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General => General Discussion and ??? => Topic started by: sweetts on November 21, 2012, 10:29:47 AM
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Not counting the greatest forum in screen printing world (here) where do you go to find answers about screen printing and stay current with what the industry is doing?
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the mall.
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The mall ? For what's hot ??
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Other printers, sales people and techs via phone and email.
Homer's reference to the Mall must be to see the obviously popular trends (at least what's moving in common, popular retail)
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yup. it's where most kids buy their clothes right? but what do i know.
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yup. it's where most kids buy their clothes right? but what do i know.
Bingo!
Want to know what's hot right now.. hit the local mall on a fri-sat night and sit back and watch the fashion parade.
Stuck in the shop all day..tune the tv to mtv or other teen/young adult reality programming for the latest trends.
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But where do you go for new techniques and product info?
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Even though I write for them the trades are shrinking to less than an eight of an inch. I would say T shows though attendance is shrinking both exhibitors and attendees.
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I like talking to other shops via email, phone and even text. I'm lucky that I have quite a few people on speed dial that if I have an hour I can listen for that hour and soak up solid gold info. I like Murakami's website, Kiwo and Ulano don't have as much tech info as Murakami, or I haven't found it at least. Some of the other forums might have a nugget here or there but it's getting extremely rare these days. I've even done searches on the old SP.net board and spent hours looking and reading good info. I try to find articles from trade rags past and I've probably read hundreds of them over the past year. That's actually one of my favorite things to do when we are slow. Fire up the old google machine and start putting in the search words and see what pops out. I will read anything that is pertaining to screen printing on textiles from just about anybody. There are a few guys who write that I'm particularly interested in and even articles written by people I've never heard of have benefitted us. I can tell early on in the article whether or not it's worth my time or if I know more about the subject than what's being written, and there is a lot of good stuff out there. I know there is tons left that I haven't read that aren't available on the web and are only on a print copy, especially those mags from the 90's and early 2000's.
When I find a good article, I print it out right then and get to it when I can if I can't read it on the monitor and if I am able to read it right away, I still print it out and file it in my desk. I have a lot of articles in the desk that I'll go back and look at from time to time. I like to find articles that my crew can get something out of as well and when I see we have some downtime I'll give it to them and then do a pop quiz afterwards...just kidding, I'm not that big of a screen print nerd, but pretty close.
I think Joe Clarke's Control without Confusion is a must read. Saati has a really good handbook on printing, it covers a ton of stuff and not just mesh. I've heard from Joe that M&R used to have a really comprehensive "bible" about screen printing which I'd love to get my hands on. I've read the one from Fresener and despite the huge number of printers that swear by it, I do not. I guess it can be used today and have validity but I still respect those who recommend it to newbs.
I'm sure something wil pop up that I forgot and I'll post it if it comes to mind.
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I'd say classes at the shows are a good start. Magazines do have some good info every and then.
You can also check the manufacturers. Most of them have White Papers on the product they make. There is a lot of technical info available from them.
And finally, consultants. I think they have been the best source of info so far. While a lot of it was confirmation of what we were doing, it was priceless when it comes to the confidence needed to pursue the correct processes.
pierre
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Alan, a note about Scott F's "How to Print" book. Experienced screen printers may get very little out of it, but an absolute no-nothing newbie, (think some of the frustrating calls or emails you get from seeming idiot prospective clients) would get quite a leg up on others at the same level by reading it.
We don't get too many absolute beginners here, but of those we do, you can tell who did a little basic reading first, just by their early questions.
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I know for me trade magazines and other printers are biggies. I find a lot of the books are all pretty basic. I can't wait to read Tonys stuff.