Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
Over the last year, we have learned invaluable information. We've learned things the hard way and from this forum and from other printers.
There were tons of things we were taught in the class and then the really good ones that we've learned along the way. I guess what I'm getting at is I was hoping someone would share the "little" things that make such a big difference in screen printing.
Here are a couple things that have helped us tremendously:
Good emulsion + good weather conditions + tons of trial and error = more reliable screens.
There are many, many inks and if you can afford it and you have the space, you should buy by the gallon.
You can "gang" screens. You don't have to do just one thing on one end of a screen....Crest and full back are easier to keep up with on one screen if you have to keep it.
You can never have too much hard drive....and if you use Corel Draw, you can bet the client will send it in Adobe Illustrator....or something else....
It's always good to count and recount the client's sizes and original order before and after you print....don't blow out the screen until you know for sure...if you ever know for sure.
You can never have too many screens...a good quality screen makes all the difference....(wood warps).
A bad t-shirt will more likely be remembered than a good one....if it falls apart in the wash and the ink comes off, (1) it was a crap tee, (2) you didn't cure it enough, (3) it is you they will remember.
Most of all, you can print tees with a flash dryer, but a conveyor will make your life so much simpler and more reliable...
There is SO MUCH no one told us and SO MUCH more we learn every day, but it just keeps getting better.
re: Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
Quote:
Originally Posted by amy_schutt
Over the last year, we have learned invaluable information. We've learned things the hard way and from this forum and from other printers.
There were tons of things we were taught in the class and then the really good ones that we've learned along the way. I guess what I'm getting at is I was hoping someone would share the "little" things that make such a big difference in screen printing.
Here are a couple things that have helped us tremendously:
Good emulsion + good weather conditions + tons of trial and error = more reliable screens.
There are many, many inks and if you can afford it and you have the space, you should buy by the gallon.
You can "gang" screens. You don't have to do just one thing on one end of a screen....Crest and full back are easier to keep up with on one screen if you have to keep it.
You can never have too much hard drive....and if you use Corel Draw, you can bet the client will send it in Adobe Illustrator....or something else....
It's always good to count and recount the client's sizes and original order before and after you print....don't blow out the screen until you know for sure...if you ever know for sure.
You can never have too many screens...a good quality screen makes all the difference....(wood warps).
A bad t-shirt will more likely be remembered than a good one....if it falls apart in the wash and the ink comes off, (1) it was a crap tee, (2) you didn't cure it enough, (3) it is you they will remember.
Most of all, you can print tees with a flash dryer, but a conveyor will make your life so much simpler and more reliable...
There is SO MUCH no one told us and SO MUCH more we learn every day, but it just keeps getting better.
re: Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
i read this somewhere and i didn't know i've been doing it right and doing it good.
"It's not how GOOD the idea is, it's how FAST you implement it."
I think it applies to everything in this business.
re: Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
We haved learned to always be open to new products and techniques. We have had so many closed minded people come work for us that hated doing things differently than what they have done at other shops. Then after a few weeks in "our system" they see the light and start to become open to new things. I don't care how great a product is or technique, if someone comes by and says they have something better, I will try it. Most of the time it isn't better but every once in a while we find something great.
re: Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
Quote:
Originally Posted by alan802
We haved learned to always be open to new products and techniques. We have had so many closed minded people come work for us that hated doing things differently than what they have done at other shops. Then after a few weeks in "our system" they see the light and start to become open to new things. I don't care how great a product is or technique, if someone comes by and says they have something better, I will try it. Most of the time it isn't better but every once in a while we find something great.
Ditto what Alan said. If my business was the same as it was when we started out in '87, we would be closed. I think you have to keep your finger on the pulse.
Re: Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
i came into this field blind,i didnt know what screenprinting machine was
now i run an 8 head anatol automatic
my biggest problem was putting down a white plate on dark garments
as the first post said,quality screens are a must but do not limit yourself to one mesh size
i started with the assumption that 110 meshes were fine for white plates,i now dont even print a white plate (underlay) on anything less than a 196 mesh
also when i began i used to register my imahges without the target reg marks,so i used to register by putting each different film seperation on top of one another before going to reg the next screen
it took me a year and a training session later but now i use the reg marks and just one of the films to do a proper reg,damn that makes my life much much easier
we also just bought the SPVR program from freehand graphics
this is supposed to be the bees knees over four color process which ironically i just learned 2 weeks ago,and it did prove rahter painful to get right.
apparently there is spmething to be said for pms colors for spot color over transparent process colors for four color.
and all of you are so right,there is SO much to learn,there are never enough hours in the day,days in a week ,etc to get as much info absorbed to make your clients happy,but we all have to do it.
A friend of mine and mentor Adam Dams ffrom screentec in missisauga ontario told me this and i quote "Its an aquired field,either you will love it or hate it,but those who love it will love it for life".
the latter has proven to be the victor with me,i think about new methods all the time.
no advice is bad advice,just take it and try it if you think it is a good one.
take care all and happy printing.
Re: Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
Oh, BTW, when it comes to heat presses, my experience has been don't throw your money away on the "good deal". Had the cheap $300 for a long time. When it came time to buy a new one, got the Geo Knight and didn't even know how good it could be until now. Makes all the difference in the world.
Re: Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
If you're doing contract work and dealing with a female customer, be very careful, because her vision of any particular colour will be different to a male's.
Re: Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer
Quote:
Originally Posted by ino
If you're doing contract work and dealing with a female customer, be very careful, because her vision of any particular colour will be different to a male's.
Only if the male has poor colour perception. Which is far more common in males than females, but not universal. So it can be a problem to look out for, but it's not a biological constant.
Things We've Learned Over the Last Year as a Screen Printer 
