Rubber rollers on windmill

Ian Bristow
on 10 Aug 13 (09:24)

Hey all

I recently had my rollers re-covered through a very reputable supplier. I am having some issues with sharpness of the print while running polymer plates. The rollers I had purchased years back seemed to print much better. It seems that the new re-covered rollers absorb to much ink and fatten up my text. I am running a windmill, so I can adjust for type high. It does not seem to make any difference when I adjust. When I switch back to the old rollers the print looks better. Not sure what is going on? Has anybody else had this issue?
Cheers Ian

toddspresstime
on 10 Aug 13 (10:04)

There is different rubbers, most use Buna for there better rollers, I have found that to be to grainy for polymer plates.

HavenPress
on 10 Aug 13 (12:18)

Personally my favorite rubber is blue nitrile, and I have a set on my C&P that are this rubber. I’d like to get my vandercook rollers recovered with this same material someday.

Theo Bell
on 10 Aug 13 (12:21)

I have found that I use syntech rollers they work great.
they are the same rollers I use in the ink train. I print Invites, text paper and index and 40pt chipboard, just have to adjust your ink flow. I have found that to soft of rollers can make for smeared, clumped ink and bad effects. And with speed they are less likely to hold there shape.

Mick on Monotype
on 10 Aug 13 (15:45)

2 little thoughts, Silly maybe, when reverting to your original rollers, WHICH trucks are being used, are the original ones acclimatised to the rails, I.E. tiny nodules that act as grips… …In one unit, The Thompson Platen and the Heidleberg Platen stood side by side for the small work, the Thompson was tied up virtually non stop on creasing duties, therefore the Heidleberg did the majority of the work involving full out formes of multiples of business cards… . When working of metal plates, Zincos, Electros etc No problems, when Polymer or the forerunner began to be used, in multi up formes, problems arose (apparently>> I only repaired the Thompson! frequently) with conditions similar to the above… . The minder that ran both, intermittently, started using little gimmicks/tricks with the H/berg like dusting the trucks and tracks with rosin, I didnt have to understand why, I was only the Gofer, . .I.E the one that had to gofer the gear… . Was this a very early solution to a current problem, … . . Should it be a silly premise, please have a laugh, by all means, but I state as a fact that, Rosin on Flat Belts, *V* belts, Round Belts, Compound (I.E. flat and partial *V* as in H/berg coned pulley drive system) was quite normal practice, UNTIL forward thinking Graphic Suppliers started offering purpose supplied Tar Sticks to do the same job, only they called it *Belt Treatment* at a price, of course, but “Hey Ma Boy” business is business.!!!