I Club Detroit

Beat Boutique ● Techno and house music shirts. Designed and printed in Michigan. Made in USA of a super soft modal and cotton blend. Get yours at ICLUBDETROIT.COM.

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I Club Detroit Started in this Basement

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This post is for everyone interested in DIY screen printing equipment. These are shots from our basement, where I print and package shirts for I Club Detroit and personal projects. Below, I’ll go through each photo with descriptions and links. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions via email [email protected], or by posting on the I Club Detroit Facebook Page. 

This screen printing press is called a line table press, more specifically, a six-station line table press. I based the design on a number of plans I found online. Some of the websites hosting the plans are now defunct, so here’s a Dropbox link. I set up the registration before printing with this method found on Ruxvell Printing’s Youtube channel. (Great resource channel.) During printing, the screen’s left edge rests against an L bracket for registration.  The foil wrapped platen sticking out on the end is used to cure the ink on the shirts. I dress the platen with a printed garment that has dried overnight. I then place a large piece of polyester fabric over that, and rest a preheated (to 360°F) griddle, yes a griddle, on that for about 1.5 minutes. I repeat this with the garment turned inside out. The time and temperature depends on the ink.  

These platens measure 16″ X 16″. You can use larger platens on your line table press as long as you design it with enough room between the stations.  The platens are covered with shower liner, which you can purchase from any large hardware store. I didn’t want to mess with the chemicals required to attach melamine, so this was a cheap and safe alternative. A little Textac goes a long way, and is a safe alternative to the spray adhesive. You don't want that stuff in your lungs. 

This is the underside shot of the platen’s bracket mechanism. It can be loosened in order to remove or slide the platen into a different position. It works great, but regular angle brackets would work as well.

PVC pipe was used to make the screen drying racks. There were no plans—I just made it up as I built it. They’re stored under a table used for poster printing, lint rolling, and packaging shirts. The bottom of the table is covered with black-out blind material to prevent coated screens from being exposed. 

This exposure unit is my masterpiece! :D It’s built out of an Ikea cabinet and legs from the as-is section, and employs a single point light source as explained here by Roger Jennings. (Another great screen-printing resource.) I used this formula to set the distance of the light from the glass: 1.5 X the diagonal length of the screen or design. I get super crisp stencils and halftones largely because of this single point light source exposure unit. The glass is 1/4″ thick non UV coated, and can be purchased from a glass shop. The panel sticking out is particle board used as a shudder to block light from filling the room through the top of the unit. It is removed once the screen is placed on top and ready to be burned (exposed). The inside is painted with black high-heat grill paint, to keep the light from reflecting and bouncing all over the place. It should be noted that I also use yellow mesh screens instead of white to prevent undercutting. The light is a 15 watt, 10,000k metal halide bulb, purchased from a hydroponic shop. You can see the ballast on the floor to the right in the previous picture. It takes a few minutes to warm up, but it only takes 12 to 25 seconds to burn a screen, depending on the emulsion. Crazy, eh?

Finishing touches to the exposure unit include woodgrain contact paper, a black foam strip to block light from seeping out and burning eyeballs, and a screen door lock.

This is what the unit looks like in use. An emulsion coated screen is placed on the glass and covered with black foam board. The foam board is weighed down with another heavy piece of wood. I still haven’t gotten around to making a vacuum top, mainly because it just doesn’t seem necessary. The stencils come out super sharp already. The cat is one of our snowshoe kitties, Louie. He and his sister, Ella are rescues, and considered our furry children. <3

The final photo is an inventory shot. Because I Club Detroit is a techno and house music clothing line, most of the shirts are packaged like records. And look at the cute little baby onesies packaged like 45s. Aww! 

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Kraftwerk Inspired T-Shirt Design

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I’ve always been a little obsessed with the polygonal mesh heads on Kraftwerk’s 1986 album cover for Musique Non Stop. The anticipation of their October, Kraftwerk 3D show in Detroit really ramped up that obsession into “I must design a Kraftwerk inspired t-shirt!” 

