Frequently Asked Questions

All/
General Questions/
Questions about Equipment/
Questions about Screen Printing/
Questions about Supplies/Consumables/

You should be able to get everything from our website. If there is something you can’t find just give us a shout and we can always do our best to help you get what you need.

As you can appreciate we can only do our very best to represent the colours of inks on the website. Please accept that different computer screens display colours slightly differently, so some small variations are impossible to avoid. Also, ink will always print a slightly different shade to what it looks like in the tub too. As regards to weight, if not stored correctly the water in the waterbased ink may evaporate and cause the ink to weight slightly less. Sizes are rounded to the nearest half inch.

You can order through the website, by email or over the phone. Alternatively, you are always welcome to pop in and see us, saving yourself money on postage. Ordering through the website is always the quickest option.

Yes! We take huge responsibility in our packaging and are very conscious of the environment. Our boxes are completely recyclable and are by-products of recycling. We use paper tape which too can be recycled and our packaging peanuts are made from corn-starch, Making them 100% biodegradable and eco-friendly. The best way to dispose of these packing peanuts is to simply dissolve them in water.. Add them to your sink and run the tap to watch them dissolve away or just add them to your compost bin!

Yes, the only way to do this is by signing up to GoCardless. Once you set up the account it enables us to set up payments for your orders. Payments will be taken 30 days after the end of the month in which you placed the order. Follow this link to set up an account –   Go cardless

For the mainland UK, order before 1:30pm Monday-Friday for next working day delivery at the cost of £9.95. You can also choose early delivery options either pre-10:30am or pre-12pm. There are also options for weekend deliveries too. If you spend over £150 you’ll be eligible for Free delivery which will take 3-5 working days. Please note: This doesn’t apply to every item – There may be extra courier/pallet charges for certain larger items, this will be noted on the product page.

We are able to deliver throughout Europe, but please d0 check first as orders outside of UK mainland may incur extra delivery costs or not be possible.

You can pay by debit or credit card, over the phone (existing customers only), or through PayPal or Sage Pay. Unfortunately, we don’t accept cheques (who even does that these days anyway).

No, VAT will be added at the shopping cart.

No, delivery will be added in the shopping cart. However, delivery costs may change depending on product and shipping address.

Prices do not include install, this can be arranged separately.

When you click on your shopping cart there will be a box to enter your promo code before entering any payment details.

Yes, each gift voucher is given a promo code which can be entered at the checkout.

Yes, you should receive an email with your tracking code from our courier. If you don’t get this, give us a shout and we will let you know your tracking number.

You will need to get in touch within 48 hours to notify us of any damages. Please contact our office on 01562829009 to let us know.

Yes, we can always make the billing and delivery addresses different. If this is outside the UK please get in touch with us first.

Specially mixed pantone inks.Custom made equipment.Specially ordered items, which are not stock items.

Squeegee points are a rewards based system. For every £1 you spend, you gain 1 squeegee point. Every 100 points earnt = £1 discount. These can then be exchanged/ redeemed for discount of your future orders. Don’t worry about doing anything, they automatically tally up for you!

Once you have redeemed your points, it will show you a unique coupon code, add this at checkout the same way you would add any other promotional coupon/ code and it will apply a cart discount in full to the amount you have earned.

You can then continue to build your point balance back up for more discounts.

We usually do monthly offers that include coupon codes. All you need to do is simply add the code to your cart once you have added your items. It will only apply if the correct products that the discount is applied to are in your cart. You can only use one code at a time and you can only use the code through our online store.

Yes, the option isn’t available on the website but drop us an email and we can sort something out for you. Product samples are limited to 1 per company.

To decrease the viscosity of the ink we advise to add our curable reducer.

Waterbased, Plastisol and Discharge ink.Plus limited types of Solvent Ink.

The UK (T mesh) and the US use different numbers for mesh counts, please see below.43t = 11062t = 15690t = 230120t = 305

We can only provide guidelines as to how long it will take to expose your screen. There are MANY variables when it comes to exposing e.g. light source, distance between light and screen, heat, emulsion used and many more. Exposing is an art form, please try a few times before picking up the phone to tell us it’s not working.

Yes, the tech sheets are located on the website under the category heading and text. You will find them on their own page which is linked in the footer of the website. We can always send you them via email too.

We can always get a quote for you, just drop us an email to give us the details.

A new and clean screen is the best type of screen. The mesh still has a high tension and has not warped. We would advise aluminum over wooden frames as the aluminum hold a higher tension.

If necessary the correct safety information will come with the item ordered, if you are unsure we are only a call away. If the item requires safety equipment, e.g. safety bars, that will be provided.

Sorry, we don’t stock all parts. Imagine how big our warehouse would need to be!We stock commonly used general parts. However, most the time, the part needed will be specific to serial numbers and part numbers.

This means that the garment was not cured properly or cured fully. To cure fully please follow the guidelines suggested related to the ink you have. If you’re unsure, give us a call, but do check the website as information will be on there.

YES. It’s very important for you to keep you manual handy. It will give you the information you need regarding the machine. Also, when you need a part the part numbers will all be in the manual. There is also a section for you to record the details of the press, saving you time when you need to find the serial number etc.

There is a 30 day warranty on used equipment unless otherwise stated.

On each purchase of equipment we work with you regarding delivery. If the item is not a stocked item it will say in the description online. It will also give you an estimated delivery period too.Please keep in mind, when buying equipment, you will need to be able to unload a lorry on your end of the journey.

Please speak to Millie by either giving us a call on 01562 829009 or emailing millie@screenprintworld.co.uk You will need the serial number of you machine and a part number before we can do anything.

Speak to Millie and she will get one of our engineers booked in. Either call us on 01562 829009 or email millie@screenprintworld.co.uk

Get in touch either on the live chat or by emailing sales@screenprintworld.co.uk and we will try our best to help.

