[drscotty14]

i left my platen tape on for about 3 months and outdoors but always in shade. i warmed the platens then tried to remove. it isn't coming off well at all. what can i do to get it off? it wont scrape off.

also, i have aluminum platens with rubber top. at this point id rather not use the tape. does screen cleaner degrade the rubber?

 

[foot print]

Spray some press wash on the affected area let it soak in for a few minutes. Heating it up a little should help..


Sent from my iPhone using TShirtForums app

 

[drscotty14]

been soaking in press wash multiple times, its slowly coming off. this tape was supposed to save time/money but costing me both lol. gonna take 3 hours to clear tape off 2 pallets. is it harder to take off because of the time its been on? or the heat being on it?

 

[casperboy77]

I have a similar issue...: I have a Vastex V-1000 press that I bought a couple of years ago. It came with a 300' roll of platen tape. This stuff has been working awesome! But recently in the past few months I switched to Tex-Tac adhesive instead of Albatross spray adhesive. Tex-Tac is the greatest thing for screen printing in my opinion. But when I need to remove the platen tape from the rubber top Vastex platens it will NOT come off. I have used every chemical known to man. I have spent hours scraping. I use the flash, a heat gun, I have tried everything..... I might seriously have to purchase new platens or get the rubber tops replaced.

Has anyone else had this problem? Like I mentioned: The problem is with the combination of the platen tape AND Tex-Tac. I really appreciate any advice! I'm going to go to the Home Depot tomorrow and try acetone. I tried Screen and press wash, 91% Alcohol, Paint thinner, Goo Gone, Magic Eraser, Green Scrubby, Vinyl Adhesive Remove, EasiWay 901 & 842. I even ran the platen under very hot water. I need to get this platen back on the press but there is crap all over it.

Thanks!
-Jim

 

[sben763]

The acetone should work but will also help dry out the rubber. When I have had the occasion that its tough to get off I flash the crap out of them and take it off when extremely hot. Ove gloves help to do this. I have had at times where my platen tape was on over 6 months and come right off. I think the issue becomes when the tape has been heated past a certain point and it transforms the adhesive.

 

[miktoxic]

ok, i'll ask a stupid newbie question.......

why have a platen with rubber on top?

 

[sben763]

ok, i'll ask a stupid newbie question.......

why have a platen with rubber on top?

Easy cleanup.

 

[miktoxic]

Easy cleanup.

sean can you explain? i have wooden platens that i put tape on and when i have to clean the platen i just pull the tape off, throw away and put new tape on.

sounds like you are doing the same with the rubber top platen and sometimes the tape will stick to rubber? i understand that the aluminum platens won't warp but easy clean up?

i thought the rubber might be used if you were doing large over sized prints but you would still have to cover platen with something....i guess.

 

[casperboy77]

Well guys, here's my update:

I went to Home Depot and bought a spray can of Goof Off Pro Strength Remover. This stuff worked great...... so darn good that it took the powder coating right off from the metal! Now my whole Vastex Setup is just over a year old. I like to keep my equipment looking like a Cadillac. I was so upset that I just ruined my platen, but hey they rubber looks great.

I called Vastex and Mark Clewall answered, he's the guy that sold us our whole shop setup! He remembered me too. So I told him about the issue and they have heard of this exact problem. It has something to do with the Tex-Tac adhesive soaking through the paper platen tape and getting into the rubber. What they recommend is to condition the rubber first with Armour All, he mentioned the Armour All wipes. So I am going to try that today. I told him about the paint coming off and he told me to just buy some Rustoleum and spray paint it. He said the paint is just to protect the metal anyways. So I did spray paint the metal..... I'm still upset at myself for ruining it. I got the pricing off him for a new platen and I will probably buy a new platen in a few weeks. I don't know why I need to buy a new platen, I'm just a particular person and like everything perfect.

I will reiterate this though: I will never go back to spray platen adhesives! I am almost out of my bottle of Tex-Tac and I just bought a bottle of: Alba Brush-Tac Pallet Adhesive. With these adhesives I don't get sticky over spray on everything, I don't get those mist clouds of adhesive in the air that I breathe. Also, this stuff will hold it's tack for nearly 100 t-shirts. If it looses it's tack a simple swipe with a damp sponge knocks off the lint and I can do another 100 shirts. This stuff works and holds hoodies too. I just wish the platen tape wouldn't absorb this stuff.

 

[killroy]

If you have aluminum palettes the aluminum will act as a heat sink and pull the heat down and it makes flashing a pain. The rubber will deflect the heat back up and help with flashing. That's really the only reason I use it. I know there's other perks but I only cared about the heat issue.