Metallic Inks

Scooter · March 04, 2008, 03:27:19 PM

Does anyone have trouble printing metallic inks on a duplicator? I've re-made 4 plates for my pressman already this afternoon! The black plate is fine, made at the same time as the first gold metallic plate Yet the gold one will NOT take ink for more than 1,500 impressions. I think it has something to do with the ink. Any thoughts out there?

DigitalCrapShoveler · March 04, 2008, 03:47:59 PM

Okay, you need to factor out a few things before you point the finger at a pressman and/or inks. But, for the record, I think it is definately a press-related problem. Two things to consider, bad developer or bad plates. I have had both, and both made my plates go blind around 1000-1500 impressions. The fact you made black and gold at the same time eliminates plates, plus the 3 you remade. If your developer was bad, your black would go blind as well. So, if you eliminate all the possibilities... and factor in the "impossibilities", it is most assuredly the press.

Scooter · March 04, 2008, 04:17:35 PM

Thanks. My stabilizer was a bit low, but the plates were all nice and dark today. I guess I'll find out tomorrow when the rest of the jobs go on. Ugh!!

DigitalCrapShoveler · March 04, 2008, 10:21:46 PM

Quote from: Scooter on March 04, 2008, 04:17:35 PMThanks. My stabilizer was a bit low, but the plates were all nice and dark today. I guess I'll find out tomorrow when the rest of the jobs go on. Ugh!!

When my stabilizer gets low, I just plug it in to the Flex Capacitor, fire it up to 1.2 gigawatts, wait till the dilithium crystals are at maximum, Turn it up to 11, put my fingers in my ears and yell "INCOMING". The Vietnamese guy that runs our letterpress always runs. We all laugh so very hard.

born2print · March 05, 2008, 03:59:12 PM

just $.02:
Sounds like a press chemistry issue to me. Check Ph, drain, replace, etc...

LoganBlade · March 05, 2008, 04:20:19 PM

plastic plates? or metal. In the past when I ran a duplicator with plastic i had issues with metalics actually no coming off the plate and making solids. Your water on press may need to be increased and pressures on rollers to plates reduces to minimize drag on plate. Not sure your press and chemistry so all black working ok I think it may be ink. Talk to ink vendor and ask if they make a special ink for the plastic plates. If metal plates may still be roller pressures? maybe

DigitalCrapShoveler · March 05, 2008, 04:26:51 PM

...Again, looks like a press issue.

Kid Leo · March 11, 2008, 07:48:40 PM

Metallic inks are very abrasive. We don't have many long runs with metallics but I wouldn't be suprised to find out that our metal plates would only have 25% of normal life expectency. For a plastic plate life could be VERY short.

DigitalCrapShoveler · March 11, 2008, 08:25:24 PM

Quote from: Kid Leo on March 11, 2008, 07:48:40 PMMetallic inks are very abrasive. We don't have many long runs with metallics but I wouldn't be suprised to find out that our metal plates would only have 25% of normal life expectency. For a plastic plate life could be VERY short.

That's interesting, and something I have not heard before.

As a matter of fact, we had a job on press last week, 1 million impressions, 2C, black and 877, we made 2 sets of plates, only used one. Running thermal plates.

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Metallic Inks