Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison
I have sent guys home before but it's been a rare occurrence, and I do think that's a great way to get a point across. And it does suck to get lied to and that's whats happening. I have been saving all the misprints (those have been on the rise lately) and keep track of all the mistakes in my notebook and we are going to start having meetings in the morning, I'm thinking once a week to start off and see how that goes. I've got one guy, my printer, who is above average but he thinks he knows more than everybody else in the shop and he also thinks he knows how to handle a screen so none of the stuff that I say applies to him is how he thinks. Then I've got two dingleberries that know what they need to do but they're just young and dumb. They are eager to learn most of the time and they don't get along with my printer very well which nobody really does because he's such a red ass most of the time. I'll admit I've been doing a lot of other things than hovering over them and the mistakes and problems are showing up. I just need to spend more time in production, we do an awful lot for just 3 guys, me and an artist so spending more time out there will help some. But the way things are in the other building and what I've been trying to do to help others out has interfered with screen printing production. I can't give my printer an authority, he will abuse it and make everyone miserable, and the other 2 wouldn't have my printer's respect so it would be a waste of time to get someone to watch over things when I'm not back there. We're planning on moving my office to the engraving room and putting in a few windows so I will always be able to see what's going on in production. Right now when I'm at my desk doing something I can't see production so that's going to change in a couple of weeks and I think that will help some, but who knows how much.
Most of these guys cant see that far or just dont care to process the big picture. If they did they would understand.
Alan sorry about your woes but I can say is holy s!@#, you have no idea how good you have it.I thought the other guy we had doing screens was bad. The new guy....well I can't understand how he got the job.The screens I'm handed for my press are mostly:Filthy - ink all over the frame. Yes, the ones that were JUST COATED AND BURNED.You can see spots of stray ink UNDER the emulsion.Pinholes up the yazoo.Fish eyes.Streaks.Ghosts.Abrasion.Holes. Holes everywhere. In MOST of the screens. I counted about twelve holes in one screen. (from 1/16" to about 1/2")Missing/pinched detail.Images burned flipped over.Images burned in the wrong place.Opposite colors ganged together, which means I have to wash them all when going from a front to back print.And worst of all....LOW tension. (all statics) Maybe 12-15 newtons TOPS on the best screens in the shop. All the rest are saggy garbage. They won't buy new screens either.And there is not a damn thing I can do about it. I went from having my own shop with meticulously maintained Newman M3's to a shop filled with pure amateur hour disgrace. Everything I say (and the other press operator says) falls on deaf ears. They won't fire the terrible screen guy and they won't train him correctly. (and I think he doesn't give a flyin f!@# anyway) I've seen him have to re-burn screens for almost every job. One 6 color job took 14 screens to get it right.But hey....health insurance.*sigh*
My printer a few weeks back gave me some sht over getting a color closer then where it was. Had to sit him down and let him know that if I have him change it 50 times until its right he better do it with a smile. I told him if he was willing to pay for the 7k shirts if the client rejects the color then to go ahead and run it as is. Attitude changed right then and there with an apology. I told him that I just dont tell him stuff to be bossy that it is for a reason, and that reason is important because it is part of a bigger picture. Most of these guys cant see that far or just dont care to process the big picture. If they did they would understand.