getting ink off lith plates?

[JKH]

I just got another batch from the paper but did not have time to wait for clean ones, in the past if any had ink it cleaned off easilly with isopropyl alcohol, this batch literally just came off the press and the ink is thick and sticky, I used 91% isopropyl and it barely touched it, what now?

Jeff

[DRNurse1]

Jeff:

Since you are having such a tough time with this stuff, just ship it to me to get it out of your way. (that was suppose to be funny-ha-ha, but you can PM me if you want to ship it to me....)

Modern inks are water and vegetable oil based (no longer oil based) so alcohol is less effective as a solvent. It should melt off when you melt the lino and it may also help as a fluxing agent. Unless you know the chemical content of the ink and therefore the likely gasses it will produce, I suggest a respirator for paint level fumes and a lot of ventilation in an outdoor setting when you try to smelt a small piece of this stuff.
I worked in an old print company that remelted the monotyps and other lead in a moderately ventilated closet without cleaning off the oil based inks. The guy who did this seemed to suffer no ill effects. I think he looked like Gollum before he started working there. (LOL) Good Luck with this stuff.

DRNurse1

[notenoughguns]

I think Jeff is talking about aluminum press plates not lino type . Hot soapy water would be my guess .

[waksupi]

Laquer thinner.

[JeffinNZ]

I don't bother. Just shoot them.

[Sagebrush7]

Jeff, Waksupi is right! Laquer thinner is right. I take all the stickey off and let dry. Separate by colors and turn the colored side in when making checks. I have mostly blue, black, red and yellow plates.

[JKH]

I thought either paint thinner or laquer thinner, will have to get another can and have some fun, yuck! ; )

I have purchased gads of this lith plate from our local daily, before they have always supplied clean used, exposed but unused or enexposed/undevelpoed plates, at most the used ones had exremely minor traces of ink that were dry and didnt bother anything. Then I got this batch of 30 plates and they are fully inked and still wet, they are stuck together so they are a real mess to handle, next time I'll wait a few more days if they say they dont have any clean plates ;)

Thanks guys!

[madsenshooter]

Most everybody uses vegetable oil based inks now a days. Any degreaser ought to get the job done, maybe even that citrus stuff. Mineral spirits is a bit more tolerable than lacquer thinner.

[Sagebrush7]

I tried everything. Brake cleaner, soap and water, spray degreaser,mineral spirits, alcohol, elbow grease, even acetone a killer. Got outside with lacquer thinner and a bunch of rags. Going to ask for the exsposed and damaged plates next time!

[yonky]

if you dont mind me asking how much do the printers sell used litho plate for? is it just above scrap price?

[JKH]

Hey Yonky,

It depends but is more than scrap value, granting you can find a newspaper that will even sell them to individuals, Sagebrush (James) bugged his paper for what, several years James? Before they finally agreed to sell him some. I get a decent price for my lith plate but it takes a lot to process, this inked stuff I should charge double for! ;)

Jeff

[yonky]

Jeff, I buy litho coil that is rejected at the mill as the coil has to be dead flat with no imperfections.
And I can tell you it looks as good as prime coil!
If you could find out where the paper company buys its plates from you may well be able to buy the reject coils for what your paying now, and with no ink on it!
Ian

[mold maker]

The local rag refused to even discuss the aluminum with me, untill it was time for me to renew. At that point they decided it was cheap to supply used litho plate for a subscription.
It was covered with ink and about as wet as jello. I tried all the normal solvents and degreasers to no avail. I finally let them dry with what I couldn't squeegy off.
Then the alcohol that didn't work before, worked great.
Go figure.

[Sagebrush7]

I pay .50 a plate and glad to get them. They work great on specific calibers I have tested with the Lee sizer. 22,.25/257 338 ,357. 41p. They will crimp on and you can't pull them of with the fingernail!

[yonky]

what size are the sheets you guys are getting?

[facetious]

Been printing newspapers for 33yr's. try some brake cleaner should come right off. Be for the brake cleaner drys wipe it off with a rag and hot water.

