How to make a silk-screen applicator

A silk-screen applicator is a necessary part of silk-screen printing equipment. Making an applicator is fairly easy.

Here are the materials needed to make a silk-screen applicator:

The firmness of the rubber blade on a silk-screen applicator is important for making good copies.

• The rubber should not be too pliable (flexible) or it will bend when pressure is applied and won't push the ink through the screen properly.

• It needs to be firm, but not too stiff.

• Unless the edge is perfectly straight, an applicator with rubber that is too firm won't push the ink through evenly and may wear out the fabric or stencil in places.
• You can sometimes make the edge straighter by scraping it on a flat cement surface or sanding it.

1. Cut all materials to size.
2. Glue and nail the pieces together with the plywood spacer and the rubber in between the two sides.

   Illustration

3. Cut three nails off to 20mm in length. Nail them through the wood enclosing the rubber strip to secure it.

   Illustration

4. Tap the nails in far enough so that they do not stick out.

   Illustration

5. Sandpaper all wood surfaces with the medium sandpaper.
6. Apply a coat of varnish to the wood surfaces.

   Caution:

   Do not varnish the rubber!

7. Sand lightly with the fine sandpaper after the first coat has dried.
8. Apply a second coat of varnish..
9. Let dry again at least 24 hours.

• How to make a silk-screen printer

• Task module: How to make a silk-screen applicator
• In task module: How to make a silk-screen printer
• In task module: Using a silk-screen printer
• In task module: Printing literacy materials
• In task module: Producing printed materials, by Anne Klaassens (contributor), Robin Rempel (contributor), Trudy K. Stewart (general editor, contributor), Leah B. Walter (contributor), Glenys Waters (contributor), Diane Wroge (contributor), and Adelle R. Walter (illustrator)
• In task module: Developing instructional materials, by Trudy K. Stewart, Leah B. Walter (contributor), and Trudi C. Hunt (contributor)
• In task module: Developing an instructional program, by Kenneth A. Boothe (contributor), Patricia M. Davis (contributor), Trudy K. Stewart (general editor), Leah B. Walter (contributor), Glenys Waters (contributor), and Adelle R. Walter (illustrator)
• In task module: Implementing a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler)
• In modular book: Implement a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler) and Leah B. Walter (compiler)
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 16 February 1999

© 1999 SIL International