The idea of creating snowmen out of polygonal mesh, and calling the design Kraftmen - Chillin Non Stop seemed like the most fun and challenging, so I got to work on that. It took a week of failed attempts to design and work with a polygonal mesh in Illustrator before I decided, as usual, that an old-school method, would yield the best results. 

So, I made a snowman model out of some paper, Scotch Tape, a styrofoam ball, a container and an old scarf. I used the album cover as a guide for posing and photographing the new model, and imported those photos into Adobe Illustrator to “draw” over.

There I clicked and dragged, line by line, for just over a month until I was happy with the results. Honestly, it was hella frustrating at first, but I eventually got the hang of it, and found a sort of rhythm. I also bugged several friends and family members for their opinions along the way, so thank you, friends and family!

Wanna rock the Kraftmen tee? It’s available exclusively at I Club Detroit. Use the code FREESHIPUS or FIVEOFF at checkout for free US shipping or $5 off your order. 

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Charivari Detroit 2015 Launch Event Photo Credits: Some photos were used with permission, and taken by Theresa Hill. 

Check out Charivari Detroit on FB. Check out I Club Detroit on FB. Check out I Club Detroit on Instagram. Shop at iclubdetroit.com.

A big thank you to Clark Drive (Todd Johnson) of Charivari Detroit for inviting us to share in this special night. The new, bigger location and initial line-up for Charivari 2015 were announced that night, and we can't wait! Thanks to Todd Johnson, I met Eddie Fowlkes! (Happy dance!) This was huge for me, as the Detroit Techno (Goodbye Kiss Remix) tank top design was inspired by his 1986 track Goodbye Kiss. He was very kind to this extremely excited, babbling bundle of nerves.

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Happy Thanksgiving! Check out I Club Detroit on FB and at iclubdetroit.com.

We hope everyone is filling their bellies with family today. :)

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Yemans St. Welcomes ROSE & KORN Check out Yemans St. on FB. Check out CAYA Smokehouse Grill on FB. Check out Woodberry Wine on FB. Shop at Cyberoptix. Check out I Club Detroit on FB. Shop at iclubdetroit.com.

If you're looking for a unique dining experience, treat your taste buds with a trip to Yemans St. in Hamtramck, MI. Yemans St. is a new, permanent pop-up restaurant, owned by the ever-so-gracious hosts, Matt and Corrie Tinker. It features meals prepared by passionate chefs from the Metro Detroit area served in a single-story, loft-like, yet intimate building, located directly across the street from Polish Village Cafe.

The building boasts high ceilings, and is filled with long tables and a funky, eclectic group of chairs. Two skylights showcase color changing LED lights, which ad to the ambience, as does the hanging artwork by local artists.

We had the pleasure of dining with approximately thirty guests for Friday’s meal, prepared by chef Jeff Rose of CAYA Smokehouse Grill (a favorite of ours), and paired by sommelier, Michael Korn of Woodberry Wine. We enjoyed the dinner, drinks and conversation so much that we neglected to photograph the food. However, the course and pairing list provided at the bottom of this post is plenty mouth-watering!

We were pleasantly surprised to see local artist and owner of Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Bethany Shorb enjoying a night out with her beau, Kip Ewing. They are both so incredibly talented, and whenever I see them together, I can’t help thinking kismet is real. 

Heartfelt thanks to Matt, Corrie, Michael, Jeff and the CAYA crew for a fantastic experience.

Course One

Butternut Squash Soup

Crab & Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Wine: Sineann Grüner Veltliner, Columbia Gorge 2013

Course Two

Risotto

Wild Mushroom, Parmesan

Wine: Costa di Bussia Barbera d'Alba, Piemonte 2012

Course Three

Roasted Beets

Baby Arugula, Toasted Almonds, French Feta,Orange Dill Vinaigrette

Wine: Château de Montmirail Gigondas Rosé "Cuvé2 Rossignol" Rhône 2013

Course Four

Smoked Pork Loin

Polenta, Wilted Spinach, Braised Baby Onions, Natural Jus

Wine: Beckman Estate Grenache, Santa Ynez 2012

Course Five (Dessert)

Chocolate

Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Mousse, Ganache , Wild Berry sauce

Wine: Pousada Moscatel do Douro, Portugal NV

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I Voted! Follow @iclubdetroit on Instagram. Follow @iclubdetroit on Twitter. Find I Club Detroit on Facebook. Find I Club Detroit on Pinterest. Shop at iclubdetroit.com.