As always we are happy to help you with any technical questions. Please feel free to speak to us on live chat, email or phone.Want to email your question? Send it to sales@screenprintworld.co.ukWhat to call and speak to us? Please phone 01562 829009 and press option 1.Nick is our technical advisors so he will be the one answering most of your mysteries. Dave is Bossman and probably knows the answer, you don’t have to talk to Dave. He employs people like Nick with many years of practical and technical know-how to help you every step of the way.

The Diamondback Series is the best entry level automatic machine.Give us a call if you need more info.

When you speak to our sales guys please make them aware that you require training as we will need to get this booked in. The training is only on how to use the machine. For a full screen printing training course please enquire into our training days held at our HQ.

It’s your choice. You can book the engineer to come and install the machine. Please bear in mind that the prices are not inclusive of install.

Screen Printing is pretty straightforward and simple to get into, the process does require a steep learning curve if you have never screen printed before, but nothing to be frightened of – it’s not rocket science. We are able to assist you as you progress on the journey. We have a number of starter packages that allow you to set up a print shop that is in line with your budget, and we have the experience in house to answer your questions about various bits of equipment and the way to get the various products to work for you. Whether it’s a simple one colour print facility you need or a full ‘bells and whistles’ facility you want to start with, we have the answers for you.

This is a question that requires one to be aware of the sort of print facility you want to start with (or progress to), it’s also budget dependent. If you want to start off with the ability to generate simple on colour images and cure with a heat press, you can start up in a small area such as a single garage. If however you want to put in more industrial equipment such as large conveyor curers and large presses, you may need to look at an industrial unit. Bear in mind that most large industrial dryers require 3 phase power, so have a close look at the power availability. A simple small operation is possible to be set up with standard 13amp domestic power.

The basic things you need: Press, Flash Dryer, Curing dryer, Screens, Squeegees. And if you want to do your own screens in-house, then an exposure system, drying cabinet and wash booth.

Water Based Inks are water soluble and plastisol inks are not. Plastisol inks will not dry in the screen unless they are heated past about 70°C (they will fully fuse at 160°C) – Water based inks will air dry, so will need to be cleaned off the screen if the job is left on-press. Further to this, you will need specific products to clean up plastisols, but water based inks can be cleaned with water. You will also need to consider your photo emulsion as you will require a water resistant emulsion for printing with water based inks.

Once a Diazo Emulsion is mixed with sensitiser, it is best to use it within 8 weeks. Store in a cool dark place.

Best method is to fill the bottle about halfway so you have space in the bottle to fully shake and disperse the powder, once dispersed top up the bottle to around 80% full. Then add the entire contents into the bucket of emulsion. Stir until the sensitiser is fully dispersed into the emulsion and the colour is uniform and without streaks. Allow to stand for approximately 15 mins and then stir again to disperse the air bubbles, and it’s ready to use.

Once you’ve coated your screen with photo emulsion, the best practice for drying it is to place it in a drying cabinet that is light safe and free of dust. It is important that you use warm air and have airflow that enable you to drive off excess moisture. Screens should ideally be placed print side down and horizontally. Temperature inside the cabinet should be around 40°C with adequate ventilation. As a general rule, if the screen frame is getting too hot to touch, then there is too much heat in the drying process – screens do not like excess heat.

Yes we do. Although our training days have been postponed due to the Covid chaos, we are looking at re-instating them as soon as things get back to normal. We do have a YouTube channel which does go over some basics, but we are always available on the phone, email or on our webchat for advice.

This is a question that is asked a lot. Unfortunately there is no right answer, they are both good. Each option has its pros and cons and it will come down to what you want to achieve. Some people find plastisols easier to print (especially on half tones) as they will not block in the screen, but some people like the soft feel that can be achieved with water based inks.

Once a photo emulsion has been sensitised by adding the Diazo powder, it has a shelf life of approximately 8 weeks. Store in a dark area away from extremes of temperature.

Yes, we do offer a pantone missing service, this limited to plastisol inks – we do not mix water based colours. Mixing plastisol inks to pantone specifications are done at a minimum quantity of 5kgs per batch. Further to this, you’ll be surprised how easy mixing pantone colours are, and much you can save by putting in a good pantone colour management system such as the International Coatings Ultramix system.

These numbers relate to “Threads per inch” or “Threads per cm” – Numbers with a “T” behind them indicate “Threads per cm” and numbers without a “T” relate to threads per inch. So, a 43T has 43 threads per cm, and is the same as a 110 (110 threads per inch)

Next day order must be confirmed before 13h30. Order placed with a next day delivery after that time with ship from our warehouse the following day. Note that this is a next “working day delivery” – so orders placed on a Friday before 13h30 for next day will arrive on Monday.

We do offer credit terms to customers. We offer a system called ‘Go-Cardless”. This is a direct debit system that is linked to a credit card. Your purchases are linked to your card and payments are made 30 days from statement.

Yes you can. Plastisol and Water Based inks can be fully cured using a heat press. If you have not got a conveyor dryer, a heat press is the next best way to cure your prints. You are able to standardise the process ensuring each garment gets the same amount of heat and time. Ensure prints are touch dry before pressing them.

Water based inks like to be cured for a longer time at 160°C thank plastisols for the ink to fully cure, so conveyor dryers with longer chambers are usually better for curing water based inks. You can cure water based inks on smaller conveyors by putting garments through more than once. Always wash test your prints to ensure you are getting the correct results.

Textile Squeegees are supplied in various hardness grades – called ‘Shore Hardness’ there are three main shore hardness’s available and these are graded in colours as follows:

  • 55 Shore – Clear –Soft
  • 65 Shore – Red – Medium
  • 75 Shore – Green – Hard