Platens for heat pressing and screen printing: quick-change heat press platens, hat presses and Workhorse pallets
A platen is the flat (or curved) plate that holds the garment under heat or under the screen. Buckets of Ink stocks CobraFlex quick-release heat press platen sets, hat and dual-station heat presses, the Geo Knight DK16, and Workhorse aluminum and wooden screen printing platens with brackets for every press size. Add to cart below or call for a platen that fits your press.
What is a platen, and which one do you need?
In heat pressing, the platen is the heated upper plate and the padded lower plate that sandwich the garment; interchangeable lower platens in sleeve, pocket, shoe, cap and flat shapes let one press handle every placement. In screen printing, the platen (or pallet) is the board the shirt is loaded onto, usually aluminum or wood on a bracket that fits the press arm. Buckets of Ink in Tempe stocks a CobraFlex quick-release heat press platen set ($500) that fits most 15 x 15 and 16 x 20 presses, a CobraFlex hat press ($950), a pneumatic dual-station press ($3,500), the Geo Knight DK16 14 x 16 clamshell ($1,275), and Workhorse screen printing platens from $55.20 in youth, adult, oversize and sleeve sizes with standard and quick-release brackets.
Heat press platens and heat presses
Quick-change lower platens for DTF, HTV and sublimation, plus the presses they mount on.
CobraFlex Quick Release Platens (Set of 5)
CobraFlex FUJ-Platen SetFive quick-change silicone-padded lower platens for 15 x 15 and 16 x 20 presses: tags, pockets, sleeves, hoodies and caps on one machine.
Sizes and details
CobraFlex Hat Heat Press Machine
CobraFlex CF-CP2815-2Curved, interchangeable platens press the crown and bill evenly for DTF, HTV and patches on any cap style.
Sizes and details
CobraFlex Pneumatic Dual Heat Press Machine
CobraFlex CF-Dual-Air-2NTwo platens, one head: cure on one station while loading the other. Digital timers, calibrated pressure, quick thermal recovery for DTF production.
Sizes and details
Geo Knight DK16 14 x 16 Clamshell Heat Press, 120 V
Geo Knight 04-13-278Digital temperature to 600 F, pressure bar graph, dual pre-press timer, lifetime platen warranty. Made in the USA.
Sizes and detailsLive pricing and cart
The DecoNetwork listing below is the store's own grid; prices update automatically.
Heat Press Platen
Screen printing platens (pallets) by Workhorse
Aluminum quick-release and wooden platens with the brackets that fit Workhorse manual and automatic presses. Pick the size on the product page.
Workhorse Aluminum Quick Release Adult Platen
Workhorse Adult PalletsFlat, warp-proof aluminum on a quick-release block; the everyday tee platen for Workhorse presses.
Sizes and details
Workhorse Aluminum Quick Release Youth Platen
Workhorse Youth PalletsNarrow platens for youth, toddler and small-chest prints.
Sizes and details
Workhorse Aluminum Quick Release Oversize Platen
Workhorse Oversize PalletsFull-size platen for jacket backs and oversize prints.
Sizes and details
Workhorse Aluminum Quick Release Sleeve Platen
Workhorse WHSAUTO-PLTSlides inside a sleeve or pant leg so the seam stays off the print.
Sizes and details
Workhorse Wooden Platens with Bracket
Workhorse Wooden PalletsSealed wood platen with the standard bracket attached, ready to bolt onto a Workhorse arm.
Sizes and details
Workhorse Wooden Platens, platen only
Workhorse 12110R to 12170RReplacement wooden platen boards for shops that already have brackets. Lowest cost per station.
Sizes and details
Workhorse Standard Bracket for Wooden Platens
Workhorse 12200RThe bolt-on bracket that mounts a wooden platen to a Workhorse press arm.
Sizes and details
Workhorse Quick Release Retro Fit Bracket
Workhorse 12006Converts a manual press arm to quick release so aluminum platens swap in seconds.
Sizes and detailsLive pricing and cart
Choose a size inside the store grid below and add to cart.
Screen Print Platens
Platen size picker
Pick what you are printing and where. The picker names the platen size and the product that fits.
