Author Topic: m3 screen cleaning  (Read 1616 times)

Offline ericheartsu

  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 3539
m3 screen cleaning
« on: July 06, 2015, 04:14:10 PM »
We just got a pallet of 100 older M3 frames. They are GROSS.

What is the best way to remove:
-Ink
-Gunk
-Tape Residue
-Burrs in the Channels

i know there are lots of posts about this, but I figured having an end all be-all list might be good too!
Night Owls
Waterbased screen printing and promo products.
www.nightowlsprint.com 281.741.7285


Offline Printficient

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1222
Re: m3 screen cleaning
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2015, 04:19:11 PM »
Xenzu Pac.  Adhesive remover with an ink degrader.  $125 per 5 gallon
Shop-Doc "I make house calls"
Procedure Video Training
Press Inspections
Tips and Tricks Training
404-895-1796 Sonny McDonald

Offline jvanick

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2477
Re: m3 screen cleaning
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2015, 04:28:15 PM »
I just got a bunch like that... they were bad..

step 1.  make sure all the screens and emulsion are gone.
step 2. soak in dip tank over night.
step 3. pressure wash with the strongest setting you can use.
step 4. wrap t-shirts around the rollers and spray Sonny's Xenzu PAC on them.
step 5. scrub softened crap off with a scotchbrite pad.
step 6. degrease.
step 7. disassemble frames.
step 8. wirebrush wheel in bench grinder or power drill to the channel (SOFTLY!), clean ends of the tubes (where the wrenches go), bolts and corners.
step 9. reapply CS5-A (copper anti-seize from Loctite)
step 10. reassemble your frames that look nearly new.

Offline hoogie

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 113
  • feel free to email hoogies@bnin.net
Re: m3 screen cleaning
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2015, 08:43:31 AM »
For me, pull all old tape off. Pull mesh out an locking strips. I use acetone (outside of course :o) that melts all the old tape residue. Wipe clean. Then for the channels I use 100grit sandpaper to smooth all burs. Then on ours that I've gotten the tab on the end where the locking strips go tend to break off, I take a dremel with a chainsaw sharping bit on the end and shape them into a nice soft radius. throw mesh in them and put em in production. I can do bout 8-10 an hour depending on how bad they are.
Hoogie...

Offline GKitson

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 720
  • Just another t-shirt guy
Re: m3 screen cleaning
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2015, 12:32:50 PM »
We just got a pallet of 100 older M3 frames. They are GROSS.

What is the best way to remove:
-Ink
-Gunk
-Tape Residue
-Burrs in the Channels

i know there are lots of posts about this, but I figured having an end all be-all list might be good too!

If you want to blow your mind, find somebody with a dry ice blaster.

Costs a small fortune but the crud, all of it, just falls right off.

Physics behind it is really 'cool', sorry I could not resist.  ;D

Coefficient of expansion of the crud is different from the mass associated with the frame and when subjected to intense cooling crud just disappears and you end up with a fine powder of crap.

No justification to own one but I really want one just out of "cool tool lust".

~Kitson

He who dies with the most 'toys' wins!
Greg Kitson
Mind's Eye Graphics Inc.
260-724-2050

Offline hoogie

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 113
  • feel free to email hoogies@bnin.net
Re: m3 screen cleaning
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2015, 01:18:19 PM »
We just got a pallet of 100 older M3 frames. They are GROSS.

What is the best way to remove:
-Ink
-Gunk
-Tape Residue
-Burrs in the Channels

i know there are lots of posts about this, but I figured having an end all be-all list might be good too!

If you want to blow your mind, find somebody with a dry ice blaster.

Costs a small fortune but the crud, all of it, just falls right off.

Physics behind it is really 'cool', sorry I could not resist.  ;D

Coefficient of expansion of the crud is different from the mass associated with the frame and when subjected to intense cooling crud just disappears and you end up with a fine powder of crap.

No justification to own one but I really want one just out of "cool tool lust".

~Kitson

He who dies with the most 'toys' wins!


Greg, I think you should get one!!! lol i'll load mine all up and see ya in 45mins. Only for experimentation and cool factor of course 8)
Hoogie...

Offline jsheridan

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2130
Re: m3 screen cleaning
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2015, 03:12:36 AM »
Greg said it.. dry ice is the best route

Ive used easiway 701 to clean some wicked nasty framez with a scotchbrite green pad and they came out looking brandy new.
Blacktop Graphics Screenprinting and Consulting Services

Offline Doug S

  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1481
Re: m3 screen cleaning
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2015, 09:51:55 AM »
all this is nice to know.  I have about 25 m3's that are a pain to deal with just to free up the rollers everytime for a retention.  I know I'll have to take them apart to do a thorough cleaning. The only thing I wish is that when they were manufactured that they skipped the painting step although I know that makes them pretty and all.  That stuff just flakes off like crazy and sometimes right in the middle of a freshly coated screen.
It's not a job if you love doing it.