Staying Clean "tips"

[Appstro]

So I have a few jobs under my belt now and I can see that staying VERY clean is a KEY element in screen printing!!! I have to stop ever 20 shirts or so and clean something or change gloves to keep the garments from getting ink on them. I try not to touch the squeegee (SP?) too low and I make sure to only touch the frames on the ends as they seem to get messy. Still no matter what I do I end up having to stop ever so often and clean a spot here or there to keep the mess at bay. Also as the job progresses I find myself amassing a pile of rags and such that goes in the trash. Its VERY messy stuff, no matter how clean and delicate I handle everything.

So my question is, can you give me any tips for keeping clean?

[Frog]

Practice.

If frames and squeegees are really getting messy, perhaps you have too much ink.
Also, make sure that you have enough room on the screen around the image to manipulate the ink without slopping it over the frame.

[blue moon]

it gets better with time. While it never goes away completely, you get used to it a bit and you get a lot better.

pierre

[mk162]

the best rule I use is keep ink off ink knife handles.  And if you get ink anywhere it doesn't belong, clean it immediately.

[Frog]

On the other hand, someday, when trying to match a weird color from a run that you did years ago and have no sample or mixing formula, you'll always have that patch on the carpet in the hall by your bedroom to go by! 

[mk162]

we had ink in our dishwasher once....it was then my mom told my dad he needed to move the shop out of the shed out back.

[prozyan]

The best tip I can give is clean as you go.  If you notice stray ink on a knife or ink bucket, wipe it up immediately.  Ink on the screen frame, wipe it up immediately.

[TCT]

Like most have said it gets better with practice.... Stay ahead of the mess, once you get behind it's a uphill battle. Also be dainty- use the tips of your fingers and keep fingers you are not using "lifted" and out of the way.

I don't know how people print with gloves, it drivers me crazy!

[brandon]

Clean as you go and everything has a place. The same place. 

[starchild]

My suggesting is stay away from gloves while actually printing.. Gloves don't protect shirts it protect hands, hands free to be careless. You're more likely to use less caution when handling things when you're not paying attention. That's part of the discipline- handle with care..  No gloves less spots there will be..

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[screenxpress]

Frequently do like the guys at the Craps table. 

Wave your hands like you have no chips hidden and do quick checks for ink.