washup question...

[spigot]

With water miscible wash, some pressmen prefer to pre mix solution and water in the bottle, and washup this way on one go.

I prefer to use 100% solvent until the ink is gone, and then finish up with solution and a squirt of water, maybe repeat. I cant say for sure but i do beleive calcium buildup happens much slower this way.
Any thoughts?

 

[Bret Hesler]

Think of it as soap and water. You need the water mixed with the soap to be the most effective, and then a thorough rinse with more water. I had a major blinding problem with early ctp plates because pressmen were not mixing water and only finishing the washup with a light splash of water, leaving the surfactant residue in the rollers. Fuji solved the problem with 4 washups alternating Febo and 2-step washup. The pressman was amazed to see colors that he had not run for a month, coming out of his "clean" roller train.

If you are worried about calcium, run a calcium rinse every once in a while. There are premixed solutions, but a vinegar/water mix works just fine.

Bret

 

[loopyg66]

back in the day, I would start with straight wash for a few cycles, then a wash/water mix, then end with straight water.

If you a familiar with the automated wash systems on today's presses, there is only straight solvent followed by straight water. they all have their own systems as far as how the wash cycles are programmed ie: amount of solvent, how many cycles, rollers on plate, rollers off plate, on and on. solvent manufacturers have come up with some really good solvents formulated for the auto wash systems that work just as well manually (squirt bottles) and don't necessarily need to be mixed with water first. just rinse well at the end.

 

[RGPW17100]

I worked for a company that trashed their rollers because they did not use water with the V120. I mix it 50/50 always. Our SM 52 has an automated cleaning system as was mentioned earlier. It sprays solvent pure then sprays water so it mixes on the rollers. If you use a press wash can you have to run it 100 percent strong for it will separate in the can plus the water will rust the press wash can. If you can. Get color wash step 1. Put some of this in the rollers and let press idle for about 30 seconds then engage your clean up device. Put one more squirt of step one then complete the wash up using the 50/50 mix. The step one will emulsify the ink so it will not bead up on the end of the clean up blade allowing a better and faster wash up.