Vacuum Table
For #screenprinting flatstock, it’s important to hold the substrate to the surface of the press. This keeps the registration from slipping, and also allows the ink to be sharply deposited as you pull the print instead of sticking to the screen.
The easiest way to achieve this is a vacuum table.
Planning a Press
To plan a flatstock press you want to work backward from the largest paper size you want to print, to the screen required to accommodate that artwork, to the size press bed you can feasibly pull across.
If you are considering pulling very large prints by hand, the press bed can be set at an angle which increases your effective reach.
The vacuum is created by simply taking two melamine boards and sandwiching them with 1x3 boards around the perimeter. On the top, drill a 1x1 grid with a 1/16" or 1/32" drill bit. On the bottom, hook up your vacuum or pump. Secure the screen with jiffy clamps.
