How many dirty screens do you have (number and/or percentage)?

[Gilligan]

I'm trying to get an idea of what I need in clean storage space vs dirty storage space.

Wondering how many screen are basically always dirty?  No way to really get them all clean and ready to go if you are always printing?

We are a 1.75 man shop... my guy is full time production as well as art and some phone handling, then we have another girl for phones and office management, she catches, counts and sorts as well as some screen cleaning (but that might be slowing down as she feels my guy is taking advantage of her generosity ), we have my retarded bro-in-law that cleans the squeegees and the keeps the shop fairly clean, my wife handles some of the harder art issues, and I basically cause trouble.

So it would be more direct comparison to those in smaller shops that don't have dedicated screen techs and are printing fairly steady.  Right now we probably turn about 10 screens a week maybe... I'd have to ask honestly.

[jvanick]

We do roughly 30 to 40 screens a week... and it seems like there's always at least 20 in the reclaim pile.  I cleaned all of them this afternoon after the last of this week's jobs were out the door.

[Gilligan]

How many usable screens do you have total (clean and dirty)?

[CSPGarrett]

I would say 6-10 per day sometimes less, sometimes more.  I have made it so some days we don't print, just do odd things and other work we do for revenue.  Such as today went with about 8 and made sure they were broken down or at least degraded the ink so they don't make a mess and can reclaim quick.  I have a really fast screen turnover in our dark room so its always nice to have a good 6-8 to coat and have ready a few hours later.

I am potentially looking into the dip tank to speed the process up.  Also, many times while screens burn we will break down 1 or 2 to help keep the flow going.

[tonyt79]

I try to keep my pile at around 10 screens. It's an awesome day when I can only have dirty screens on the press, but that never really happens. But when I get above 10 I stop and clean

[Binkspot]

Other then the permeant screens we keep for some customers there should be no dirty screens in our shop even if it means coming in on a Saturday. When a job is done the screen is dead and needs to go back in circulation.

[Gilligan]

Do you have dedicated screen techs Brian?  Or does the jobs stop while you reclaim the last job? Or do you just make sure to schedule for clean screenings accordingly?

[Binkspot]

We have a high school kid that comes in M-F at 2 and reclaims along with some other dutys. He can ban out 20 per hour. If he can't make it I do them. If there is anything left at the end of the week I do them Saturday morning.  I like to keep them all ready to go, if we only get 230's clean I'll need 156's. So if they are all done they are all ready to go.

[Gilligan]

Word

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I don't have much extra space.  If I get more than 10 or 12 dirty screens I have to walk sideways to get around them.

I probably have 50 usable screens, and most of the time 40 are ready to expose.

I need more badly...and a bigger darkroom.

And less JUNK.

[Gilligan]

I don't have much extra space.  If I get more than 10 or 12 dirty screens I have to walk sideways to get around them.

I probably have 50 usable screens, and most of the time 40 are ready to expose.

I need more badly...and a bigger darkroom.

And less JUNK.

Sounds like us!  Probably LESS room, less screens right now for sure, but we just converted from 18x20 mzx's.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I've got mostly statics, and mostly manual size. A few MZX's, but I really don't care for them much. My manual is a Hopkins Pro Line so I need the square bar.

My auto is a Gauntlet GT-8, so I might get some M3's. For now, statics.

What did you convert TO??

[Gilligan]

Hix style Retens.  Shurloc sells them now.

Square bars and no racking... So far much easier to deal with!

[Gilligan]

http://youtu.be/zV4dJTlVyp8

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Oh yeah. Hix Retens. We've talked about that, sorry. I just forgot.

My memory is the SECOND shortest part of my body.