What to put in your reclaim dip tank to keep the screen out of "the sludge"

[ScreenPrinter123]

What won't effect the chemical?  PVC pipes - but does that weigh enough to stay at the bottom?  Will bricks effect the chemical? Etc.?

We're using Easiway Easi Strip Supra

[mimosatexas]

I would look into one of those grates that goes over florescent office lights kind of like this: http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Lighting_Diffusers/W-EGG-375X2X4

I would make a pvc rectangle, fill it with whatever (something heavy) and seal it, then set the grate on it, and you're done.

Really you could just use any pvc loop filled with gravel or sand as long as it is sealed.

[T Shirt Farmer]

2" or 3" PVC filled with sand or gravel with end caps cemented on.

[alan802]

Don't have sludge in the bottom.

We put 2-3" rocks on the bottom of ours when we had a sludge problem but we took them out a while back. 

[TCT]

That is odd, ours came with plastic stand offs adhered/welded to the bottom. I guess I kinda figured they all did.

I would recommend a thorough de-inking before you drop 'em, to help reduce your sludge. I would imagine you could drop two sets of bricks or garden edgers in there going the short way to help elevate the screens a bit

[alan802]

I've told the guys not to leave the screens in the tank unattended for long amounts of time to keep the emulsion from dripping off to the bottom of the tank.  It's helped a ton, getting to the screens with the pressure washer before the emulsion falls off and de-inking properly has almost eliminated the bottom sludge.  We've had it 4-5" thick before.

[Sbrem]

Don't have sludge in the bottom.

We put 2-3" rocks on the bottom of ours when we had a sludge problem but we took them out a while back.

Ditto. Clean it out more often...

Steve

We have bricks, no problems we've seen...

[TCT]

I've told the guys not to leave the screens in the tank unattended for long amounts of time to keep the emulsion from dripping off to the bottom of the tank.  It's helped a ton, getting to the screens with the pressure washer before the emulsion falls off and de-inking properly has almost eliminated the bottom sludge.  We've had it 4-5" thick before.

Not letting them sit in there forever also helps preserve the chemicals...

[3Deep]

How bad is using a dip tank for wood frames? a NO NO or what

Darryl

[mimosatexas]

related, will discharge ink kill the chemistry?  would love to be able to drop those in right off press vs scrubbing off.

[Sbrem]

How bad is using a dip tank for wood frames? a NO NO or what

Darryl

Well, I wouldn't leave them in there too long, and they should have a polyurethane finish to keep the chemistry from soaking the wood... sometimes a spray bottle and some scrubbing is more convenient for emulsion, say for one screen or two; otherwise, dip'em

Steve

[ebscreen]

Don't know that discharge will kill a tank, but you really wouldn't want ink of any kind in there.

[mimosatexas]

i'm just debating whether or not I am going to fill my tank with just water, or some kind of chemical.  One of my main slowdowns right now is having to clean discharge screens immediately off press before moving on to another setup or run an errand etc.  Ideally I'd like to do two things at once by also aiding in the reclaim process, but not at the cost of neutralizing the chemistry more quickly and costing a lot in replacement chemicals.  Obviously a second tank would be awesome, but isnt an immediate option.

[ebscreen]

If it's just water, the cost of filling it is negligible, IE garbage can or some such.

[mimosatexas]

I would need something that would fit 6 23x31 screens at a time and would hold that much water without buckling.  I'll look at lowes.  A trash can is a good idea.