New to the site? Post your intro here and be welcomed...

[David]

Dan_Grr and Dupple, welcome to the wild and wacky Prepress forums!



pull up a stool and stay awhile,
or feel free to roam about the cabin.


your stewardess will be around in a mo' to get your drink order!


cheers!
David

[firefighter26]

My name is Jason, and I am an alcoholc..... no! wait... Pre-Press Technician!! Yeah, that's it.... Pre-Press Technician.....

A tripple shot of "hello" from Victoria, British Columba (that's in Canada, eh).

I pretty much make up the Pre-Press Department here at the shop. Prior to working here.

I got my "start" dong pre-press work in highschool when the school newspaper decided to do all their layout work digitially. Since I was the only one who knew how to turn a computer on, they made me the chief layout editor, or some other fancy name (never did get business cards <shakes fist in general direction of my highschool>)

Anyway, from there I was pretty much hooked. Did four years at a little photocopy place in Sidney, BC (also in Canada, eh) designing pretty much everything. Four years I decided to turn in my keyboard (aka, had a big 'disagreement' with the boss) for an ambulance.

Low a behold, during my last week of re-cert training for ambulance, my step-father told me that the shop he works at (he runs a 4 colour GTO) had decided to go CtP and wanted to know if I was willing to come in and talk to the owners.

WHAM, started a week later.

We've got a PressTek Vector TX52 Thermal Platesetter connected to a G5 Mac (10.4.7, duel 2.3ghz, 4gb ram) and all new software (Adobe CreativeSuite 2, QuarkXpress 6.5, etc). Downstairs on the production floor is a 4 colour GTO, a 2 colour GTO, and 2 QuickMasters, along with various impliments of destruction (cutting, binding, folding, etc).

It's been a learning experience the last 5 months. When I started, everything from the Platesetter to my desks where litterally in boxes!! The shop outsourced everything from digital work to film production. So, needless to say EVERYTHING had to be set up from scratch. Templates, networks, desks, software installs, hardware installs, the colour proofer, the platesetter, phone lines, EVERYTHING. That alone took me a month! But now that we are up and running I think we are doing pretty good for ourselves. I manage to keep the presses downstairs fed and 90% of the bugs have been worked out of "the system"

I am still relatively new to the Pre-Press world so I don't claim on know everything! But that's why I am here! Us alcoholc's.... umm, Pre-Press Technicians, need to stick together!

<sidebar, I really only drink during special occasions and used to be a firefighter, hence the name... oh yeah, and I've got a good sense of humour kicking around somewhere!!>

[prepress_brillance_43]

Welcome to the group Jason. The 12 steps arent easy to master. I think we have some ol' timers who still havent. :wink: Grab a stool, pull up to the bar and the barkeep will be with you shortly. :P

[David]

Morning All...

I guess I got to stock up the ole' garage...
getting a little low...
too many new members, might need to get some new waitresses...




Cheers!!!

[Rucola]

Hi everyone,


I've been lurking on here for a while but only just got around to registering. While thinking about what to write here it just occurred to me that it's almost exactly ten years that I've been in this business ... but it doesn't seem that long since I was a fresh faced apprentice compositor with more hair than I have now. Since starting by outputting film and occasionally scrubbing out the developer tank, I've worked as designer, prepress guy and artworker in print shops and ad agencies. I still don't get appreciated as much as I should, but at least they don't make me scrub out the developer tank anymore.

[prepress_brillance_43]

Hey Rucola. Welcome. ...and dont worry, I get to clean my processor. :cry: Want a beer?.. grab a stool and someone will be right with you to grab your drink order. 8)

[Dupple]

I'm with you on scrubbing the developer I'm twenty years in with a similar history. Currently trying to scrub A developer (the other meaning).

Welcome aboard and enjoy the ride.

I think there's a drink waiting for you in the lounge.

[jminrod]

Hi my name is Jim, I started printing on offset duplicators, paste up boards and developing film by hand in a tech school in 88" After my first year the hired me to work for the school. I was a sheet fed press operator until 98" Running several types of press from duplicators to 52" offset press. In 1998 I got to try my hand at full time prepress working for a new direct mail company who at the time had only 2 presses, they are now running 7 6 to 10 color web offset presses and it is a complete Prinergy PDF workflow in prepress, (No more film). I just accepted a job as a co manager with my previous Supervisor for a smaller sheet fed place near King of Prussia PA. Thay are running a Nexus workflow which I have never even heard of until now and even though I have never seen the workflow I am helping the my old supervisor work out bugs and try to understand the system because he has been there 2 weeks before me. But all my help to him was because of the great people of the website. I new more about the Nexus workflow than he did and I haven't seen it yet. My first day is October 9th 2006 they are considering Prinergy EVO but either way with the help of everyone here I am sure it will be a smooth transfer.
Thanks Again

[kierst_thara]

Well, I've been lurking around here long enough, I suppose I ought to step up and say 'hi' to everyone.

I'm still relatively new to all this high-end printing business, or at least it feels that way some days. I've got a 2-year 'Graphic Arts Production' tech course under my belt, and just over 3 years experience out here in the trenches. The course wasn't perfect, but I think it gave me a good set of building blocks and general print theory. My first two years were at 'mom and pop' shops with PCs, CorelDraw, colour copiers and the odd 2-colour press job. Good for getting my feet wet, and gave me plenty of experience on how not to set up good prepress work.

This past year I've moved up to my first 'real' industry job, working at one of the bigger print service providers in the area. We do perfect-bound books, magazines, presentation folders, and direct mail stuff, mostly. We've got CTP, on a Brisque 4 workflow, and nice OSX G5's with all the standard software, and of course the obligatory PC for those less pleasant jobs. Overall, I've learned just a ton of new skills since I've been here, and I know I've still got plenty more to pick up. These forums have certainly been a great tool for me as well, so a big thanks to everyone who takes the time to ask questions and share their knowledge here.

As a footnote, I'm also a Canuck; if you look on the map on the main page, I'm that lonely dot in the middle of Saskatchewan that everyone seems to be crowding away from. Not sure what that says about me or the industry in general out here.

Anyhoo, thanks again. I'll go back to lurking now.

[Dupple]

Welcome aboard Been doing this stuff for twenty years one way and another and always happy to help. I'm not arrogant enough to think you can't tell me me something.

Not in the trenches so much now-a-days, but I step in when I can.

Step into The Lounge, you'll be welcome and someone will get you a drink. It's Friday 8)