Press Wash
I know that this subject has been beaten to death on this site, but I’m trying to develop a local source of supply for Press Wash, since the cost of having it shipped from web stores adds another 1/2 to 2/3’s the cost of the wash itself.
I’ve been using California Wash which works great. But I can’t seem to find a local supplier (I’m in the St. Petersburg/Sarasota, FL area) who carries it in 1 Gal. Sizes. I have found a store that carries something called Allied Daily Wash in gallons at a similar price point.
Do any of you have experience with this product? I’m worried about its effect on my rollers. Obviously as long as it cuts ink it should be fine for everything else, but I wouldn’t want to shorten roller life by using something that is wrong.
Thanks.
I’d get the name of the manufacturer and call them.
They would gladly answer your questions.
A good press wash won’t strip the life out of your
Rollers. Allied is a good company. Any paper
Supplier with a will call store should have what you
Need.
that is made by more commercially known Tower products for small presses with rubber roller. 80+% Naphtha [Coleman fuel] recommended by rubber makers and some other stuff for conditioners to help keep rubber from drying out.
Since you mention it, I just started using a product called “Genie safe and easy” and I have to remark that it is pretty great so far.
http://www.christinesgraphicsupplies.com/htm/genie_safe_and_easy.htm
It’s a blanket and roller wash marketed for the offset industry, but it has been doing a terrific job here on our presses and on our hand inking rollers and brayers. for C&P or press without a wash-up attachment, I just put a little on the ink disc or drive roller and run the press slowed down for a little while to get the solvent into all the ink, and then wipe the ink disc down about every three passes. It leaves me with broken down ink that comes off easily onto a rag, no need to soak anything down just add a bit more genie as the press comes up cleaner and cleaner. It’s a high viscosity so it doesn’t make the rollers ‘slip’ if you add it sparingly.
Then you have to remove the genie with something, a little alcohol on the ink disc/any metal rollers will do the trick, but just some normal old H2O on the rubber rollers (put it on with a rag, rub rollers, second rag, then run press a bit to dry the rollers), and GTG.
One of the best parts for me is that this stuff is truly water miscible, truly lower toxicity (no naphtha), and I’m seeing my rollers come up cleaner.
At 35.00 a gallon, it’s NOT A BAD PRICE, and it ships to me from NJ.
Considering I use about 2 tablespoons max to wash up, it’s really something as far as I’m concerned.
Christine’s is in CA, but they have a shipping distro warehouse they partner with in NJ and that’s where the wash comes from- I don’t know if you think that’s a bummer price or not, but I’m excited about it so I’m mentioning it as an alternative to try.
I wouldn’t worry about cleaning off the “genie” with anything. There are agents in the wash that will do your rubber rollers good.
Hey theo, thanks for the tip- but, well, I’ve had it affect the ink on the next press run.. The leftover residue, that is.