Platen Tack/Glue

[Hey Monkey]

Hey all -

Trying to get away from aerosol 100%. I have been using CCI ProBond for awhile and then hitting with spray tack as needed but I want to get that out of the equation. Anything better than ProBond that lasts longer? Also, I know you can take ProBond (and others) and cut them with water in a spray bottle which might be a great alternative to the spray tack. Is there a ratio to run with to get the right consistency?

Thank you!
Lenny

[RICK STEFANICK]

I think most of the waterbase tack out there is comparable. A key factor is having the gun set-up. We use it when we run out of 3m77. I know we get much better results applying it with same scrub pad we use in reclaim

[Frog]

I've never seen it done with a spray bottle as I would think that it would require way too much dilution to work. There are, however spray gun set-ups for this, and I know at least one old timer who uses a cheap gravity feed auto touch-up type gun from Harbor Freight. He said that he adds 25% water for that.
Something like this maybe?

[RICK STEFANICK]

This is the ideal set-up for the best results, product yield, operator control and it wont get all over your press.

https://sourceone.nazdar.com/P/3664/TB500-Spray-System

[ffokazak]

We use tex-tac diluted 50/50 and spray it through regular Home Depot spray bottles.

I disagree that all waterbased glue is the same... We had samples from saati and it did not last for two revolutions.

Also we will do a few revolutions between jobs just scrubbing off the lint and it prolonged the life of the paper a lot. More importantly it gives us a super flat surface to print high detail images, for a lot longer on the paper.

[Atownsend]

We run the TB 1000. It is a excellent setup, but for it to perform as intended you really need to mind the maintenance and do daily cleanings on the gun / nozzle. It gums up real quick if you don't, and then it really sucks to clean. Some glues are intended for direct application with a cleanup card and others are intended for a spray system like the TB 500/1000. The ones that run through the guns are a little thinner. Much harder to over apply those and cause warping from too much tack.

If you don't want to invest in a spray system right now, I would get a gallon of TB10, a couple ketchup squirt bottles for hot dogs, and some scrub pad handles / pads that are used for reclaim. Use the bottles to meter the glue, spread with a ink cleanup card. Once it loses its tack, don't apply more glue. That just glues the lint down to the pallet. Instead use a spray bottle filled with water, spray each pallet scrub with the scrub bad to remove the lint. Then flash each pallet to restore the tack.

[Maxie]

We use Tekmar glue and apply it with a squeeze bottle and small paint roller.   Pretty fast and we  don't need to hassle with a spray gun.

[screenxpress]

I been using TexTac for years and it works very well.  Every now and then wipe down with wet paper towels to remove the lint and hit for 15 sec or so under the flash to start again.  Needs only occasional refresh and stuff lasts forever.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0086P5FRE/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=190522188398&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=229968515892121518&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027655&hvtargid=kwd-33984271807&ref=pd_sl_4etdqe2cky_e

[islandtees]

We use Tekmar glue and apply it with a squeeze bottle and small paint roller.   Pretty fast and we  don't need to hassle with a spray gun.

THIS!!

[1964GN]

We use Tekmar glue and apply it with a squeeze bottle and small paint roller.   Pretty fast and we  don't need to hassle with a spray gun.

THIS!!

+2

We use condiment bottles and small foam paint rollers. Cut 50glue/50water for most garments, 100% for those stubborn garments... some poly and certain tr-blends. We add a couple drops of food coloring in one so we know which is which.

[Prince Art]

We use Tekbond TB-HV. Squirt from bottle, spread with plastic squeegee card. When it starts to lose tackiness (and that takes awhile, especially if you're flashing), we pause & wipe the lint off with either a rag or green scrub pad. (Paper towels shred too fast.) You can refresh quite a few times this way before you have to replace pallet tape. The stuff is great. One tip: Keep a bunch of toothpicks near the bottle, because the squirter gets clogged every time it sits for awhile! But stick a toothpick down it, twirl it around, pull out the congealed glob blocking the flow, and you're good to go.

[Hey Monkey]

Fantastic! Thank you all!

[screenxpress]

We use Tekbond TB-HV. Squirt from bottle, spread with plastic squeegee card. When it starts to lose tackiness (and that takes awhile, especially if you're flashing), we pause & wipe the lint off with either a rag or green scrub pad. (Paper towels shred too fast.) You can refresh quite a few times this way before you have to replace pallet tape. The stuff is great. One tip: Keep a bunch of toothpicks near the bottle, because the squirter gets clogged every time it sits for awhile! But stick a toothpick down it, twirl it around, pull out the congealed glob blocking the flow, and you're good to go.

Try wetting your paper towels.  You can even scrub the pallets to get all the lint off and my Sam's Discount paper towels to not shred.  Dry? They shred immediately.  Wet? Not here.  Then hit with flash about 20 seconds when done to freshen up the remaining tack.

[tonypep]

Use the push broom organic bristle head method for re-wetting/tacking with water. I posted about it a couple of ys ago if you want to search............. gotta run

[Stinkhorn Press]

we refuse to use anything but tex-tac. consistent and we're used to the tack level.
we just card it on. we don't dilute. little slower, but you can control how much you're putting down pretty well with the card.

we use sponges to remove lint. get surface wet, wring sponge, scrub, go.