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screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: ericheartsu on October 04, 2016, 10:37:32 AM

Title: ink mixers?
Post by: ericheartsu on October 04, 2016, 10:37:32 AM
We need to buy an ink mixer for our ink room, but i'm also wondering about if there are any hand held mixers for quart size containers? We are constantly mixing additives together into ink on the print floor, so this would come in handy.

Any leads?
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: mk162 on October 04, 2016, 10:39:14 AM
I would get a small drill press or even an old used bench mortiser and see if you can modify it to work.
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: mimosatexas on October 04, 2016, 10:40:04 AM
for waterbased, just get a fin bit and a cordless drill.  You can spray it off in about 10 seconds between uses with just water.  Thats what I do...
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: jsheridan on October 04, 2016, 11:56:54 PM
A 12 inch adjustable speed drill press is about the best  table top mixer I've ever used . 
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: Maff on October 05, 2016, 10:05:43 AM
I've been thinking about this too. What about a kitchen immersion blender? They are small, fast, hand held and easy to clean.  But they do need to be plugged in to an outlet, unless they make them cordless?  They work awesome for smoothies, and making hot sauce......
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: bimmridder on October 05, 2016, 11:43:04 AM
So, share your hot sauce recipe!!!
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: Printitonup on October 05, 2016, 01:37:13 PM
A 12 inch adjustable speed drill press is about the best  table top mixer I've ever used .
What type of bit are you using?

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Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: hoogie on October 05, 2016, 01:43:05 PM
I went out and bought a 1.25" wide spade bit, then ground the sharp edges off put a cheap 12" extension on it and run it with a cordless drill. Mixes great and easy to clean up.
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: BP on October 05, 2016, 02:25:53 PM
AWT makes a mixer the tornado that will do QTs.

Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: screenprintguy on October 05, 2016, 02:50:47 PM
water based, i use batter mixers on a drill, yeah thats right the ones mamma used to whip up cake batter, they rinse easy and do an awesome job with water based stuff.

Plastisol, 2" flat hole boring bit with the tip ground off and sanded smooth mixes up quarts nice and easy to clean. I think the small drill press is best for this though. Hand held and using one of these can slip and come through the side of the mixing container. Ya want to avoid that lol. Drill press is slower spin and easy to control. Harbor freight sells them cheeeeeap
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: jsheridan on October 05, 2016, 02:56:50 PM
A 12 inch adjustable speed drill press is about the best  table top mixer I've ever used .

What type of bit are you using?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wal-Board-Tools-4-in-Paint-Mud-Mixer-43-014/202954593 (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wal-Board-Tools-4-in-Paint-Mud-Mixer-43-014/202954593)
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: Printitonup on October 05, 2016, 07:06:34 PM
A 12 inch adjustable speed drill press is about the best  table top mixer I've ever used .

What type of bit are you using?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


[url]http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wal-Board-Tools-4-in-Paint-Mud-Mixer-43-014/202954593[/url] ([url]http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wal-Board-Tools-4-in-Paint-Mud-Mixer-43-014/202954593[/url])

I guess knock a few inches off the bit, and set the press on a lower speed?

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Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: jsheridan on October 05, 2016, 10:54:09 PM
yes, cut the shaft down and adjust the speed to it's lowest.

You can remove the working table or swing it out of the way.

I keep about a dozen of the mixers in cups behind the drill press so i don't have to clean them very often.
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: screenxpress on October 07, 2016, 12:46:13 AM
Nothing fancy, just cut and bent bronze welding rod.  Twice the thickness of a coat hanger (or so) and won't flex under mixing.

Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: Shirt Lord on October 07, 2016, 08:59:21 AM
This right here boys, is the best one I've found so far. They work great for plastisol and even better for waterbase inks. They are so cheap, I buy them by the dozen.

http://www.lowes.com/pd/Allway-10-5-in-Steel-Spiral-Mixing-Arms/50427876 (http://www.lowes.com/pd/Allway-10-5-in-Steel-Spiral-Mixing-Arms/50427876)
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: mimosatexas on October 07, 2016, 09:04:20 AM
That's the one I use. They sell one almost identical at walmart
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: jsheridan on October 07, 2016, 09:14:33 AM
This right here boys, is the best one I've found so far. They work great for plastisol and even better for waterbase inks. They are so cheap, I buy them by the dozen.


prefer these for waterbase and even then can swirl the ink right outa the cup and all over you. to many nooks and crannies to clean for plastisol for my liking and the plastic gets softened by some ink cleaners.

plastisol doesn't want to be whipped up like WB does, if you stir it to fast, it heats up. Look at the turnabout from M&R.. it's a slow folding of the ink.

Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: mimosatexas on October 07, 2016, 09:22:57 AM
I use it mainly for waterbased, but also have one dedicated to white plastisol. Makes the ink print like a dream. For mixing plastisol I usually just use an icing knife honestly.
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: mk162 on October 07, 2016, 09:25:21 AM
We use one of those for emulsion as well.  Really mixes it great.  Let it sit for an hour or so to get the bubbles out and it's perfect.
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: jsheridan on October 07, 2016, 09:36:51 AM
For mixing plastisol I usually just use an icing knife honestly.

30 ish years and  my left forearm looks like popeyes.. it's rather comical
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: ZooCity on October 07, 2016, 01:28:39 PM
This right here boys, is the best one I've found so far. They work great for plastisol and even better for waterbase inks. They are so cheap, I buy them by the dozen.

[url]http://www.lowes.com/pd/Allway-10-5-in-Steel-Spiral-Mixing-Arms/50427876[/url] ([url]http://www.lowes.com/pd/Allway-10-5-in-Steel-Spiral-Mixing-Arms/50427876[/url])


That's the one.  Works perfectly for wb/dc.  We have a cordless milwaukee set to high speed that it goes in.  Maybe not true high speed shear mixing but it works well with PCs.

We use an AWT Tornado or mix by hand for plastisol.

Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: Ryan on October 07, 2016, 07:00:02 PM
These
Title: Re: ink mixers?
Post by: Rockers on October 08, 2016, 02:24:30 AM
 

[/quote]

prefer these for waterbase and even then can swirl the ink right outa the cup and all over you.
[/quote]
We got matching lids to our ink pots with a hole punched in the center to feed through the shaft of the mixer . Put that on the pot and mix away. No mess