Gauntlet having issues clearing?

[ericheartsu]

Our little gauntlet is having issues clearing a dark gray ink, through a 272 screen. I'ts a really blocky design, almost banner link, but it's not laying down enough ink on a single or even a double stroke.

We started with a tripple duro squeegee, switched to a smiling jack, and are now trying a 70 duro.

Any ideas as to what could be going on? pressure seems pretty constant

[tonypep]

My first consideration would be to lower the mesh. Dending on the image a 160 should do it.

[ebscreen]

If the mesh isn't the problem, see if you can put enough pressure on the head to bend the squeegee
over. Bad cylinders can look strange sometimes.

[alan802]

Yeah the leaky cylinder will cause those problems and I don't know how to determine a leaky M&R cylinder but on ours you can put your finger on the top of the chopper assembly during the print stroke and if you feel air coming out of the top air hole then you've got a leaky cylinder.  After checking that I would definitely go to a lower mesh count.  Are you trying to print WOW and need to print the gray through a high mesh count?

[ericheartsu]

just got back from lunch, and will try the air cylinders now.

Using a higher mesh, for a super soft print. It's just a one color print

[Homer]

more flood pressure.

[Shawn (EIP)]

Reduce grey, lower mesh, adjust pressure, profit.

[JBLUE]

First look at the squeegee and see if it is bending when the choppers put pressure on it. You want to see it have equal pressure. If one of them has gone out it should have uneven pressure when printing.

[ericheartsu]

After no luck, we switched a different head, and it worked perfectly.

So this leads me to believe it's time to order some new cylinders!

[californiadreamin]

After no luck, we switched a different head, and it worked perfectly.

So this leads me to believe it's time to order some new cylinders!

 Eric!
I assume it is an older Gauntlet. If is is change the print cylinders to 1" bore instead of the original
3/4" cylinders. Flood cylinders can remain 3/4". I might have some layin around my shop. You got
my numba!
winston

[JBLUE]

After no luck, we switched a different head, and it worked perfectly.

So this leads me to believe it's time to order some new cylinders!

 Eric!
I assume it is an older Gauntlet. If is is change the print cylinders to 1" bore instead of the original
3/4" cylinders. Flood cylinders can remain 3/4". I might have some layin around my shop. You got
my numba!
winston

I did the same thing as what Winston said here. Huge difference. We run 3/4 on the flood and 1in for the squeegees. Well worth the investment.

[Orion]

Before you replace the cylinders check the MAC valve(s) first. Call M&R service for the procedure to troubleshoot the cylinders/mac valves

[alan802]

Those cylinders aren't rebuildable?  I know the newer presses have rebuildable cylinders.

[ScreenFoo]

I'm guessing it's the older style head with two linear bearings, and the cast head--they have slots in the sides of the heads for bars that brace the squeegee and floodbar holders front to back, and have the height adjustment on top with a lock on the side.  The rather small cylinders are inside the head.  The newer style is like a cartridge--a box with a height adjustment barrel on top, quick connects on a side, and a shaft out the bottom that threads onto a yoke for the holders.  Much nicer, for sure.

Might be worth double checking your guys are keeping those channels clean and well greased too--if you run them dry they'll wear the head, and height adjustments get a little weird if it gets a lot of play in it.

I could only assume going 3/4 to 1" on the choppers would be huge--when I ran a GT-8, we were always slowing down the stroke because we couldn't get enough pressure against the ink/screen.  I still miss having single/double and front/back on switches though.  The E100 is a little tedious like that.

[ZooCity]

Anybody know the largest bore that will fit on a '92 GT-6? 

We have 3/4" installed (0.80" o.d.). 

I know that 7/8" will fit. 

But will the 1 1/16" get in there?

It looks close by my caliper measurements.

A lot, like practically all our print choppers are weak as hell (yes, also checked the Mac valves and going to replace at least one) so I'm going to retrofit all new and want the most muscle I can fit in there.