How to choose a platen
Match the press mount first
Heat press platens attach by a center stud or quick-release block; the CobraFlex set fits most 15 x 15 and 16 x 20 presses. Workhorse screen platens use a standard bracket or the quick-release retrofit bracket.
Size to the print, not the shirt
Use the smallest platen that covers the print area with an inch to spare. A 16 x 18 adult platen handles full-front tees; a 10 x 18 youth platen keeps small shirts flat without stretching.
Sleeves, legs and caps need their own shape
A 4 x 18 or 4 x 22 sleeve platen slides inside the sleeve so seams never land under the squeegee or the heat. Cap platens are curved to the crown.
Aluminum vs wood for screen printing
Aluminum stays flat, holds adhesive well and does not warp under the flash. Wood is the lowest-cost way to fill a multi-station press; keep the edges sealed.
Quick release pays for itself
A quick-release bracket lets one operator swap from adult to sleeve platens in seconds between jobs instead of unbolting four stations.
Padding and surface on heat press platens
Silicone-padded lower platens with a non-stick surface keep pressure even over seams and buttons; replace the pad when it compresses.
How to swap a quick-release platen
- Cool and unlockOn a heat press, let the lower platen cool enough to touch. Lift the release lever or pull the quick-release pin on a screen press.
- Slide off, slide onPull the platen straight back off the bracket, seat the new one until it clicks or seats on the stud.
- Level and lockCheck the platen is level with the upper platen or the screen; lock the lever. Re-tape or re-apply pallet adhesive on a screen platen.
- Test and runPress or print a test piece, check pressure and registration, then run the job.
Platens in stock near Phoenix
Bring your press model or a photo of the bracket and we will match the platen. Walk-in pickup in Tempe or shipping nationwide; shipping is included on orders over $250.
- Address906 S Priest Dr #101, Tempe, AZ 85281
- HoursMonday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
- Phone480-229-7806
- Emailorders.bucketsofink@gmail.com
Platen questions
The platen is the plate that contacts the garment. The upper platen is heated and the lower platen is padded; interchangeable lower platens in flat, sleeve, pocket, shoe and cap shapes let a single press handle every print placement. Buckets of Ink stocks a five-piece CobraFlex quick-release platen set that fits most 15 x 15 and 16 x 20 presses for $500.
In screen printing the platen, also called a pallet, is the aluminum or wooden board the shirt is loaded onto at each station. It bolts to the press arm with a bracket, is coated with pallet adhesive or tape, and holds the garment flat under the screen. Workhorse aluminum and wooden platens at Buckets of Ink run $55.20 to $185.
16 x 20 covers adult fronts and backs and is the production standard; 15 x 15 and 14 x 16 handle most adult tees; small flat and pocket platens isolate left-chest prints; sleeve platens are about 4 x 18; cap platens are curved. One press with a quick-release platen set covers all of them.
Choose the smallest platen that covers the print area with about an inch of margin: 10 x 18 or 12 x 18 for youth, 16 x 18 or 16 x 22 for adult, 18 x 22 for oversize, and 4 x 18 or 4 x 22 sleeve platens for sleeves and legs. Workhorse makes all of these in aluminum quick release.
The set is built for standard 15 x 15 and 16 x 20 presses that take interchangeable lower platens, including CobraFlex and most clamshell and swing-away models. Send us your press model before ordering and we will confirm the mount.
Aluminum stays flat, resists flash heat, holds adhesive well and is the choice for registration-critical multi-color work. Wooden platens cost less than half as much and are a practical way to fill extra stations on a manual press; keep them sealed and replace them when they warp.
A quick-release bracket lets the platen slide off the press arm with a lever instead of unbolting it. Workhorse sells a retro-fit quick-release bracket for manual presses ($172.95) and all its aluminum platens on quick-release blocks, so one operator can switch from adult to sleeve platens between jobs.
Buckets of Ink at 906 S Priest Dr #101 in Tempe, Arizona stocks CobraFlex heat press platens and presses, the Geo Knight DK16 and Workhorse screen printing platens for walk-in pickup Monday to Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and ships nationwide. Call 480-229-7806.
