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Any Printers Here?

The Rebel

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I got started in HS in print shop back in 84/85. Did all 4 years in the shop. After HS went to a 2 year Tech. College for Graphic Communications and then worked for small Mom & Pop shop. 1st real job in the industry was for a newspaper plant owned by the Milwaukie Journal Sentential in CT.

After that went into the Pre-Press Division of World Color which became Quebecor World after the merger, was called Q-Net Media.

Man has the industry changed used to be an art now it's almost a dying industry.
 
Had print shop in the 60's that was a job field that was big and then I went else ware
 
In the 1970s and 1980's my father owned a print shop.
I still have all my fingers.....
Even had the old printing press that used the lead letters in different font's and sizes. Usually used for wedding invitations.
Mostly offset printing was done.
 
I took up printing in High school in the mid-70's & worked at 3 different print shops after high school. All three closed decades ago. One only has to look at the thickness of your local newspaper to see that printing is a dying industry.

In the 1970s and 1980's my father owned a print shop.
I still have all my fingers.....

I worked with one guy who was missing his index and pinky fingers on one hand. Both had been plucked off in ink rollers.
 
I have worked in the printing industry. People read their phones instead of the newspaper these days.
 
I have worked in the printing industry. People read their phones instead of the newspaper these days.
Can't stand reading stuff on my phone......I'm keeping my laptop plus it's a pita to read a phone while in the 'office'. The car mags are getting thinner too.
 
I took drafting courses in HS and tech school and found it real interesting then as a possible career. Something about the beauty of a blueprint to develop a part into 'reality'. This experience came in very handy when I worked at a machine shop trying to interpret prints (and finding occasional errors) and make our own for projects. In tech school I was the newspaper editor and had to be the least experienced one on da planet! Anyway, learned a lot laying out the pages for print. I still write a newsletter for a client. I get a laugh when I read some of the 'editor' articles I wrote back then.

Today when building stuff, I use power point making a print that helps me think about how to construct it and keep my head straight. I'm kinda ****; but making a print on ppt is easier than sketching it freehand. Sooo much for a career in drafting...I was born about 30years too late...lol
 
All I hear it's online piss off
 
I took drafting courses in HS and tech school and found it real interesting then as a possible career. Something about the beauty of a blueprint to develop a part into 'reality'. This experience came in very handy when I worked at a machine shop trying to interpret prints (and finding occasional errors) and make our own for projects. In tech school I was the newspaper editor and had to be the least experienced one on da planet! Anyway, learned a lot laying out the pages for print. I still write a newsletter for a client. I get a laugh when I read some of the 'editor' articles I wrote back then.

Today when building stuff, I use power point making a print that helps me think about how to construct it and keep my head straight. I'm kinda ****; but making a print on ppt is easier than sketching it freehand. Sooo much for a career in drafting...I was born about 30years too late...lol
New engineers would come though the shop from time to time (refinery) with their first project and 3 times the same blueprint would come in with them. First time got me (print with a bearing fit towards the center of the shaft that was smaller than the sizes on either size), 2nd time it looked familiar and gave it back to the boss and the 3rd I handed it back to the newbie and just said "ya can't get there from here" and walked away lol
 
The blueprint industry is still going, every construction project requires it. The big difference is the plans are drawn up on computer and then go to the reprographic service who then takes it from digital format and prints it using a plotter rather than the old "blue line" printer in all the different sizes required.
Some friends have been doing it for decades, and changing with the technology.
They got their start in microfilm.
 
Had to learn the "California Job case" in shop class around 1982.


We just had a big fight with our local paper that resulted in the cancellation of our subscription.

We used to enjoy relaxing and reading the paper with our coffee on Sunday mornings.

They use an out of state billing service that doesn't report payments in a timely manner, and that caused repeated calls informing us that our account was past due, even though it was actually paid ahead 2 billing cycles.
No one on the other end of the phone had authority to, or knew how to contact the out of state billing co, even after we became aware that this was the crux of the issue. Each time this occurred (about 5 times in 2-3 years), it would take up to three weeks and three to four phone calls to resolve, and after every call in which we were told everything was resolved, the very next day without fail- another "collection" call would occur.

Additionally, we averaged about one missing Sunday paper every six weeks, and whenever we called to report it, we were told "there's nothing we can do because your account is past due".

Then there was the ever increasing "minimum subscription". First it was Sunday only. Then you had to get Saturday and Sunday, then Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and finally Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday- WTF?

You would think for an industry that's losing business hand over fist, that just a bit of effort and maybe a little logical thinking might go a long way towards keeping subscribers that actually WANT to patronize your business, instead of throwing up hands.
 
Local paper Waterbury Republican presses were breaking down from age. They didn't want to spend 2 or 3 million dollars to replace them. It's printed in Massachusetts now.
Had a NY paper delivered home for years. The delivery drivers got worse and worse, canceled it. Think I must of been an out of the way customer. Had one real good delivery guy, $50 at Christmas, I'm cheap.
 
I've had several friends in the printing business years ago, one owned a printshop, before I knew him. Sold it to IBM.
 
amongst other printing presses, I still remember how to operate the old Heidelberg Windmill letterpress
 
I read the local paper daily. Not much in it. Haven't seen my obit in it yet!
I also do all my drafting for building project. I just drew up all the required prints for an addition on my neighbors house so they could submit them for the required permits. Also a cabinet maker so I draw all the prints for cabinets I build. ruffcut
 
For the past 20 years I've worked in the labeling industry, part of a machinery group.. The parent company has been printing labels since the 1860's, video of one of my systems...

 
never worked in the industry
is it mostly taken over by the digital aspect ? today
the computer age
 
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