Spring is right around the corner, and, for some of us, that means it's almost time for Spring cleaning. This seems to always include sifting through that large pile of clothes that your never wear anymore and deciding what exactly you are going to do with all those old shirts you kept hidden away.
Some items may be nice enough to hand down, resell to stores, or donate to local missions. Others may be trash. Then there are those select shirts that you don't wear anymore but you find hard to part with. Instead of throwing unused T-shirts away or hoarding them in a corner, you can repurpose them into fun and practical products.
If you aren't feeling creative, you can always cut those shirts into rags and use them around the house or in the garage. T-shirts make great padding for packing items when moving or for making your cat or dog a comfy bed.
-OR-
You can choose to repurpose or "upcycle" your t-shirts. Use the material of the shirt to make things like bags, laptop cases, business card "sleeves", pillows, scarves, bibs, place mats, rugs, quilts, wall art, plant hangers, yarn, skirts, or a "new" shirt! Some projects are easy, while others are more involved, which makes it easy for both kids and adults alike to get in on the action.
To find these project ideas and others, a simple internet search will suffice. Websites such as pinterest.com feature pages dedicated to reusing your T-shirts that show step by step instructions.
Take a few hours out of the day and make it a fun family project. It's always great to reduce, reuse, and recycle in whatever way we can, so let's have some fun and make some cool things while doing it!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Friday, February 1, 2013
Screen Frames: Not Created Equal
Great screens are the basis for great printing, and great screens are made with great frames.
There are basically two types of screen frames available to screen printers: static and retensionable.
Static frames are usually made of wood or aluminum with the screen permanently attached with glue. This means that any loss of tension or tear in the screen requires a new screen to replace the old one, which takes time, effort, and resources. The glue that bonds screen to frame is also susceptible to various degraders, so care should be taken when cleaning static frames and screens.
Wooden frames are inexpensive, but in the long run, they are the lowest quality and the most expensive frame option. Over time, water and chemicals start to affect the wood frame, causing warpage. If the frame is not aligned properly, tension is compromised, which will affect registration, dot gain, and consistency.
Aluminum frames are more expensive than wooden frames, but naturally fare better with water and chemicals. Aside from this advantage, aluminum frames are still static and have their shortcomings.
Retensionable frames, on the other hand, are made with rollers that allow the mesh screen to be tensioned or replaced on location without glue. They are becoming standard for many new printers and will replace static frames for the most part over time. The upfront cost may be more costly than wooden or aluminum screen frames, but their long life and reduced cost of upkeep make them the least expensive and best option for most printers.
There are basically two types of screen frames available to screen printers: static and retensionable.
Static frames are usually made of wood or aluminum with the screen permanently attached with glue. This means that any loss of tension or tear in the screen requires a new screen to replace the old one, which takes time, effort, and resources. The glue that bonds screen to frame is also susceptible to various degraders, so care should be taken when cleaning static frames and screens.
Wooden frames are inexpensive, but in the long run, they are the lowest quality and the most expensive frame option. Over time, water and chemicals start to affect the wood frame, causing warpage. If the frame is not aligned properly, tension is compromised, which will affect registration, dot gain, and consistency.
Aluminum frames are more expensive than wooden frames, but naturally fare better with water and chemicals. Aside from this advantage, aluminum frames are still static and have their shortcomings.
Retensionable frames, on the other hand, are made with rollers that allow the mesh screen to be tensioned or replaced on location without glue. They are becoming standard for many new printers and will replace static frames for the most part over time. The upfront cost may be more costly than wooden or aluminum screen frames, but their long life and reduced cost of upkeep make them the least expensive and best option for most printers.
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