Ink drying on PP plate mid-run

Lately I’ve been having a problem with my Braden Sutphin ink (oil based) drying on my metal-backed PP plates. It seems to only occur with their neon range, as the other inks from them are fine.

I would switch to another brand, but I really love a specific mix that they do. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, what steps did you take to rectify it? Anything I can possibly add to the ink, w/o making it too thin?

Thanks in advance!

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Any other variables such as temperature, humidity, etc.?
Does it happen with metal type or a mag. mounted to wood cut?
It might just be the ink formulation properties of making neon colors. You could ask your ink rep. or who/where ever you buy your ink.

Nope nothing I can put my finger on – it’s happened when cold, hot, humid, or dry. And while it might be a property of their neon ink, it isn’t with others, as I’ve used VanSon w/o incident.

I haven’t had occasion to use this ink with type or metal yet, but that might be something to try whenever I have time to experiment. Problem is, right now I don’t – so that’s why the question. ;-) Guess I’m trying to take the easy way out.

Thanks for your reply, @ Girl w/ a Kluge!

Is there a drying agent in this ink? It may be formulated for offset and have a dryer and you just aren’t fast enough on the press.

Dan

Hmmm, don’t know… I’m printing on a heidelberg, so it should be fast enough at 2500 iph. It seems to really get gummed up every 50 or so.

Yikes! I thought you were going to say you were goin’ slow on a hand fed press.

Dan

Haha, nope! That’s why this seems to be such an anomaly.

Me too! Double Yikes Yikes

Talk to your ink supplier.

Clove oil is what’s used in rubber based ink to retard the drying. You can try mixing in a tiny bit to see if it helps. You can find it in most pharmacies as it’s a common aid for toothaches.

I spoke to their tech guy, who said that the ink is essentially setting, not drying, on the plate and that the ink needs to be “extended” with trans. white 20%-30%. Since I often have to skip feed in the first place to get the color I want, this is unfortunately not the answer I was looking for.

Lammy - thanks for the suggestion – I’ll give the clove oil a try when I have some experimentin’ time.

If anyone else has heard of this of had this happen, and has a work-around, I’d love to hear about it.

Thanks all!