Platen Tape not coming off...

[screenprintguy]

Elite is their in-house brand for different items. I wonder if someone knows who may actually make that tape they re-label.

[Printficient]

I sell 18" x 300' rolls for $48.15 ea.

[Gilligan]

Any good?

The stuff we have now shreds just trying to unroll it!

[screenxpress]

Man, I wish I could tell y'all the brand of tape I use, but I bought a big roll years ago from Graphic Solutions Group.

Since I'm pretty much a part time printer, I know tape stays on my pallets (formica covered, not rubber) for up to 6 months, probably longer and while the tape does come off in large pieces, I never had the horror stories you guys are talking about.  Just last weekend I pulled the tape off and took maybe 2 minutes a pallet.

[Gilligan]

I think it's the rubber that makes it tricky.

[screenxpress]

From the notes I've been reading, think you are right.  I had thought about changing out my platens for aluminum once and would have gone the rubber surface direction.  Kind of glad I didn't make that move.

What was the benefit of rubber coatings supposed to be?  Does a tape coating (sometimes 2 layers) take away any of the benefit?

[TCT]

same problem here last week, tape been on my CH3 for 4 months!

Do you ever print fleece on it? We have never been able to leave it on that long, sure would be nice though.

[dsh]

I think it's the rubber too.  The first rubber platens I had came from Ryonet.  Pealing the paper off could peal off parts of the rubber too.  Even with heat applied.  I got some replacement rubber when I left a platen under the flash too long.  When the time came to change, the paper pealed off in almost one piece.  Quite easily.  I replaced them all with the new rubber and now I have no problems.

[hoogie]

I sell 18" x 300' rolls for $48.15 ea.

Sonny, I'd like to buy a roll of your stuff..PM me and i'll get ahold of you. Man I have no clue how you guys keep that stuff on for the periods you do...I'm changing pallets on both presses three times a week, usually before they get in to work...that way drier is hot an presses are clean and ready for production as soon as they walk in the door...and I never have problems pulling it off, course I use my vinyl guys tape mask not sure if theres a difference or not...

[Printficient]

Any good?

The stuff we have now shreds just trying to unroll it!

I used it before I went to work for Xenon.  Flash it and it will peel off in one sheet.

[dirkdiggler]

same problem here last week, tape been on my CH3 for 4 months!

Do you ever print fleece on it? We have never been able to leave it on that long, sure would be nice though.

only t-shirts, all the garbage material goes on the diamondback. it gets changed more often.

[jvanick]

we have been going back and forth between performance shirts and regular gildans at least once or 2x a week... anytime we go from cotton to peformance fabric, we change the tape.

Sonny: haven't gotten a chance to check out the new tape I got from you yet, but i'll post a review when I do.

[Croft]

not sure if the glue is the same but i used to do signs and I'm pretty sure the backing paper for vinyl graphics are the same . When we had a delicate situation and had to pull the backer off we sprayed water on it and the glue would let go really easy?

[Inkworks]

we have been going back and forth between performance shirts and regular gildans at least once or 2x a week... anytime we go from cotton to peformance fabric, we change the tape.

We do that change quite often too, but I find the "fleece" on the platens holds the glue better and we have less problems with tech shirts releasing from the platen after the flash. You do get the odd thread or lint ball showing faintly through the print from the bump it creates on the platen.

[screenxpress]

I sell 18" x 300' rolls for $48.15 ea.

Man I have no clue how you guys keep that stuff on for the periods you do...I'm changing pallets on both presses three times a week, usually before they get in to work...that way drier is hot an presses are clean and ready for production as soon as they walk in the door...and I never have problems pulling it off, course I use my vinyl guys tape mask not sure if theres a difference or not...

Almost sounds like you're pulling the tape off when it loads up with lint?

Are ya?  Or do you use a wet towel to wipe off the lint, lightly flash to dry and continue?