[Wig]

Not sure where to post this under but...
I'm interested in purchasing a parts cleaning tank (with pump) for use in cleaning my screens of plastisol ink. Does anyone else use a parts cleaning tank? If so what cleaning fluid do you use? How do you periodically dispose of the saturated cleaning chemicals?

 

[gardenhillemb]

You might be better off getting a dip tank and making a washout booth. The chemicals can typically be put down the drain after you neutralize the acid. I've used parts washers and the ones I've used really wouldn't work well for screens.

 

[DOAK]

We have started using a new process and we can now process screens in about 5 min each with little scrubbing. We scrape the ink and pull the tape of the perimeter and the reggie marks. We place the screen in a dip tank for about 2 minutes washout emulsion and then hit leftover ink with a product called the green stuff. It is a degreaser/haze remover. It is the best. My guys can clean 25 screens in about 2 hours....

 

[Wig]

I already have a process for reclaiming screens, I'm talking about cleaning up screens when a job is done. I've used a parts cleaning tank years ago when I worked for another printer and they would have a company come and switch out the chemicals once a month. I don't have that kind of volume yet to justify contracting with a company like Safety Kleen but the parts tank was SO useful and made cleanup so much easier. I was hoping I could do it on my own but getting rid of the chemicals (right now I use Xylene to hand clean my screens) seems like it would be difficult.

 

[sben763]

I already have a process for reclaiming screens, I'm talking about cleaning up screens when a job is done. I've used a parts cleaning tank years ago when I worked for another printer and they would have a company come and switch out the chemicals once a month. I don't have that kind of volume yet to justify contracting with a company like Safety Kleen but the parts tank was SO useful and made cleanup so much easier. I was hoping I could do it on my own but getting rid of the chemicals (right now I use Xylene to hand clean my screens) seems like it would be difficult.

parts cleaners are more fore squeegees and ink knives. screens, I use the squeegee to push all the ink towards the bottom and you a ink card to scrap almost all ink out. then use some eco screen wash like beanedo or CCI ecowash. you really need to get rid of those nasty solvents your using. if you get a parts cleaner buy a 5 or 10 gallons of screen wash. every few months transfer the liquid from the top till you hit the sludge in the bottom. discard what's left and then but the ecowash back in. you could make a transfer pump with a filter to really clean screen wash. the screen wash will last a long time like this. I did this but never used with screens as I put 99% of the ink back in the container, a squirt or 2 of screen wash a t-shirt rag and screen is ready to be reclaimed.