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Equipment tiers · 5 of 9 · 1 min read

What actually matters

  • Micro-registration. Small knobs that nudge each screen side to side and front to back (“XY”), and sometimes adjust height or off-contact (“Z”). They make lining up multi-color jobs much faster. ScreenPrinting.com says to look for them if you plan multi-color work; for one-color work they matter much less.
  • Colors vs. stations. “6 color, 4 station” means 6 screen heads and 4 platens (shirt boards). “4 color, 1 station” holds 4 screens over a single platen.
  • Platen options. To print sleeves, youth sizes, neck labels or oversized designs, check that the press takes swappable or larger platens and larger screens.
  • Build quality and level. Presses that are out of level, or have worn shafts and bearings, cause registration problems (Ink Kitchen). A well-built press stays useful for one-color jobs after you upgrade (ScreenPrinting.com).
  • Flash vs. conveyor. Sources differ on how essential a conveyor is; see Do you need a conveyor dryer?
  • Heat gun limits. ICC says curing with a heat gun risks under-cure and scorching and is not recommended. ScreenPrinting.com says it’s workable only for small chest prints in small runs, heats unevenly, and can’t cure discharge. Some product pages claim a heat gun can fully cure ink; we put more weight on the ink makers and on wash testing.
  • Space and doors. Many garages and converted rooms have a 36-inch door, and few presses break down narrow enough to fit through. Ink Kitchen says a 6-color/8-station carousel can be about 11.8 ft across and needs 2–3 ft of working room around it. Small conveyors are long: the tabletop models we checked run 4–5.5 ft of belt.
Sources for this guide (17)
  1. ScreenPrinting.com Help, What do I need to start a shop?
  2. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How do I pick the right press?
  3. ScreenPrinting.com, Which screen printing press is right for me?
  4. Lawson Screen & Digital, Curing plastisol inks
  5. International Coatings, Curing ink with a heat gun
  6. ScreenPrinting.com, 4 curing methods
  7. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How do you cure plastisol with a flash dryer?
  8. Avient, Mapping your conveyor dryer (PDF)
  9. Ink Kitchen, Buying used screen printing equipment (July 2026)
  10. Ink Kitchen, Why out of register? Let me count the ways
  11. Signs101 forum, Where to find used equipment
  12. Signs101 forum, Looking for a new or used conveyor dryer
  13. Screen Printing Magazine, Stencilmaking in the age of CTS
  14. ScreenPrinting.com, Compression vs. vacuum exposure units
  15. OSHA, Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200)
  16. NIOSH, Health hazard evaluation 2007-0053-3092 (PDF)
  17. Cedar City, UT, Screen printers best management practices

Where sources disagree, the page says so.