Aluminum pallets with a soft top rubber

[Denis Kolar]

Interesting posts, I might need to do what Alex did with two layers of tape.

Pallets came in yesterday, installed and pallet tape put on. Can not wait to print on them tomorrow.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

<snip> The pallet tape comes off another layer of pallet tape waaaaaaaaay easier than it comes off the rubber!

Does it stick well enough that the corners don't lift and roll up?

I tried that once, but not too seriously.  I didn't much care for it, but I didn't stay with it long enough to give it a fair shake.



Here's a rabbit trail I haven't read about but surely it is a shared experience.

For me...the very 1st application of waterbased adhesive on BRAND NEW platen tape "soaks in" a lot like primer on new wood. So it always takes me 2 (or even 3) applications of adhesive to get a good grip on performance fabrics.

I am doing less and less printing on my manual these days, so I just let my Gauntlet auto-index between "coats". I use a 3" foam brush and a squirt bottle with 50-50 CCI Top Bond and water.  "Warm the Shirtboards, Squirt, Brush, Flash, Repeat."  It's a little slow. Maybe there is a better way. (I've only found one brand of foam brushes that are sturdy enough to survive my coating process. I buy them at True Value Hardware, and they last a very loooong time.)

My rubber tops shrink over time. Say...an eighth of an inch or maybe more. I wonder what adhesive is best to help avoid that. I need to re-do some.


Second Rabbit Trail:
Old platens develop a little "crown" with years of usage. I've never straightened my M&R style boards, but with my Hopkins (Action Engineering) aluminum boards, I've flattened "warped boards" on a hydraulic press more than once. It works okay.

I strip off the hardware first and sometimes the rubber. I use three 1-1/2" X 3" X 20" Iron Plates strategically placed lengthwise on a bottle jack press, pressing and checking results with a straight edge. A parallel support edgewise under each edge, and one standing in the middle to spread out the load the "stinger" imparts. Not for the faint of heart...  It's incredible how much "spring" that stuff Action uses actually requires to re-flatten to within +/- .005 or so.

And no, I'm not NORMAL. I'll freely stipulate to that. Truing shirtboards makes NO sense to most folks. Wipe this info out of your memory banks unless you ALREADY have access to a press and a little experience. It's strictly farmboy stuff, or if you are a machine shop nerd.

PLUS I'm skeptical with M&R boards. It would likely break the bracket's adhesive bond if pressing is required to UNWARP them along their entire length. Width should be okay. I haven't even checked my old auto's boards yet, to see how warped they are. Maybe I just don't want to know. 

[jvanick]

I've never had any luck with the 2 layers of tape either.. this might be because we run low tack tape? 

the 2nd layer never stuck well enough for me to be happy.  I timed myself last week, to do all 12 platens, strip off old tape, put new tape on, it took me 15 minutes.

-J

[mimosatexas]

I apply with a paper towel vs a roller or brush. Much cleaner and even final product for me as the towel will soak up excess drips and what not. Never have to apply more than one coat to grip anything.

I tried the multiple layers of tape a few times with different types brands and never got it to stick well. Always bubbled on even mild flashing or curled off even when tucked under nicely vs cutting at the edge of the pallet. I finally just drew a center line on the rubber and called it a day.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I apply with a paper towel vs a roller or brush.

Wadded up or folded?

I put centerlines and etc directly on the rubber too. I use a Permanent Magic Marker, but you can easily screw it up. Can't really fix boo boos.

[mimosatexas]

Just wadded up. I squirting a zig zag kind of in the middle then go back and forth and up and down. Finish with some circular wipes that clean up any missed or uneven areas and the inevitable streaks.