the middle of part B. See fig. o
for two views of this.
Step 10: Your accuracy in the following steps is vital to the success of your finished product, so
measure carefully! Drill holes in each of your metal brackets as shown in fig. p. Now use a larger
bit equal to the size of your screw heads and drill in each of your holes, so that when you screw
the bracket on, the screw heads will be flush. Attach each bracket to the end of a part T, making
sure it’s in the exact middle from side to side. The vertical position of the bracket depends on the
width of your coated lumber (used for the platen). If you are using 3/4” thick wood for your
platen, the bracket should extend past the bottom of part T the thickness of your hinge. (fig. q). If
you are using 5/8” thick wood for your platen, place the brackets an ADDITIONAL 1/8” down
past part T. On the opposite end of each part T, screw in one of the hinges so that the edge of the
cylindrical part of the hinge is flush with the edge of board T. Use the screws that came with the
hinge. The hinge should be facing “up”, so that when you put in the screws from the bottom into
the wood, it will be through the “wrong” end. In other words, the tapered part of the hole is now
between the hinge and the wood, and the larger part of the cylindrical section of the hinge is
facing up (figs. q & r).

Step 11: Now attach each arm (part T with additions) to four sides of part B using the rest of the
screws that came with the hinges (fig. s). Make sure that “length y” is the same for all arms.
Using the “X” you drew onto part B in step 9, measure in 2 1/4” from each side and drill a hole
big enough for your 3/16" hex cap bolts.
Step 12: Bolt the piece you just built in step 11 to the lazy suzan turntable using 1/4" hex cap
bolts from underneath and the appropriate nuts and washers.. Make sure all four arms reach the
exact same spot on the platen arm (as shown in fig. t). You can probably move the whole top
part slightly until this is the case, and then tighten the nuts. If you can’t seem to get each arm to
the same spot on part U, tighten the nuts when you’ve done the best you can. You still need to
get the arms the same length, so mark the shortest one, remove part J from any arm that is
longer, and sand part T until it’s the appropriate length. Now reattach any part J that was
removed. This may seem like a lot of extra work, but it will be well worth it once you start
printing multi-color shirts.

Step 13: Twist the top mechanism 45° to get it out of the way (this will become easier when we
add the springs so the arms will be out of the way). If it won’t twist because it binds on part U,
sand enough of the inner end of part U off until there is no obstruction. Attach part I onto the
platen arm (U) using a single screw (otherwise it would probably split). It should be right where
part J lands when you lay an arm onto part U, or about 8 5/8” in from the inner end of part U
(see figs. u and v). Next attach parts H to the platen arm (part U) so that the curved part of the
board is on top and faces in, and so that parts H overhang 7/8” over the side of part A. Make sure
to predrill holes for the screws (slightly small than the screws) to make this easier. See figs. u, v
and w for different views of this.

Step 13 (continued): Fig. w shows boards H with the curved parts facing in. The reason for this
is that as you lower an arm into place, the curved edges will help it fall easily into place. Try
doing this now to make sure there is the correct width between the two parts H. The arm (T)
should fit VERY snuggly, but stil be able to go into place without excessive force. Remember
that when you have a screen connected to the arm it will become even easier to do this because
of leverage. Getting parts H to be the perfect distance apart was one of the most difficult parts of
building my own press. At first it was too tight and required some adjustment. To make these
fine adjustments, loosen the screws and use pieces of cardstock as shims in between parts H and
U. Then retighten the screws. Add more shims as necessary until you have the perfect width. If
you take the time to do this, you’re press will be ultra-accurate.

Page 4: Building the Rotating Printing Press (Part 2)

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Page 2: Building the Platen Arm and Platen
Free Four Color T-Shirt Printing Press Plans,
Part 4
Building the Rotating Printing Press (Part 2):
Step 14: Now that you’ve secured the brackets (H), you can use them to hold each arm (T) in
place while you do the next step. On each arm, draw a line 1 5/16” in from the outer edge of part
T (see fig. x). Using these as guides, screw in each of your 1/4" lag eye screws into parts T until
they only stick out about 2 1/4” from the board. Next screw in your set of four smaller lag eye
screws into part B, halfway between the bolts that are already on the dotted line and parts S. See
fig. x for the proper orientation of the lag eye screws. Now gather all your springs and
turnbuckles. You’re now going to connect one spring to the closed end of each turnbuckle. If the
ends of the springs are closed instead of hooks, clamp one pair of vise grips onto the end of a
spring as indicated by the red bar in fig. y. Next use your other pair of vise grips and grasp the
same end of the spring as indicated by the blue bar. Now as you bring the two pairs of vise grips
together it will widen the opening. Once the opening is wide enough, remove the vise grips and
attach the spring to the eye end of the turnbuckle. Now use a single pair of vise grips to sqeeze
the openings on the end of the springs closed. Do this to all 8 sets of springs and turnbuckles (see
fig. y).

Step 15: Now attach each of your turnbuckle/spring combos to the top rotating mechanism. The
hooks will attach to the large lag eye screws at ends of the arms, and the loose ends of the
springs will attach to the lag eye screws sticking out of the octoganal part B (two springs per lag
screw). You’ll need to use the vise grips to attach the springs as before. We’ll adjust the tension
of the turnbuckles later on. You can push each arm down so it touches the table to keep it out of
the way while you work. Now take each of your C-clamps and drill a hole in the the main arm 1”
up from the the point shown in fig. aa. [Clamp shown is a 2.5“ clamp. You can use 2” clamps
just as effectively.] This hole should be just slightly smaller than one of your screw heads. After
you’ve done this to all eight, weld your 1” or 1 1/4” diameter washers to the mobile part of the
clamp as shown. Welding glue will work just fine. Put cardboard in between the washer and the
adjacent part of the clamp to avoid bonding the clamp to itself. The purpose of these washers is
to create a greater surface area on the clamp so as to avoid denting your screen frames.

Step 16: (Note: Fig bb shows what to do with 2” clamps, fig. cc with 2.5” clamps.) Once the
welding glue dries, and using figs. bb (or cc) and dd as your guides, screw your altered C-
clamps through parts X into part T. (You’ll want to have parts X glued and clamped to make this
easier.) The washers that you welded onto the C-clamps need to clear the side of the vertical part
of bracket J. The bottom of the C-clamps can be welded (glued) underneath brackets J as shown
in fig cc., but this is optional. Tighten the clamps all the way while you work and while it glues
to help hold them in place. Not only will your C-clamps hold your screens firmly in place, but
they will also act as a place to rest your squeegees when your screens are in an upright position.
Step 17: Part R-a has a notch on the top, part R-b has a notch on the bottom. Glue part R-b onto
part R-a so the notches intersect, forming an “X”. Attach this “X” onto the top of parts S so that
it is centered, as shown in figs. ee and ff.

Step 18: Next attach shelf C onto the top so that the corners are each in the middle of parts R
(see fig. gg). Now sand off the corners protruding from parts Q and U. Not only will this save
you some potential pain as you print, but the smooth end of the platen arm will help shirts slide
on more easily.

20” x 24” frames work best with this press. Attach a frame to each arm (one at a time) and place
a squeegee on it. Now that you’ve got it at its operation weight, it’s time to adjust the turnbuckles
so it will gently return back to the upright position in between pulls (if released about half way
up). For each arm, make sure you adjust the two turnbuckles equally until you are happy with the
tension. If your press squeaks when the arms are lowered, use a little WD40 on the insides of
parts H. That’s it. You’re done! Happy printing!

Screen Printing Press HOME

Page 2: Building the Platen Arm and Platen

Page 3: Building the Rotating Printing Press