Ink Table, Almost Done!!

[spotcolorsupply]

Hello All....

As many of you may know we are bringing on Excalibur ink (Due to arrive Wednesday)!!

Over the weekend I started building an ink mixing table... When completed it will hold 12 (5) gallon, and 16 (1) gallon pails of pigment or base.

The table is roughly 21' long and 2.5' wide. It is constructed of parts purchased at Home Depot, and costs around $250.00 - $300.00...

The mixing station is 24" X 24", and rolls the entire length of the mixing table.









The two top shelves still need tops... The bottom one will hold the gallons of pigment, and the top will hold buckets, gloves, wipes, etc.....

The rolling table requires 10 casters to work correctly... In this configuration the table can be pushed in any direction, and does not bind... 



The table has power via a cord hung in front of the table... This keeps it out of the way, without resisting the movement of the table.



There is a side table for the mixer, and cleaning the mixing blades...



When I am done, I will post pics of the finished product 

[ebscreen]

Awesome! TonyP was talking about this exact same idea awhile back. Monkeys and typewriters eh?

The idea has occurred to me as well, as this is how we would measure grains when I worked
at a homebrew supply store. The two processes are not dissimilar.



 

[squeegee]

That is sweet, I'm hoping to acquire a little more space in the future and would LOVE to hook up something like this.  Thought about covering the flat areas with stainless sheet metal?   That laminated particle board is pretty nice though, have a couple tables in the screen area made out of that stuff.  I might settle for batteries in the scale because the extension cord could be an ink magnet.  My only reservation about the idea is I know how tempting it would be for my folks to leave their crap in the path of the roll table.  Still though I think with enough space I would definitely build one similar.  Nice job!

[spotcolorsupply]

Awesome! TonyP was talking about this exact same idea awhile back. Monkeys and typewriters eh?

The idea has occurred to me as well, as this is how we would measure grains when I worked
at a homebrew supply store. The two processes are not dissimilar.

I could see this type of set up being useful to many industries!! It creates a production line... Start at point A.... Finished at point B 

[spotcolorsupply]

That is sweet, I'm hoping to acquire a little more space in the future and would LOVE to hook up something like this.  Thought about covering the flat areas with stainless sheet metal? That laminated particle board is pretty nice though, have a couple tables in the screen area made out of that stuff.

 

That would be nice!!

I might settle for batteries in the scale because the extension cord could be an ink magnet.

 

You may be right... The last one I built, the cord was inside the table, but the table was not as strong... We will see... I may move it 

How would you power the light??

My only reservation about the idea is I know how tempting it would be for my folks to leave their crap in the path of the roll table.

 

Haha... It WOULD happen lol

Still though I think with enough space I would definitely build one similar.  Nice job!

Thanks!!

[tonypep]

Well Brannon.......I don't thinkI ever showed you my table at Image Network but you pretty much nailed it. As you know any exposed lumber will take on pigment so if you want to keep it clean; paint, varnish, or laminate everything. Also that laminate is good; glass is better for the surface. Maybe down the road?
Well crafted as always. Still thinking about having you build me a stretching table.
tp

[mk162]

Crap, that is a sweet table. 

[tonypep]

Awesome! TonyP was talking about this exact same idea awhile back. Monkeys and typewriters eh?

The idea has occurred to me as well, as this is how we would measure grains when I worked
at a homebrew supply store. The two processes are not dissimilar.

I could see this type of set up being useful to many industries!! It creates a production line... Start at point A.... Finished at point B 

Just noticed this. My power supply was a recoiling cord that was suspended on a sliding track fixed to the ceiling. Stays out of the way.
A smaller version of this table is an excellent consideration for any mid size shop or larger. We would put the unmixed buckets on a turnabout or ink shaker and move on to the next color. Even you aren't mixing in an assembly line fashion it's just a good work station in general. You can add drawers for miscellaneous supplies and store backup ink underneath. Nothing like having everything at arms reach.

[spotcolorsupply]

Well Brannon.......I don't thinkI ever showed you my table at Image Network but you pretty much nailed it. As you know any exposed lumber will take on pigment so if you want to keep it clean; paint, varnish, or laminate everything.

I think I am gonna varnish it, not sure yet tho...

Also that laminate is good; glass is better for the surface. Maybe down the road?

Glass would be nice, but I will have holes cut in the table for 5 gallon buckets to sit in... I would be afraid it would break when you dropped the heavy ones in.

Well crafted as always. Still thinking about having you build me a stretching table.
tp

I have added a few features to mine since I first posted pics... Check it out 

Added a stroke cylinder to put weight in the middle of the screen.





And a flow control to the incoming air line... With this you just set the PSI, and flip the switches on. It pulls faster, and more evenly than manually turning the knobs 

[tonypep]

Brannon.......I just remembered in some spots we used cheap waterproof showerstall composite from Home Depot as a laminant. Wipes clean all day!

[spotcolorsupply]

Brannon.......I just remembered in some spots we used cheap waterproof showerstall composite from Home Depot as a laminant. Wipes clean all day!

That’s a good idea!! I may put that on the front of the table instead of varnishing it...

Got our mixer today!! Ink is in tomorrow!!

[spotcolorsupply]

It's Done!! 

Ink is in, Mixer is in, Scale is in, Table is complete!!

I do have to add some lighting, and get some ink degrader to clean the mixing blades... But we are operational!!

Oh yeah, my dumb A$$ forgot to order a Pantone book... It’s coming in UPS red tomorrow...

Either way here are some pics...



First change I am going to make is to raise that top shelf.... Its way to close to the pigment buckets.



I somewhat modified an idea that I saw from Calibrated on here... There is a small notch on the right side for the 4" ink knife to sit in. We will see if it works 

The gallon buckets are spaced to allow me to cut the hole larger in the future to accommodate 5 gallon buckets of pigment. Currently I have standard base, HO base, and white pigment in the 3 (5) gal spots...



Lots of base, and white.... 



Our first gallon of ink... Candy Red... The picture doesn’t show the color correctly, its purdy!!

[squeegee]

Looks great!  Thanks for sharing, it's giving me many ideas.  Mine will be shorter to save space (space is a premium around here), maybe double shelves for mixing colors, and will have a computer with IMS software and a label printer, love the rolling table and mixer area. 

Hey will the rolling table clear the handles of the mixing spatulas?

[Shawn (EIP)]

I have an ink table with bucket holes for all my most used inks, works out great and keep the buckets nice and ink free. As for the rest of my inks, I can't say the same for neatness LOL. Bending over to dip into a 5 gallon sucks. Looks great!

I like that 1/2 lid idea too for scraping the ink back into the buckets not using the sides.

[spotcolorsupply]

Looks great!  Thanks for sharing, it's giving me many ideas.  Mine will be shorter to save space (space is a premium around here), maybe double shelves for mixing colors, and will have a computer with IMS software and a label printer, love the rolling table and mixer area.

Thanks!! I have an old busted computer that I am refurbing, that will go in our UPS/Mesh Cutting table on the wall opposite of the ink table. We will print UPS labels, Ink Labels, and formulas from there. 

Hey will the rolling table clear the handles of the mixing spatulas?

It will, if the 8" are laid down like pictured (I’ve got to get use to that  ) , it clears the 4" no problem....

In my previous job we would clean one set of ink knives over and over for each pigment... Lots of rags, and solvent. I "hope" this will work better??