Rust/Paint on a Miehle V-36
Hey Folks,
I’m concerned about rust developing on my press!
I have an early Miehle V-36 in the warehouse, pretty good shape. The original paint has adhered somewhat on the upper parts of the press. However, the base, the areas surrounding the rollers, and the feeding area have often been stripped bare, and/or caked in a thick layer of dried ink.
Does anybody have experience refinishing one of these presses? Any recommendations on how to proceed? The press appears rust-free for the time being, but it is now warehoused close to the Pacific. What’s more, we have a part of our facility dedicated to laundry, and there’s hot moist exhaust being pumped into the ambient air half the time.
Has anybody matched the paint before? Would you recommend spraying VS brushes? How about stripping down the remaining painted areas, especially in the tough-to-manage sideguards?
Actually, my biggest problem is getting the old ink off the base. I used up two rags and a headache-inducing amount of gasoline, and I could barely clean up a hand-sized area. I really don’t want to use my expensive blanket wash on this stuff, either.
Thanks for your input!
-Matt
Try zip-strip paint remover on the dried ink. Used to use Solvent #95 (a liquid form of zip-strip) to clean type that had dried ink on it.
Might suggest trying a small area first, it may take paint and all off too. Be careful. Good luck!
Everyone would like some magic in a can that is cheap, very effective and non toxic. And will remove the ink but not the paint or the metal. I don’t know anything like that.
It is probably very good that the gasoline gave you a headache. That will keep you away from it. It not only hurts your head (brain’s messgae that it is bad), but it is dangerous as hell. If you were working in an enclosed space and the gas fired furnace or water heater was in the same space, and the gasoline fumes/vapors got to the pilot light — BIG BOOM!!!!!
My first suggestion is to leave the ink alone unless it is interfering with something that is supposed to move freely.
Concentrate on learning to do pretty printing, not on making a pretty press.
I have always used pretty primitive and cheap methods of removing old ink. I scrape or scrub it off. I clean dried ink from type using a solution of trisodium phosphate (TSP)
The real stuff, not the imitation replacement. Get it at the hardware store. A strong solution is strong on delicate skin and nasty in the eyes. Gloves and protective goggles. Brush on type and a plastic scrubber/scrunge on other inked surfaces. Lots of scrubbing. No magic
Some more.
In a moist salt air atmosphere with the addition of moist warm air from the laundry you have a near perfect atmosphere for rust on any bare metal and especially cast iron.
Car wax well buffed on the press base and platen will work well. I light coating of oil on most other bare metal is priudent. The rollers and rails must be free of any oil or wax to do their job. If they are to be left without use for any time, you can oil them lightly to prevent rust, but you must remove all the oil with solvent before using the press again.