Van Son Easy Street for Tabletop models

This might be a silly question, but can I use Easy Street on my Kelsey Tabletop and just hand crank it for a few minutes? The directions say to “let the press run” for 3-5 minutes, but obviously, I don’t have a mechanical press.

Thanks.

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you could, but it would be better to take out the rollers and scrub by hand. can’t imagine that a kelsey would have that much ink built up in the rollers. clean it well afterward with blanket and roller wash. kind of always figured easystreet was a grease product with a detergent added.

easy street is a deglazer, if you have rubber rollers this will work but I don’t know about other kind of rollers. after quite a few wash-ups your rollers will appear to have a shine to them, deglazing takes this off the rollers, you can just clean them with a rag, you don’t have to let the press run, that is meant more for offset presses, I deglaze my rollers once in a while, maybe after 50 or more wash-ups.

This is a product for production presses with many rollers, using many pounds of ink in a year (dampening solution as well because offset presses are the intended market) and building up a glaze that can’t be removed by hand-scrubbing.
A tabletop press won’t get glazed rollers unless the regular clean-up methods are very deficient (for example Crisco and Simple Green). If you use a roller wash solvent carefully, it only takes small amounts to do the job. A tabletop press only has two or three tiny rollers and a disk. It just doesn’t get easier.

Deficient!?! I know an admin educator who thinks these (Crisco and Simple Green and let’s not forget conola oil and Windex) are the cat’s meow, hell they are green/sustainable/(latest catchword), right? Come on, letterpress printers throughout the world rely on this stuff.

Then again she has never had her own press, never used one for her lively hood, never seemingly aware of mechanical need for proper lubrication and cleaning materials, etc. Like, um petrochemicals, ew! And then there is the never ending search for the non-smelly ink. Oh where oh where is the non-smelly ink? Even soy doesn’t quite cut it!!!! Maybe in the kitchen or bathroom, yet undiscovered?

Gerald

Thanks for all the comments. No glaze yet on the rollers, just interested in the product.
I am using mineral spirits and then vegetable oil though … oops? It’s a lot cheaper than Gans Nature Wash, though.

I bought a Vandercook press a couple of years ago. The rollers appear to be in good shape and seem to print just fine. But, after reading this thread, i now wonder if they are glazed and need to be cleaned with something other than Cal. wash. The rollers are black in color and are fairly shiney. Certainly not a mat, dull finish.

Should the rollers be periodically cleaned with a deglazer? If yes, which one?

thanks

LD

In regard to Gerald’s remarks, we experimented a number of years ago with Extra Virgin Olive oil and found that it gave excellent results. Since we all know the other vegetable oils are not as healthy as Extra Virgin, the choice seems simple for the green printer. However, in practical experience, I have yet to find anything that works as well as regular roller wash and the roller makers are all very hesitant about any of the so-called green products. The best use for the olive oil may be on a salad.

Fritz

Gerald,
Always a pleasure to read you comments.
Was that one written after your sixth or seventh cup of espresso?

John

“I am using mineral spirits and then vegetable oil though … oops?”
Yeah, wrong order. If you are using an oil it should be to mix into the ink to make it easier to wipe off with a rag. Then mineral spirits to remove any residue. It is the residues that degrade the rubber of the rollers. Following solvent with oil is backwards. It might also lead to rancidity, which sadly, is not a joke but something actually experienced.

Yes, should have clarified, oil, then mineral spirits.