[DonMountain]

Unfortunately my farm has been surrounded by an industrial park over the last 25 years, and one of the industries is a book wearhouse and another one is a printing plant. I have been inside it a few times with the fire department putting out fires in their trash compactor. They unload large rolls of paper off of train cars and run them in big presses about 6' wide, with the paper moving really fast. Is this the kind of place that "sells" these litho plates you all are talking about? I have never poked around over there to see what they may have, but I am considering getting into gas check making and don't know where to get metal plates or how to approach them. Any ideas would be appreciated. :lovebooli

[aya]

What keeps the plates clean in the printingpress? Water, plain and simply.Remove the loose ink whith any kind of solvent, pure water takes the rest.

[JKH]

Don,

Either plant may have what you need if they use offset lithograpy press's, they vary in size somewhat but are aprrox. 20 some inches by 30 some inches and range from .005" to roughly .017" and maybe more depending on the press and plate manufacturer. When they are new and unexposed (like old.fashioned photo paper) the ones I get have a green color emulsion with bluish hue, exposed plates are gray with a positive image of the newspaper , etc. On front and the back is bare silver aluminum. Call and ask if they use offset lith press's and if so what do they do with the plates and if thy will sell/give you some.

Lith plate bar none is the best gas check material going, if you cant get any Yonky sells rolls of 1/2" wide material and I sell 50 or 100 - 5"x7" sheet packages, both his and my prices are reasonable, go for the local stuff if its there but if it is mic it for thickness and then ask back here about its useability.

HTH

Jeff

[Just Duke]

Been printing newspapers for 33yr's. try some brake cleaner should come right off. Be for the brake cleaner drys wipe it off with a rag and hot water.

Yea that's just MEK but cheaper.

[dakotashooter2]

Have you tried calling the place where you got them to see what they use?.............................................. ............

[JKH]

Hey Dakota,

Actually yes, they suggested gasoline or kerosene!

[BRobertson]

I always use Simple green before powder coating aluminum

It is a great degreaser, and it etches the aluminum, if you allow it to sit

for a while!!

Maybe it would work for ink??

Bob

[JKH]

Hey guys,

Bob, got your PMO today and hope to have your order ready to ship by mid week depending on getting the ink off, if I cant get it reasonable/useably clean this weekend I will biy more plates that are clean from the paper but be advised it will take at least several days more.

I used several things today; brake cleaner only works if the tube is within 1/2" and a full.can did about 6 square inches! Hot water w/Dawn did squat, engine degreaser was so so, ether car starter worked well but would take several cans for one sheet, the only thing that immediately disolved the ink was mineral spirits but it smeared thinned ink around using a saturated paper towel so will end up using a lot, what the hell is this ****? :(

I set out about 8 sheets along my driveway retaining wall to air dry overnight, the plates have been stacked together and wrapped so are still wet and sticky after all this time, hopefully when dry the ink will behave differently? I am tempted to try my pressure washer but most likely it will bemd hell out of the plate as I'm sure the nozzle will have to be very close to get any results, what a pain in the butt! I will NEVER buy uncleaned plates again!

One last thing for now, if I do try kerosene (gas is most assuredly NOT going to be used!), how do I remove any residue?

Jeff

[aya]

Been a newspaper/book printer for over 30 years, i have cleaned thousands of lithoplates! Back some 15-20 years, we always stored the used plates, for books that might call for a reprint. The procedure was, use a solvent to remove lose ink, a sponge wilth water cleans the plate and a sponge with pure gum arabicum , preserved the plate. We could then store it for months. If called for reuse, we used a sponge with water to remove the arabicum, and the plates was ready for use. I have to say, this was easiest done, when the plates was still on the printing press cylinder !

[BRobertson]

Jeff,

No hurry at all on my end, as it will be a while before I can use any of it!!

I am right in the middle of a kitchen cabinet refinishing, and the wife has

been VERY patient so far!!

Bob

[Inkman]

All depends on the exact prtg process used by the printer.

Let me know what type of prtg it is and i'll give ya the details.

UV sheetfed? UV web? Offest sheetfed? Heatset web? Open web? Water based newsprint web presses? Electron Beam? Different inks will clean up differently depending on the type of ink run on the specific press.

So fill me in here.......you guys take the used plates and cut your own gas checks? I only load for pistol and have never used gas checks before so forgive my noobness.

Al

[25ring]

I've been in the printing trade for 38+ yrs,running both UV and heatset.What we've used to clean plates is Kodak plate cleaner and preserver.I'm surprised that you can't get scrap plates that haven't been mounted on the press yet.Usually there are more than enough plates that get trashed for numerous reasons before they make it to press.---Mike