Melting rollers
9 years ago I bought a restored Sigwalt 3x5 mainly because it was cute. After purchase, I put it behind glass and didn’t really pay any attention to it, but I recently pulled it out and found that the inking rollers had melted into a puddle on to the wood base. It is very sticky and viscous, like pine sap but thicker and black.
1/ Is this a known thing. Did I do something wrong.
2/ What dissolves this — I’ve tried cleaning it up with paint thinner, but so far I’m just making a bigger mess.
3/ What should I replace the rollers with that is more neglect proof.
1. Yes
2. Nothing. Serious amounts of scraping, etc. will get most of it.
3. Rubber rollers. Advanced make them and sells. NA Graphic also sells rollers.
Solvent didn’t work for me . I used anti-offset powder, which is fine rice powder, to absorb the moisture. Flour or corn starch might work. It makes it much less sticky, and easier to scrape off. After most of it was off I had some success with soapy hot water. They were composition rollers.
Certain older roller compunds do this. like they are on a clock or something. i have had several kluge foil nip rollers “just break down” into liquid.
You didn’t cause it, and, you couldn’t have stopped it. Replace them.
Certain older roller compunds do this. like they are on a clock or something. i have had several kluge foil nip rollers “just break down” into liquid.
You didn’t cause it, and, you couldn’t have stopped it. Replace them.
Paint STRIPPER will slowly dissolve this stuff. However this paint stripper is NASTY. It contains Acetone, Methanol, Methylene Chloride, Toluene, and Xylene. There’s talk of this stuff being banned; it probably already is in California. It’s also flammable. Use it outdoors, with a fan or a breeze at your back. Wear rubber gloves, eye protection and a respirator.
Todd’s Press Time can provide replacement rollers with new trucks at a fair price.
I have heard that roller makers use dry ice or maybe liquid nitrogen to freeze the material so that they can chip it off to remove it.
known problem. scraping it up mainly- lacquer thinner did work for me but only slowly to clean up the leftover.