Rubber Base Ink from NA Graphics

I am new to letterpress and have had troubles getting a solid print with my photopolymer plates until yesterday. I was using oil inks from NA Graphics so I bought a can of Vanson ink and it was the first time I got a solid design to appear. I dont know if it was just the ink or what but that was the only thing I had switched and it worked perfectly.

This is a very good question. I want to buy a start up kit of ink and I don’t know either which one is better. I think the Van Son is more popular but like you said, the ones from NA graphics are cheaper…

Does anybody use Rubber Base Ink from NA Graphics?

Most standard colors of most brands of ink should work pretty well for average jobs on most papers. But as soon as you start trying to print heavy solids, or on very absorbent paper, or very non-absorbent stock, or heavily textured, or under unusually cold, or hot, or humid, etc. conditions, or just anything unusual in any way, problems may possibly arise. Also, due to the pigments, different colors of the same brand of ink will behave differently. There simply is no one best ink for all situations. There are so many variables in any given print job that unfortunately the only real answer is experience, but trial-and-error can help!

And while rubber base inks work well for many people and many types of work, oil base inks tend to be more versatile overall. For those using smaller quantities of ink, or interesting in comparing brands side-by-side, I do have a variety of inks (including some Van Son) available in quarter-pound tubes. Feel free to e-mail me at Ink(at)ORCHIDesign.com if you’d like a list of what’s currently available, or if you have specific questions or problems.

Dave (the Ink in Tubes guy)

Tell me if you have any luck with this - I am having the same issue. I got ink from NA graphics and can’t print any full coverage.

Let me know what you find out! Thanks.