chemical use question

[Jhtitan]

So We bought out a screen printing shop of all the equipment. Included was a ton of plastisol ink and some chemicals. Some are self explanatory, some not so much.

What would you use a spray bottle of baby shampoo and water and a spray bottle of alcohol for? We are trying to figure out what he was using to clean off his screens, I found a gallon of emulsion remover, can't remember what brand right off.

So along with that, a follow up question would be, what, if anything, should I use when I need to wipe of the shirt side of the screen during printing.

Thanks.

Jon

[Frog]

So We bought out a screen printing shop of all the equipment. Included was a ton of plastisol ink and some chemicals. Some are self explanatory, some not so much.

What would you use a spray bottle of baby shampoo and water and a spray bottle of alcohol for? We are trying to figure out what he was using to clean off his screens, I found a gallon of emulsion remover, can't remember what brand right off.

So along with that, a follow up question would be, what, if anything, should I use when I need to wipe of the shirt side of the screen during printing.

Thanks.

Jon

No idea of what they used the shampoo for. The allcohol is sometinmes used to prepare water repellant fabrics for printing (though I've always contended that if it helps, the fabric is no longer water repellant there, which could be a deal breaker.)

As for wiping a screen on press, there are products called Press Wash designed for plastisol.

[mooseman]

we use this stuff to open / dress screens during printing or to remove an ink clog etc.
it is pretty tough on the lungs though so be careful.
https://screenprinterswarehouse.com/on-press-solvents-and-adhesives/camie-480-screen-opener-spray/?sku=CAM-480-CAN&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvqDiBRDAARIsADWh5TdndxW4cTXGBCGexTTXKG-Xl6SFNDQ4iZuMeNkpX51qhNLnmoKuUOsaAkiCEALw_wcB
mooseman

[Frog]

I use this, available from the same place as Moose's spray.
I quit using spray screen opener ten years ago, naaaaassssty stuff!
I also found it could damage fine details like hallftone dots on photopolymer emulsions.

[screenxpress]

I must have lived a charmed life.  I cannot remember the last time I had to wipe off the shirt side of a screen.....that is before pulling the screens off the press when done to reclaim.

When doing multicolor halftones, the ink does build up on the backs of the screens from WOW printing, but I sure don't wipe it off.  To me, it needs to carry some for the ink colors to settle in.

Perhaps Moose or Andy can tell me what I've been doing wrong(?), lol.


For the shampoo, I bet it was being used as a screen degreaser prior to coating.

[Frog]

I must have lived a charmed life.  I cannot remember the last time I had to wipe off the shirt side of a screen.....that is before pulling the screens off the press when done to reclaim.

When doing multicolor halftones, the ink does build up on the backs of the screens from WOW printing, but I sure don't wipe it off.  To me, it needs to carry some for the ink colors to settle in.

Perhaps Moose or Andy can tell me what I've been doing wrong(?), lol.


For the shampoo, I bet it was being used as a screen degreaser prior to coating.

I mostly use press wash for on-press screen cleaning on color changes.
As for only wiping the shirt side, that only comes up on long runs on which the WOW ink build up is great enough to start mucking up clean lines.

[Prince Art]

we use this stuff to open / dress screens during printing or to remove an ink clog etc.
it is pretty tough on the lungs though so be careful.
https://screenprinterswarehouse.com/on-press-solvents-and-adhesives/camie-480-screen-opener-spray/?sku=CAM-480-CAN&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvqDiBRDAARIsADWh5TdndxW4cTXGBCGexTTXKG-Xl6SFNDQ4iZuMeNkpX51qhNLnmoKuUOsaAkiCEALw_wcB
mooseman

Rarely needed here, but last week I had to clear some screens that had been sitting too long. I grabbed a can of Sprayway screen opener that I've used maybe once before. Decided to skim over the warnings. A lot of nastiness, but I couldn't get past "May cause corneal opacity. (Clouding of the eye surface.)" What a great characteristic for mist I'm going to spray at face level! I put the can back down, and wiped the screens clean with Saati's Remove PW4. Worked fine.

[screenxpress]

I mostly use press wash for on-press screen cleaning on color changes.
As for only wiping the shirt side, that only comes up on long runs on which the WOW ink build up is great enough to start mucking up clean lines.

Press clean and color change would be the same.  I must not have had a long enough run to have WOW be an issue.  Tks

[Frog]

I mostly use press wash for on-press screen cleaning on color changes.
As for only wiping the shirt side, that only comes up on long runs on which the WOW ink build up is great enough to start mucking up clean lines.

Press clean and color change would be the same.  I must not have had a long enough run to have WOW be an issue.  Tks

Yep, get a loupe and examine a shirt every few hundred down the line and you may well see a difference as the butt register edges get a little muddy. Depending on ink formulation and screen tension, your mileage could vary.

[jvieira]

This is why I love this board. I was looking for a new option for on press wash and got two new ones to try (CCI and Saati).

Thank you for the feedback and being helpful folks!

[RICK STEFANICK]

 Don't forget good old screen opener works great also.

[Frog]

Don't forget good old screen opener works great also.

Absolutely the scariest chemical we have used over the years! Even when I did use it, it tended to be for emrgency clogs, never for overall screen cleaning.  The bad smell is a giveaway.
I also found it to attack photopolymer halftone dots.
Haven't touched a can in over ten years.

[RICK STEFANICK]

Used it today to clean a plugged 400 micron cap screen. Love the smell

[mimosatexas]

We use Clorox wipes to clean ink off the screen after carding it all out. Usually takes three or four wipes but real quick doesn't hurt the Emulsion at all

[ericheartsu]

We use Clorox wipes to clean ink off the screen after carding it all out. Usually takes three or four wipes but real quick doesn't hurt the Emulsion at all

this seems incredibly expensive.