# Best "non-essential" thing I've bought and best tip I've found to improve my workflow



## leapoffaith (Nov 8, 2009)

I was thinking about all of the helpful things I've learned on t-shirt forums and all of the good advice I've received. I thought it would be helpful if anyone who wanted to would share:

1) Best "non-essential" item you've bought to improve your workflow. I say non-essentail because I don't mean your heat press, software, cutter, etc. I mean something that others may not be using.

and

2) Best tip you've learned outside of your regular training.

So I'll start:

1) Best non-essentail item I've bought: An extra blade holder for my cutter. When someone told me I should get one, I checked into it and found out they were around $100. I put it off for awhile, because it is unnecessary, but then I finally broke down and bought one. That was over two years ago, and I still think how glad I am to have an extra everytime I switch from a 60 degree blade to a 45 degree blade. I am switching back and forth between these blades a lot these days, and it's so nice to get the blade in that perfect place for cutting and then not have to re-do it each time. Now I have one blade holder for my 60 degree blade, and one for my 45 degree blade and don't have to readjust the blade each time.

2) Best tip I learned outside of training: I used to throw away a lot of heat press vinyl when it was too small to go under the rollers of my heat press. Then on the forums someone was talking about putting scraps of materal on a sticky mat. I didn't even know what a sticky mat was! I'd never heard of one. A few questions later, I learned what they were and where to get one (Hobby Lobby) and now I don't throw out heat press material until it is really small. This tip has saved me lots of $$.

Anyone else want to share?


----------



## diana13t (Mar 11, 2009)

Great advice!!! Does the sticky mat from Hobby Lobby work with any cutter? I have a GCC Jaguar IV cutter.


----------



## leapoffaith (Nov 8, 2009)

Diana, that's my cutter, too. Works great! I don't think it would matter which cutter you are using.


----------



## diana13t (Mar 11, 2009)

Awesome, can you tell me what the mat is called and the brand? Thanks so much!!!


----------



## ChristFollower (Oct 4, 2012)

The best non-essential thing I've bought is a step wedge for screen exposure. If you're not familiar with them, they're little strips of film that you use to determine your correct exposure time. Here's more on how they work: link

The best tip I've ever learned:
Being the best screen printer in the world doesn't qualify you to run a screen printing business. Printing and running a business are two different things, and have practically nothing to do with each other. If you're a one-man shop, you have to learn both ends to be successful.


----------



## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

I don't even have an extra blade holder and I sell them.  I'm one step lazier... I use a 60 degree blade to cut EVERYTHING from ThermoFlex Plus regular vinyl to GlitterFlex Ultra to rhinestone template material. I adjust my downforce, keep the same offset, and everything cuts beautifully.

As for other non-essential purchases, I have extras of EVERYTHING. I have like 5 pairs of tweezers. I have 3 pairs of scissors... One on the flat table on my cutter, one on my desk, and one on the table by my heat press. I have 2 box cutters, several rhinestone scoopers, about 6 of the same weeding pick, and at least 5 of those Dritz tape measures. And when I'm ordering shirts, I always order one extra of each size and color in case I mess up. I figure that the cost of the blank is less than the cost of driving down to pick it up or the cost of shipping a new one. Not to mention the time. Then if I don't mess up, I just have extras for my inventory. 

Most of the doubles I keep in various places in my office so I'm not having to walk back and forth so much. It saves so much time and hassle and just makes things more efficient.


----------



## leapoffaith (Nov 8, 2009)

Diana,

My mat says Provo Craft Cricut Cutting Mat (really small on the top - had to look for it.) It's green and white.


----------



## BlingItOn (May 29, 2008)

I'm like Stephanie and I keep an abundance of extras lying around. Seems I always misplace a tool that I am working with but I know I can always find another one in a different area of my office. However I do have the extra blade holder for my cutter. I guess I never thought to cut everything with the one size blade. Thanks for that tip!

The best tip I have learned, besides the one Stephanie just gave me, has to be using the dryer sheet to rub on the transfer paper to take out the static. This time of the year can be a big problem when it comes to static and by rubbing the sheet on top of the transfer tape before you peel it really helps keeping those rhinestones from jumping out of the holes and onto the transfer tape.


----------



## diana13t (Mar 11, 2009)

Talking about dryer sheets, I would put one in each bag of rhinestones, especially the ss6's. that really helped keep the static under control for the templates and the Cams machine.


----------



## mikelmorgan (Nov 1, 2008)

I have a rail dropped from the ceiling over my presses. We hang the rollers we spread glue with on them, along with the glue we put in a dishwasher fluid bottle. We also have a tool magnet attached to the rail that holds scissors, tweezers and any metal tool we may need.

Tip, if your print is hard to line up, print one color on a scrap tee and cover it with several pieces of clear packing tape. You can adjust the print, print it, wipe it off and print again without using more shirts. Real time saver. We have several things we do here that are out of the ordinary but these are some of the best.


----------



## fedoraoriginali (Aug 30, 2010)

I agree! I bought a 2nd blade holder and I am so glad I did! As for the sticky mat I bought a $2 cutting mat that they sell in discount stores ( the color coded thin cutting boards that look like plastic - don't know the material) and bought some adhesive spray. Works a treat!
Similar to these LINK.