Voting today was as easy as ABCDETROIT, thanks to the suffragists!

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Happy Halloween from I Club Detroit! Follow @iclubdetroit on Instagram. Follow @iclubdetroit on Twitter. Find I Club Detroit on Facebook. Find I Club Detroit on Pinterest. Shop at iclubdetroit.com.

This year we dressed up as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. As you may already know, Diego painted the beautiful Detroit Industry fresco murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts museum. You can tour those murals online by clicking this link. 

If you live in, or will be in the Detroit area between March 15, 2015 and July 12, 2015, head to the DIA for the Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in Detroit exhibit!

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Dirtybird BBQ Detroit Follow @iclubdetroit on Instagram. Follow @iclubdetroit on Twitter. Find I Club Detroit on Facebook. Find I Club Detroit on Pinterest. Shop at iclubdetroit.com.

The weather held out, and the Dirtybird BBQ was a blast! Hope this is a regular thing.

You can view I Club Detroit's entire Dirtybird BBQ Detroit album here. 

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Sunday Funday in Detroit Follow @patricialaydorsey on Instagram. Follow @iclubdetroit on Instagram. Follow @iclubdetroit on Twitter. Shop at iclubdetroit.com.

We kicked off last Sunday Funday by attending Patricia Lay Dorsey's Falling Into Place photography exhibit and book signing at the Swords Into Plowshares Gallery in Detroit, MI.

Patricia, also fondly known as Grandma Techno was diagnosed with chronic (primary) progressive Multiple Sclerosis in 1988—but that hasn't stopped her from living her life "full out." Although this series focuses on her disability, that isn't what defines her— it's her ability to live life with fervor that does for so many of us.

You can pick up a copy of Patricia's book Falling Into Place here, and watch the They Call Me Grandma Techno video here.

After the exhibit, we grabbed some tacos al pastor at Taqueria El Ray (go there!) and headed over to TV Lounge for A Sunday with Daniel Bell. The vibes at TV Lounge never disappoint, and Sunday was no exception. My feet still hurt from tapping them on the pavement.

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I Club Detroit's DIY Exposure Unit  Follow @iclubdetroit on Instagram. Follow @iclubdetroit on Twitter. Shop at iclubdetroit.com. A lot of people have asked about I Club Detroit’s homemade screen printing equipment. So today I’m sharing images of I Club Detroit’s homemade exposure unit with specs, links and information for anyone interested in building their own, or marveling at my awesome DIY skills. I designed them as I built them based on various ones I had found online—so other than my chicken scratch on scrap paper, I don't really have any plans. All of the information and links are provided below or you can view everything on the I Club Detroit Facebook page. Have a question? I'll try to answer it. -Kim Wilds

DIY Exposure Unit Parts and Helpful Links

Damaged Ikea kitchen cabinet: $18

– 24" X 24", 1/4" thick glass covers the top of the cabinet. (No UV coating on the glass) $36

– Damaged Ikea cabinet legs $6

 Black foam strip $3

Ballast and light bulb $120, but you can and should go with something cheaper and safer if you’re sticking it in a wooden box and running it for extended periods of time. 

High Heat Paint $6

Black handle $1.20

Hook lock $.50

This Roger Jennings link is where I got a lot of my information. Watch the video linked after the plans to see why I use a point light source in my exposure unit. This is one of the cheapest options for an exposure unit besides using the sun. It’s simple, and you can modify the set-up however you like. Here is an exposure calculator to help you determine your optimum exposure times.

Interior of the Exposure Unit

The interior is painted with a high heat resistant, black paint. The black paint prevents reflections and undercutting. The hole for the light bulb has a 2.5" diameter, and is 4.75" up from the bottom of the inside of the cabinet.

