AB Dick Offset Printing Press Knowlege Base

Knowledge base for wet offset press operators. Log in, discuss your press issues and solutions. Become more efficient through knowledge.

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Howto & Style

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[poweronpromos]

what  printer you use for the polyester plates?

[Nanotech009]

Xante Platemaker

[jimball43]

what is the best and friendly blanket and roller wash and also what do you use to remove gum blind?

[Nanotech009]

Presswash comes in a 5 gal drum and so does Isoproanol.  I use press wash most of the time.

[dearlyynaveed]

are you based in UK or USA?

[pjgumby]

Come to think of those stupid safety stickers all over the press, telling us not to put our fingers into the gears or the ink rollers. I suppose OSHA had something to do with that but at the same time I wonder who it was that thought Printer's were so stupid to begin with that we needed those warnings?!!! And then to add insult they have this whole cages over the cylinders deal. I am sick and tired of these government types who don't have a clue tell us how to work.

[pjgumby]

@sk8888888able But my best advice to you is to go to college, become anything other than a Printer. I wish I would have became the Artist I always wanted to be. It's a dying trade, I was replace by a digital copier just last year and luckily just found a shop who has small presses. The printed copy does not have a good future. I made a life of it, and had a good run. For as young as you are, I would not pursue this venue. Just my advice take it or leave it. Printing is a dying trade. Be Blessed

[pjgumby]

@sk8888888able I stated that using just a pinch of citric acid will lower your P.H. of your fountain solution, because once you mix your solution correctly and the PH is still high, the natural inclination is to add more solution. That can interfere with conductivity ( the electrical exchange that occurs between water molecules) so adding more fountain solution is not always the correct path to take.

[pjgumby]

@sk8888888able Also wanted to say that you are not going to not learn what it's really like to work in a real print shop in a classroom. That education will come later if you decide to pursue this trade. But now is your time to experiment with mixing colors, trouble shooting mechanical problems, what to do when the pigment of your ink separates from the base of your ink, gear streaks, checking PH (adding just a pinch of citric acid will lower PH instead of adding more fountain solution). LEARN.

[pjgumby]

@sk8888888able I hate to break the sad news to you, but it is one of the more simpler ones on the market, but you're just starting out, so don't get overwhelmed. I once went to school too for three hours a day in high school for printing and it was the best thing I ever did. I was 16 then and I am 54 now, seen a whole lot of changes in printing in my day. I could tell you some stories. My advice is to learn the basics, trust your talent, and the rest will follow.

[pjgumby]

@RyobiDoctor I don't like poly plates because of the stretching for one thing, but after using glue to a fix the plate they seem to wrinkle so easily. Nothing will ever beat metal plates, but the silver masters do great for an alternative, and if I remember right, you can use the same chemistry/ chemicals in the direct plate camera for either plate material. I like silver masters because the main plate stretch occurs in the first 200 copies, and after that they're pretty stable.

[pjgumby]

@martinsvision I think this is normal, same with my machine too.

[pjgumby]

I see you have those stupid "do not" stickers on your press too. Last year when I operated a 1650 Multi w/T head I had five of them plastered all over that press. I don't know whose brilliant idea that was, but I'm pretty sure I don't need a sticker to tell me it's not a good idea to put my fingers in the gears, or the ink rollers. I kinda figured that out the first time I ever turned on a press! Some safety freak out there must think Printer's are not a bright lot, LOL!

[martinsvision]

Have a ? need help with an 8820 on my bottom rubber form roller when in night latch and form roller set to night latch it does not move freely but when you turn the form roller on it does move freely Why would this be ? is it normal? why would the top form roller move freely in nightlatch but not this one?