SmartWasher

[244]

Can I come check it out?

No.

Just kidding, of course.

This stuff has become my go-to for cleaning now.  It used to be Krud-Kutter, but this stuff is better..again, only when warm.

We have found its great to clean the press as well. Only when warm and right out of the nozzle to a rag.

[mk162]

ok, here is my writeup, i'll post the positives of each...

Smartwasher:

1. eliminate safety-kleen & frequent sludge cleanings.  The filters for this thing are before the fluid returns to the bottom.  Most of the solids stay there.  The stuff that does in the bottom is broken down and the organic matter from the ink has been eaten/destroyed.  The waste is landfill safe once it's not in liquid form.  Most of it is caught in the filters.

2. it won't damage squeegees...like ever.  It cannot soak into the squeegee material, it just can't.

3. cleans a broader range of stuff...when cleaning the press before I would clean it with nasty solvents and then Krud-Kutter as a final cleaner to get the more grunge off the micros and such...this stuff does it all.

4. The smell.  It takes a bit to get used to, but when you do get used to it, it's much better than solvents.

5. Look at the MSDS sheet...WAY better than just about any other ink degradent out there.

6. The cart has wheels, so it's very easy to move.

7. Non-flammable.

8. quote from SDS sheet: "Most important symptoms and effects: Direct contact with eyes may cause temporary irritation. Product is considered a dermal non-irritant and a mild ocular irritant".

Plastiwash or solvent based:

1. I would say on ink it works slightly better...but I have only tried SW-1, I am going to try SW-3, which is stronger.

2. The parts don't need to get rinsed afterward...the smartwasher can leave parts feeling sticky if the fluid dries on them...so we either wipe them down or rinse them with water.

3. works better for soaking ink knives and other things...smartwasher doesn't so well with soaking parts...also it will discolor exposed metal if it's soaked.

4.  You use less of this fluid over time.  The ozzyjuice evaporated pretty quickly because it's warm.  But the ozzyjuice is cheaper per 5 gallon container, so it's probably even

5.  Can be used as an on-press cleaner...ozzztjuice is utterly useless at room temp.

6.  Not sensitive.  You can't put fungicide, bleach or any other cleaners into the smartwasher...it will kill the solution.


The longer I've had the smartwasher the more I love it.  I would never go back to a solvent system...ever.

[cleveprint]

anyone knows who reps these? ive left a few messages but have yet to hear back.

[mk162]

Our Atlanta Rep is Don Mcqueen 678-772-6295 mcqueendon@comcast.net

[BorisB]

I can only get it filled with SW3 not SW1. any opinion/experience if this is OK? I'm in Europe, so dealers for Smartwasher I found only stock SW3, no SW1.

[screenprintguy]

has anyone done their screen ink wash out in one of these yet?

[mk162]

yes, sw-3 should work fine.  my rep says you can mix them all day long with no ill effect, and he took both plastisol and discharge inks back to the shop to test them.  i will see what he has found out.  see if you can send them a sample or go with some dirty stuff to test it.  according to the chart, I would think it would work better.  i will say that after the first time you use it, it works better.  i guess some of the solvent gets mixed into the solution and helps break down the ink.  the first time it seems weak, as it goes it gets better.

I would imagine the discharge agent might mess with the microbes, i will check with him.

I think M&R is testing screen washing.  it shouldn't have a problem.  cool thing is it took the permanent marker mostly off the press when I was cleaning it.(i marked some parts so i knew where they went)

[dirkdiggler]

ozzy juice does not like tape residue!

[dirkdiggler]

Went into production today, I will be doing some beta testing for Chemfree and hopefully will be developing a new washout booth for screens with a tall backlit back.  Made for screen printing, not washing car parts.

[3Deep]

We had one of those many years ago which I think ours was for car parts, after a few weeks we ask then to pick it up...didn't do anything but make a mess.   Using the mineral spirits I don't think was a good idea but that's what was in the unit we had and it sucked.  How is this smart washer different from the old parts washer we had besides the chems I see in the pic?

[jvanick]

We had one of those many years ago which I think ours was for car parts, after a few weeks we ask then to pick it up...didn't do anything but make a mess.   Using the mineral spirits I don't think was a good idea but that's what was in the unit we had and it sucked.  How is this smart washer different from the old parts washer we had besides the chems I see in the pic?

the smart washer has a heater in the tank to keep the solution warm.  There's also a mat in there that grows a bacteria to break down the oils.

The chemistry/process is totally different than mineral spirits.

(I still want one of these for our shop...)

[dirkdiggler]

just cleaned a rack of screens with it, it does work, really well.  its awkward because the sink is not made for screens, but it just takes some getting used to.  hopefully, we will be changing the design in the coming months and it will meet our industry needs much better.

[3Deep]

What Jason just said is why we didn't like using our old unit screens didn't fit and we only use it then for cleaning squeegee's and other small tools plus it was messy and I hated the mineral spirits.  Interested in this because I would like to get a better wash out in our shop as our main washout for cleaning screens is outside the building.

[dirkdiggler]

call Don, you can get one for 30 days free, if you don't like it, don't pay.   Just send it back.  Nothing to lose really.

[mk162]

I wanted to talk with them about some new things, one being fixed brushes with fluid flowing through them so you can clean tools and squeegees.