SQUEEGEE - PUSH OR PULL?

It is Friday and time to write a blog post again.  My days off from my real job are Friday/Saturday so I do most of my blogging and screen printing on those days.  My plan for today was to do the finishing touches on the new shop.  Unfortunately I did not get a chance to work on the shop.  Sometimes life throws you a curve ball and today was no exception.  Guess I will have to get up extra early tomorrow.

When I first started screen printing I was only pulling the squeegee.  I had no idea you could push it.  I am fairly strong but after a few small print jobs, my fingers, arms, wrists and shoulders would hurt.  I wondered how I was going to get through a 100, 200 or even a 1000 shirt order if my fingers and wrists got sore after a 20 shirt order.  Yikes!! 

After doing some research (yes, I said research...my favorite thing), I found some videos and blogs that talked about pushing the squeegee.  I thought I would try it and wow, what a difference on my body.  Pushing the squeegee allows me to put my whole body into it instead of just using my shoulders.  My fingers and wrists do not get sore when I push the squeegee.  I also have more control over the pressure I put on the squeegee so I get better and more even ink coverage.  This is especially true when I use a large squeegee, like a 15" one.  I can not get enough pressure on a 15" squeegee when I pull it but I can when I push it.  Because it is easier on my body, pushing the squeegee is my choice.

I love screen printing and I want to do it for a long time.  Therefore, I do LOTS of research so I can find the best and safest way of doing things.  Whether you pull or push the squeegee might not seem like a big deal at the beginning but it will definitely have an affect on your health down the road. 

Push, Push, Push!
Jeanette