Ultra Sun Metal Halide Light Bulb

This is a 1000 watt, 10,000 kelvin, metal halide light bulb. It is not necessary or necessarily very safe to use this strong/hot of a bulb in a wooden cabinet, but it burns a screen in 12 seconds, when the screen is coated with brand new Ulano QTX emulsion. This means I'm only running the unit for 6-15 minutes max. This bulb gets very hot, and is bright enough to burn your eyeballs. It is highly recommended that you take the following precautions and follow this procedure:

Wear protective eyewear.

Have a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.

Warm up the light for 5 minutes. 

Burn your screen.

Unplug the ballast. 

Open the door and let the bulb cool for at least 25 minutes before using again.

Emulsion

Ulano QTX emulsion. This is my personal favorite. I apply a single coat to each side of the yellow mesh screens that I use.  Ulano QTX emulsion is very light sensitive, so coat your screens under yellow safety lighting, as seen in the sixth photo.

Image Seven, the Shutter

Shot of the shutter cut from thin particle board. It just pulls in and out and rests on top of screws. (And scratches the paint off.) The opening at the top of the cabinet is 19" X 22.5". I use 24" X 26" screens, which leaves some room for squeegees when screen printing.

Burning a screen.  I put black foam board in the screen and use a heavy board with a handle to weigh it down since there isn't a vacuum top on the exposure unit...yet.

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Charivari Detroit 2014  Check out Charivari at charivaridetroit.com Follow @iclubdetroit on Instagram. Follow @iclubdetroit on Twitter. Shop at iclubdetroit.com. The first annual Charivari Detroit festival was a hit! This FREE event was very well organized, and held at the beautiful Milliken State Park and Harbor in Detroit August 2–3, 2014. Great vibes and people, and the music was groovin'. Detroit area merchandise and food vendors were on site, as well as friendly attendants for the very reasonably priced $10 parking lot. Can't wait for Charivari Detroit 2015!

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The 313 Turns 313 Today!

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Dirtybird BBQ in Detroit

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It's 58 days, 18 hours away, but we can't wait for the Dirtybird BBQ in Detroit! Tickets available at Ticket Web. http://tktwb.tw/1j1t7Q8

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Tec-Troit at Harmonie Park, Detroit

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Tec-Troit is an annual, FREE, three day music festival.  The weekend of June 20th marked its fourth year. Lots of great local talent and some of the most genuinely nice people you'll meet in the Detroit techno scene. You can learn more about it here, and be sure not to miss it next year! 

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Techno shirts in LP packaging. What!? Follow @iclubdetroit on Instagram. Follow @iclubdetroit on Twitter. 

Get yours at http://iclubdetroit.com.

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Detroit Techno (Goodbye Kiss Remix): {A Look at the Design Process}

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Here is a behind the scenes look at the design/creative process for one of I Club Detroit's best-sellers. The entire process is really exciting for me, minus a few crumpled papers thrown across the room in frustration. ;)

Click through the photos/read below for more details. Feel free to drop me a line at [email protected].

The Detroit Techno (Goodbye Kiss Remix) design started with the vaguest of ideas.

Favorite non-digital tools: Idea book, kneaded eraser, eraser shields (love these!), graphite pencils, Micron pens, Pantone color books (for selecting ink colors), graph paper, & tracing paper.

Mind maps are a part of the creative process for every design I do. Here you can see how this design was inspired by Eddie Fowlkes' Goodbye Kiss track from 1986.

Even if you already have an idea, a mind map can help refine the design, and add an extra creative twist—like the beauty mark/tittle in this design. (A tittle is the dot of an i or j.)

This is one of about 30 sketches I did before digitizing this design. I didn't count how many I threw across the room.

Hot off the press! Styling option.

These girls have great taste! ;) Whenever I see happy people wearing I Club Detroit, I get all giddy and want to hug them—but I don't. I'm socially awkward enough already. :D

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Some shots from Movement weekend! Click to see more!