Weld Done! How I Made My Own Funny Welding T-Shirt

My boyfriend’s a welder, and like most welders, he’s got a goofy sense of humor — so I decided to make him a custom funny T-shirt that fits his personality perfectly. Instead of buying something generic online, I used my Glowforge laser cutter and xTool Screen Printer to design, cut, and print a shirt myself.

The result? A totally unique, shop-worthy shirt that makes him laugh every time he wears it — and it looks surprisingly professional for a DIY project.

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how I made it, from designing the stencil to curing the ink so it’s durable enough for daily wear in a welding shop.

1. Laser cutter (I recommend Glowforge)
2. xTool screen printer
3. Blank cotton T-shirt (100% cotton or a high cotton blend is best)
4. Silk screen frame (110–160 mesh count)
5. Screen printing ink (fabric ink, any color you like)
6. Popsicle stick
7. Squeegee
8. Painter’s tape
9. Heat gun or hair dryer
10. Photoshop and/or other image editing software (ie. Illustrator, Inkscape)

Before cutting or printing anything, you’ll need a design that’s bold, funny, and welder-approved.

1. Brainstorm your idea

Think about what your boyfriend (or your intended recipient) would actually wear — something that feels personal but still gets a laugh.

1. Brainstorm a short punchline and one simple icon (e.g., “Too lit to quit” + helmet silhouette).
2. Keep it bold and simple: single color, large shapes, and thick text. Thin details don’t stencil well.

2. Find or generate a design

You have a few options here:

1. Design your own: Use a program like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Inkscape to draw your design or add custom text to a simple welder graphic.
2. Find one online: Search the internet for fun graphics that you can incorporate into your design.
3. Use AI art tools: If you want something unique yet easy to create, you can use an AI image generator to create a stylized welder or logo.

3. Clean up and prepare your artwork

1. Open your final image in Photoshop (or your preferred editor).
2. Convert it to black and white — the black areas will be where the ink passes through your screen.
3. Adjust contrast or simplify the shapes so they’re clear and bold.
4. Resize the image to your desired print area (about 8–10 inches wide for a chest design).
5. Export it as an SVG or PNG with a transparent background for your laser cutter.

Now that your design is ready, it’s time to prep your silk screen for the laser cutter.

1. Use a silk screen frame with a 110–160 mesh count — perfect for fabric ink.
2. Make sure the mesh is tight, clean, and completely dry.
3. Apply painter’s tape around the frame to protect it from laser marks.
4. Place the screen in your laser bed and make sure it’s level.
5. Make sure the frame sits level and snug; you don’t want the laser head to bump the edges.
6. Optional: Run a small test cut first to determine what settings you should use later in Step 3. The goal is to open the mesh where ink should pass, not burn through it.

Once your test looks clean, you’re ready for the main cut.

Now the fun begins — using the laser cutter to etch your design directly into the mesh!

1. Import your black-and-white design file into Glowforge (or your preferred laser software).
2. Scale the design to fit your shirt’s print area.
3. Position it properly within the silk screen’s usable area. Be sure to vertically flip the design if your laser cuts from the top side and you’ll be printing from underneath.
4. Choose appropriate settings to cut your design into the silk screen (I set the speed to 1,000, precision power to 75, and 270 lines per inch).
5. Click "Print" and carefully watch your design print — you want the laser to remove enough fibers to let ink pass through without tearing the mesh.
6. Remove the silk screen from the Glowforge bed.

You now have a custom silk screen that’s reusable and perfectly matched to your design!

Time to bring your design to life!

1. Prep the shirt

1. Lay your cotton T-shirt flat on your workspace.
2. Smooth out any wrinkles so the print sits flat.

2. Align the screen

1. Mount your laser-cut silk screen into the xTool screen printing frame.
2. Position it over the shirt, etched side down.
3. Align your design with the desired placement (usually centered a few inches below the neckline).
4. Tape off any open mesh around the edges to avoid accidental ink smudges.

3. Apply the ink

1. Add a line of screen printing ink using a popsicle stick along the top of your design area.
2. Hold your squeegee at a 45° angle and pull the ink firmly across the design.
3. Make two to four smooth passes for even coverage.

4. Reveal the print

1. Carefully lift the screen from one edge.
2. If the design looks light, place the screen back and make another quick pass.

5. Clean your screen

1. Rinse it immediately under lukewarm water and gently wipe away the remaining ink.
2. Let it air dry — you can reuse it for more prints later!

Pro Tip: Smooth, steady squeegee strokes give you the cleanest results.

To make your shirt long-lasting and washable, you’ll need to heat-set the ink.

1. Once the print is dry to the touch, grab a heat gun or hair dryer.
2. Hold it a few inches away from the design.
3. Move it evenly over the print for 2–3 minutes, keeping the heat consistent.
4. Let the shirt cool completely before folding or wearing.

The heat bonds the ink into the fabric so it won’t crack or peel — perfect for a work shirt that’ll see some action.

Reflecting on the Process:

This project was such a rewarding mix of creativity and technical learning. I was worried that the design would not print properly, but it worked beautifully — crisp lines, reusable results, and a totally custom look.

Making this shirt as a gift for my boyfriend felt extra special. He loved that it was handmade and totally personalized to his trade — plus, he thought the joke was hilarious. Seeing him wear it around made all the effort worth it.

If I do another one, I might experiment with two-color prints or metallic inks for that “industrial” feel. But honestly, the biggest takeaway was that combining design, tech, and humor is a pretty unbeatable recipe for a gift that sparks joy (and maybe a few welding jokes).