For a guest, live printing takes about two minutes: pick a design, pick a size, watch it get printed, put it on. For a Tampa event, our part starts several weeks earlier in Fullerton.
Weeks out: art and freight
Your logo comes in and gets proofed. For a screen press we burn the screens; for DTF we print the film. Garments and sizes are settled against your headcount, and we get the venue's rules in writing: dock time, electrical, where the road cases go. With that done, the presses and blanks leave the shop as freight.
The day before and the day of
- The crew lands: printers fly into Tampa a day ahead and meet the freight at the venue.
- The build: tables, presses and a blank wall go up in roughly 10×10 ft, and we pull test prints before anyone arrives.
- Doors open: each guest chooses what they want, and a press turns out up to 60 an hour. The standard two-press station passes 100+ an hour.
- Strike: when your run-of-show ends, we pack up and the gear heads home.
What your room supplies
Floor space of about 10×10 ft for each station, two 120V/20A circuits nobody else is using, level ground and a spot for the line away from the doors. An outdoor Tampa site also needs weighted tents and somewhere to go when a summer storm comes through. The details are on venue requirements.
Which station to run
A crowd that all wants one design is a job for screen printing. Names, photos and color point to DTF. For something that feels like a gift, add a hat bar or embroidery. There's more in how live printing works, or send us your Tampa date.
Tampa planning
Getting into Tampa venues
The convention center runs freight on the show's dock times and drayage, and electrical is ordered through the venue. Hotels bring vendors in through service entrances in set windows. Older Ybor City buildings get a check of the stairs and doors before anything ships.
Tampa is a ship-ahead job for us: freight from Fullerton, a crew that arrives the day before, and a station about 10×10 ft on two dedicated 120V/20A circuits.