Printing on stretched canvas

[BigmanJames]

Recently I made the plunge into printing onto stretched canvas. Let me tell you, there has been alot of trial and error, mostly error. I started putting a piece of cardboard inside the back of the canvas and that has greatly improved transfer of images, but still the image remains faint and not as defined as would be liked.

The problem is that I am printing on a homemade wooden vacuum table with jiffy clamps so not able to raise up high enough to allow proper height to print on the canvas. So what I have been doing is placing the free screen on the canvas to line up the image, slightly lift and flood, pull and then slowly peel the canvas off(this is causing blurring no doubt, due to no off contact.) The prints have a cool primitive look to them but would like to improve.

Has anyone here printed to stretch canvas and if so how do you print to them. Mind you i have no assistant so this all is by myself. I've had ideas of putting blocks to raise the screen on my press, but really hate to fix something when it isnt broke. Thanks,.

[RichieGoodtimes]

You are doing it wrong. Print it. Then stretch the canvas.

[hartman]

I tried that once. It turned out...unsatisfactory. Definitely print on loose canvas and stretch it after.

[El Roacho]

yeah, i've printed the canvas prior and post framing. post framing i built a platen for a t shirt press that fit perfectly inside the frame and did it on that. hope that helps.

[BigmanJames]

Bummer. Those stretcher bars arent cheap. But whatever yields results. thanks for the advice

[edwardo_machino]

Bummer. Those stretcher bars arent cheap. But whatever yields results. thanks for the advice

Can't you just buy some wood, make a frame, and stretch on that? 1x2 is quite cheap.

[ricv64]

Make sure you have it lined up correctly if stretching it up after printing . Remember canvas stretches so if you over tighten it you'll change the image .

[squeegeethree]

You just grab some needle nose and unstretch the canvas. Print is and restretch it.

[Chrissy1012]

I was just going through the same question. Stretching canvas seems like a tricky process that I was trying to skip by using pre-stretched canvas. I was also thinking of getting a block of wood the fits inside the back of the canvas to give it a flat surface so there is better contact. I will give it a go, if not I'll have to print on flat canvas and then stretch I guess.

[squeegeethree]

Stretching is super easy. If you can change a tire then you can stretch a canvas. Your block method under a pre-stretched canvas will only work if you aren't printing anywhere near the stretcher frame. Canvas stretchers have a lip or slight bevel to them so if your squeegee is riding on the stretcher you will not get even pressure.