----------



## BlueForME (Mar 4, 2011)

I use a scalpel when weeding vinyls. It has the best point and stays extremely sharp forever. Can't beat it for weeding smaller parts.

Blue


----------



## littlefatbuddy (Oct 8, 2012)

I do some jewelry work. Cutting out designs and precious metal clay stuff. I could not find my weeding tweezers one day so I just grabbed one of my soldering picks and used it to weed a small design. I found it worked as good as or better than any of my other tools so I just ordered another set of solder picks and keep them with my vinyl stuff.


----------



## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

ChristFollower said:


> The best tip I've ever learned:
> Being the best screen printer in the world doesn't qualify you to run a screen printing business.


I second that!! From personal experience I know it to be true. That's why I'm broke .

It's left brain versus right brain. Successfully bridging the chasm between the two can be a monumental task. And being humble enough to acknowledge that you can't do it all, and accept/seek help can be a bigger task.


----------



## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

leapoffaith said:


> Then on the forums someone was talking about putting scraps of materal on a sticky mat.


(Tygeron frantically waving and shouting to get attention)
Hey! Hey! Over here!! That was me! That was me! 

I've said before that it doesn't take much to excite me. I'm still amazed at the mat thing and I give ALL credit to my wife. She uses the mat on her Cricut Expression. I was actually bummed at how much vinyl I was wasting particulalry doing numbers. Arranging them to maximize space has been a task for me. Names are better because they're mostly rectangular.
But doing odd shaped cuts can bring significant waste. There was a video on Youtube about using scrap but it was still pieces that fit between the rollers. The mat catches the rollers and holds the small pieces.

Thanks, Wife!


----------



## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

And one great tip is perusing forums (This one in particular. Has a certain "charm") and finding and reading questions such as this one 

Really. Stepping out from the day to day and finding out what other folk are doing is incredibly valuable. It's like tapping into one huge collective creative brain and serves to take everyone to another level.

Tip:

Frequent places like Big Lots and Harbor Freight and think of things you may be able to utilize in what ever you do. I've seen trade vendor weeding tools at $15 and plastic squeegees and hand cleaners overpriced.
Bought a set of 6 dental type tools for $3, and bondo squeegees and hand cleaner at the auto supply for _significantly _less than trade suppliers.


----------



## Eview1 (Apr 29, 2010)

The best non essential item is a back up blade or two. It is nice to know you have it just in case. 

The best tip I have learned came from scrapbookers: 

Use a good Repositionable Spray, it turns my dollar store mats into sticky mats, and can be used for so much more..


----------



## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

We have 3 blade holders for each of our cutters. 1 for regular vinyl, one for glitter and one for thick material like blast for rhinestone templates. 

We also have a written guide taped to the top of each cutter with settings for each material. 

In each customer folder on the computer with their artwork we have complete instructions on how we did the job, placement, colors, special instructions on setup etc. in case we get a re-order

Every job goes in a basket or box with a sticky note on it with the name of the job and what we are doing. We clip or staple it to the box so it won't fall off. 

We have 2 white boards that hold all the jobs with the name, qty, what we are doing and due date.


----------



## littlefatbuddy (Oct 8, 2012)

TYGERON said:


> And one great tip is perusing forums (This one in particular. Has a certain "charm") and finding and reading questions such as this one
> 
> Really. Stepping out from the day to day and finding out what other folk are doing is incredibly valuable. It's like tapping into one huge collective creative brain and serves to take everyone to another level.
> 
> ...


 I love Harbor Freight for craft type tools. You can usually find what you want and it is very inexpensive. I bought the dental pick set there but waited for it to be on sale for $1.99 and then used the 20% off coupon and the free tape measure coupon. Set of dental picks and 25' tape measure for $2.14.


----------



## littlefatbuddy (Oct 8, 2012)

binki said:


> We have 3 blade holders for each of our cutters. 1 for regular vinyl, one for glitter and one for thick material like blast for rhinestone templates.
> 
> We also have a written guide taped to the top of each cutter with settings for each material.
> 
> ...


 Binki I agree this type of organization is invaluable. I also like to record the information so if there are any problems it is easier to track. My wife says this is my OCD acting up but I just like organization and detail.


----------



## americanrose2 (Oct 1, 2007)

1) Best Non Essential Item: Purchased 2 large spiral binders. When purchasing template designs I always print them out and label with source, size, number of rhinestones, etc. Also print out my original designs. One binder is for alphabets and numbers the other for designs. Have dividers labeled with categories. I used to waste so much time looking for saved files on the computer plus I found I would forget the ones I had. This way I can easily thumb through and find exactly what I need. So much saved time! Time is $.

2) Best Tip: When shipping shirts I now use the white poly mailers and use First Class instead of the Priority box shipping. Cuts shipping costs in half and I swear people are more apt to purchase when the shipping cost is more reasonable for them. Plus, I've found the shipping time is just about the same. Still neatly fold the shirts with tissue and insert in a clear shirt bag and then insert in the poly bags.


----------

