Screen drying cabinet plans or blueprints

[MC PRINTING]

Good afternoon everyone. I am new to this forum. I recently purchased my first equipment. I am starting in my garage. I purchased Riley Hopkins equipment. However the only equipment I did not purchase was a drying cabinet. I am asking for assistance to where I can find step by step plans to build one from wood. I am looking to dry 20-25 screens. Thank you in advance.

[Prince Art]

I've built various racks & cabinets over the years, but have always drawn up my own plans. You may do a web search and find something; I happened across a site selling downloadable plans for various screen printing items. But I suggest doing an image search & just looking at what people have done to get ideas, and searching articles here (a lot of people have posted images of their DIY racks), and then make your own plans to suit your available space. (And your screen size.) And it doesn't have to be complicated to start out with. Some basic rails to put screens on & a dehumidifier will go a long way.

[MC PRINTING]

Thank you Prince Art. Would you happen to remember the name of the site that you purchased the plans for screen printing equipment?

[Prince Art]

No, sorry. I didn't purchase plans. I just happened across the site due to an image search I did when I was looking for inspiration for the latest rack I built.

[Rockers]

This might help

[SI]

Buy a blower and stack them horizontally using 2x6's as dividers. Takes about ten minutes in front of the fan to completely dry a screen

[Frog]

I think that an important factor to keep in mind is whether MC (or anyone else for that matter) has a dedicated room in which they can control light, or if an actual light safe cabinet in an otherwise illuminated room is necessary.

[Prince Art]

This might help

An observation about Rocker's plan: Note the angled rails in the upper left picture. I did that, too, and it's a good idea. It lets the screen slide on the corner edges, rather than dragging mesh flat across the rails. (This is good especially if you use statics.) AND if you make the rails wide enough, it allows you to store screens of various widths. I made mine to handle 20" through 23" wide. (For the smaller screens I use spring clips on the rails to keep them from shifting & falling.) On mine, gap between uprights is 23.75" and gap between rails is 17".

I constructed angled rails differently than what I see in Rocker's pic. I started with straight boards, then used a Kreg jig to drill holes on underside of board to attach to uprights. Before attaching, I ran the boards through a table saw set at a very slight angle, & shaved off ~1/8". Then screwed them on w/ Kreg screws. A little tedious (I built 4 full sized racks at once), but end product has been well worth the effort!

[Prince Art]

I think that an important factor to keep in mind is whether MC (or anyone else for that matter) has a dedicated room in which they can control light, or if an actual light safe cabinet in an otherwise illuminated room is necessary.

True! My earliest screens were dried in a dark bathroom, then sealed up in cardboard boxes. After that, it was an enclosed screen cabinet in a closet used for other things, too. Definitely didn't start with a dedicated screen room!

Bonus advice to OP: Putting your cabinet on casters comes in really handy when you need to reconfigure your space.

[Frog]

When I started, even with a light-safe drying cabinet, I found the boxes in which my frames originally came in very handy to store coated screens.
One finds soon, that it's better to have a lot of screens of different meshes than not enough! 

[MC PRINTING]

Thank you all for responses and the blueprint specs for the cabinet. I am going to have to have a solution in the next week. I do not have a dedicated room for the screens, it will be in my garage. That is why I will have to make something. I also have a small window I will have to blackout as well, any recommendations to do this?

Michael

[Prince Art]

I also have a small window I will have to blackout as well, any recommendations to do this?

Heavy fabric cut to fit (check fabric store) held up with tension rod. Or use cardboard/foamboard/insualtion panel/etc, cut snug, push into place. Or hang a picture/poster over it! 

[MC PRINTING]

Excellent, Thank you. Making my list now.

[Frog]

Or, maybe like in my shop, it doesn't even affect coated screens the brief time they are out getting prepared for exposure, let alone the barely sensitive wet emulsion on ones being coated.
Of course, mine are only letting in incidental indirect light. I even have two sky;lights that just don't really affect the process!

[SI]

I also have a small window I will have to blackout as well, any recommendations to do this?

Michael

Walmart or other such stores sell blackout drapes.  Inexpensive and work very well.