SCREENPRESS
Pull a clean print — screen printing, mesh, and DIY apparel.
From estimating ink and choosing a mesh count to dialing in a squeegee, setting a dryer, adjusting an exposure, and pricing the job, ScreenPress pairs free hands-on calculators with practical guides and a richly illustrated printmaking museum. Pull a clean print, every time.
Screen Printing Calculators
Free tools for the press and the print table — ink coverage calculator, mesh count selector, squeegee guide, cure temp/time calculator, emulsion exposure calculator, and a cost-per-print calculator.
Ink Coverage Calculator
Estimate how much ink a print job needs from the print size, quantity, and ink type — grams per print and a total with a waste allowance built in
Mesh Count Selector
Find the right screen mesh count for your ink and design detail, from bold spot color to fine halftones, puff, or glitter
Squeegee Guide
Match squeegee durometer, edge profile, and attack angle to your ink and mesh count for a clean, repeatable stroke
Cure Temp/Time Calculator
Work out the conveyor belt speed for your target cure time, plus a typical ink-surface temperature by ink type
Emulsion Exposure Calculator
Carry a known-good exposure time to a new lamp distance or wattage using the inverse-square law
Cost-Per-Print Calculator
Add up setup, ink, labor, blanks, and overhead per print and get a suggested price for your target margin
The Printmaking Museum
Wander an immersive, richly illustrated collection — the story of screen printing, the tradition of block and lino printing, the world of risograph and stencil, and the broader history of printmaking and the presses behind it, each in its own gallery. Every entry, image, and fact is drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons.
Tour the museum →From the Journal
Practical guides on ink, mesh, squeegee technique, curing, screen exposure, and pricing a job — reading to pair with the calculators above.
How Much Ink Do You Actually Need for a Print Run
A practical way to estimate plastisol, water-based, or discharge ink for a job before you mix it — so you don't run short mid-run or over-order and waste money.
Choosing the Right Mesh Count for Your Screen
Mesh count is the single biggest lever in how a screen print turns out. Here's how ink type and design detail should drive the number you pick.
Squeegee Durometer Explained: Soft vs. Firm Blades
Durometer, edge profile, and attack angle all shape how much ink your squeegee lays down. Here's what each choice actually does to your print.
Curing Plastisol Ink the Right Way (Not Just Warming It)
A dryer that's hot enough to touch isn't the same as a print that's actually cured. Here's the difference between set temperature and ink-surface temperature, and how to check your work.
How to Expose a Screen Without Guessing
Exposure time isn't a fixed number — it depends on your lamp's distance and wattage. Here's the physics behind adjusting a known-good exposure to a new setup.
Pricing a T-Shirt Print Job So You Actually Profit
It's easy to price a print job by gut feeling and quietly lose money on it. Here's how to account for setup cost, ink, labor, and overhead so your price actually covers what the job costs.
Keep Learning
Plain-language explainers on the building blocks of printmaking — screens and stencils, ink and mesh, the presses and processes behind block, lino, and riso printing — everything you need to go deeper with confidence.
Visit the Learn hub →