Cleaning rubber-topped pallets?

[Prince Art]

So, since we're on the topic of cleaning, I could use some recommendations: What's the best way to clean rubber-topped pallets that have been used with spray tack & no pallet tape? (They will be used with pallet tape from now on!) I don't want to damage the rubber, and want to ensure no residue remains that would inhibit tape adhesion.

[Atownsend]

Ive had to do this before, it really sucks.... I used Acetone + a rigid metal putty knife. Use caution not to damage rubber with the knife, it can and will damage the rubber if you use too much pressure, or dig the edge into the rubber. Xylene, mineral spirits or even ink remover will do it, but our ink remover (been e too) will leave a residue that makes pallet tape difficult to adhere. And it isn't nearly as effective as acetone in my experience.

[Doug B]

  I have soaked them in the parts washer and then finished them off with lacquer thinner.

[mk162]

soaking them in a standard press wash and letting them sit for an hour or so.  Then scrape them with a putty knife.  Acetone is overkill.  We used to do this year ago before we learned about pallet tape.

Just put a box on the floor and scrape it off the edge and into the box.  Less mess that way.

[screenprintguy]

They will forever be shot from this. I learned this the hard way on our first manual press. If you start a fresh set of pallets using tape you will never have an issue, but since they've had glue on them, you'll probably have issues from here out. What we did on that set, got them as clean as possible. Put a layer of tape, and then a second layer of tape. Always replacing that second layer. You "might" get lucky to where 1 layer will go on and come off, but from the experience we had, that wasn't the case.

[dirkdiggler]

for the first 5 years I was in this business, we didn't use pallet tape and we only used spray tack.  for cleaning we soaked with mineral spirits and used a putty knife. never hurt the pallets, just took about 2 hours to clean them.

[mk162]

Yeah, our platens were fine.  We just used mineral spirits and scraped them clean.

[Prince Art]

Not too keen on the putty knife - sounds like a gouge waiting to happen. But we'll give it a try. (A careful try.)

Related question: Any recommendations for removing waterbased adhesive? It looks like another set of pallets that came with the press had been recently cleaned and retacked - it feels like waterbased tack. But again, no pallet tape. Would you use the same procedure for this?

[mk162]

you can use a plastic one if you want.  You could probably also use ink clean up cards.  If you have to put elbow grease into it let it sit longer.