Shop Hacks

Squeegee & Floodbar Center

M&R presses now ship with a simple but powerful upgrade: alignment guides. Each squeegee and floodbar has a small routed line at dead center, and...

Pallet Zipper Channel

Zipper hoodies are notorious for uneven prints because the raised zipper throws off pressure and ink coverage. A simple solution is cutting neoprene to fit...

Zipper Notch Squeegee

Zip hoodies are notorious for causing squeegee hang-ups when printing over the zipper. A simple fix is running notch-cut squeegees, designed so the blade clears...

No Turnabout? It's OK.

Keeping white plastisol at the right consistency can be a daily battle. Instead of investing in a costly Turnabout, dedicate a heated dark room set...

Mesh Count Tape ID

Color-coding screen tape by mesh count is a simple way to make your darkroom more efficient. By assigning colors like red for 200 mesh, green...

Convex Dryer Mirror

Mounting a convex security mirror near the dryer outfeed is an inexpensive way for solo press operators to keep production flowing. With the mirror, jams...

DIY Cool Down Head

Keeping production moving after a flash unit can be tricky when ink stays too hot. A simple fix is to mount a box fan inside...

Real Time QC Cards

In a busy print shop, communication between operators and catchers is critical. Instead of yelling down the line when a misprint happens, use bright, pre-made...

Pantone Light Box

A Pantone light box is a simple but powerful upgrade for any print shop. By using controlled lighting, you eliminate the inconsistencies that come from...

Elevate Those Dip Tanks

Cold concrete floors sap heat from dip tanks, lowering the temperature of reclaiming chemicals and making them less effective. Raising tanks on blocks or adding...

Use A Bucket Scraper

A bucket scraper keeps ink containers clean and makes reclaiming leftover ink fast and efficient.  Some printers stick with cheap plastic scrapers, but for those...

Proper Shirt Smoothing

When smoothing shirts on press, always move in the same direction as the squeegee stroke. This keeps fibers aligned, prevents fibrillation, and results in cleaner,...