We print a great deal of coasters. Just when you start to get ahead of yourself and think that it's going to be a breeze- you realize you were wrong! The easiest project turns out to be a challenge.
First, the color stripes had to be printed. Now, when I create designs for the coaster I work through the printing in my head. I try to make sure that it is feasible. Throwing a circle in seems easy, right?
Well- those little stripes go to the end of the coaster. How does the coaster stay in place? Usually we have little pins(affectionately called frogs) to hold the paper in place. When a design goes to the edge, you can't do that. It gets a little tricky.
Once the stripes are printed- it is time to print the black "cheers."
Not so bad?
Well, each little coaster has to be placed in the correct orientation. Vertical strips need to be 100% up and down. And this has to be done by hand. Each coaster. This isn't about speed- it's about accuracy.
Oh, and what happens when one of those coasters sticks to the form in the press? The rollers run right over the back of the coaster- giving a solid coast of ink. (that one did not get sent to Australia!)
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