[5334] in APO Printshop
RE: Print Run Successful
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Alan Meisler)
Mon Jan 14 09:38:14 2008
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:37:42 -0500
From: "Alan Meisler" <ameisler@admreo.com>
To: <apo-printshop@MIT.EDU>
>> 3) Kate and I were both convinced that the first step in cleaning the
>> roller/platten was to apply "Easy Street". We also remember
something=20
>> called "goop" which may or may not have been the same thing. The
>> phrase "roller conditioner" also came to mind. But in searching =20
>> around,
>> we found none of this stuff, and ended up cleaning everything with=20
>> blanket wash. Are those other substances no longer used, or did we=20
>> just not find anything?
>Indeed, the general procedure these days just uses whatever's in the=20
>push-push, which I believe is currently Varn Pronto blanket wash. I=20
>feel like I've heard the name "Easy Street" before, but am not certain=20
>what it is. I do know that we've tried multiple solvents at times; not
>sure what "goop" was. I'm also not sure about roller conditioner or=20
>how often it used to get used, and imagine that Len will comment, but=20
>something possibly relevant is that in the past decade we've had most=20
>of the rollers recast from true rubber to a composition compound;=20
>perhaps that deprecated the need for roller conditioner.
"Goop", to the best of my recollection, is a heavy-duty hand cleaner.
(It can also be applied to stains in clothes as a pre-wash. Good to have
around for when you get ink on your clothes. Not guaranteed to work, but
applying some as soon as the stain is noticed gives you a chance of
getting it out.)
According to a page I found (through google) at
http://www.ewebpaper.com/new/press_supplies.html, Easy street is a
"deglazer and roller conditioner". We used to be able to get it at
Paperworks. (I think that's the name. It's a paper store on Cambridge
street in Allston.) Whoever sells us our blanket wash probably carries
it. It comes in large tubes. I tried seeing if epaperstore above still
carries it, but their "press supplies" section seems to be down. They do
claim, however, to have a distribution center in Boston. (Whatever that
means.)
As a roller conditioner, I believe it helps to preserve the rubber of
the roller. As a deglazer, it removes ink previously left by incomplete
washings. I did find that greatly sped up the cleaning process,
especially when using two or three rollers. (Partially, I think, because
I find cleaning the platen to be much quicker than cleaning the
rollers.)
The procedure would run something like this:
1) Clean the platen. It doesn't have to be a full clean, just enough to
see the silver.
2) Apply a few dabs of Easy Street to the platen, as if you were
applying a small amount of ink. (Not a lot is needed, and if too much is
applied the rollers slip instead of rolling.)
3) Run the press as if you were applying ink. A lot of ink will come off
of the roller and coat the press.
4) Clean the platen and repeat process if desired. (If you have multiple
rollers you will want to do this at least twice.)
5) Clean platen and rollers completely with blanket wash.
Hope this helps,
Alan Meisler
