Help with a Ryobi 4995, can't seem to get a job off it

We have had a Ryobi 4995 for 2 years. We have invested over $10,000 with new water rollers, new metering rollers, and now we are running distilled water, we have tried alcohol. To no avail. We have not got good results from this press. The issue is scumming on short runs, washout on long runs. Is it time to sell?

 

If entire press is in OK condition, I think you'd be better off to buy Kompacs or Crestlines, yes it an investment but selling the press that you can't demo as working properly will cause you a greater loss, plus all the rollers that are new, just had been installed could be sold on ebay and you can get some of those money back or you can, most likely, sell off entire dampening system that you will remove while installing upgrade. Fact that they will have a brand new rollers will make the price go up. I'd take a Kompac, they are awesome, needs to be adjusted once in a season - a little more water for the summer and a little less for the winter. You can run low low tack inks, keep'em clean, release the nip pressure for the night - thats about it.

 

I have run a similar press for years. They are very touchy if you don't have the water roller set right you will tone or drip. Chrome to metering is the most important stripe need to be less than 3mil. Good luck

 

agreeed, fit kompacs or crestlines. i have crestlines on my 3985, and my ab dick 9810 has kompacs both are fantastic and soo easy to use

 

I have a AB Dick Century 3500S but Kompacs for it are no longer available, just a few dozen were ever made, I even offered them to sell me bits and pcs and parts to assemble 2 of them but they said "No longer have all the components"

 

gutted, kompacs are nice, my crestlines are very good but personally i prefer kompac, just a touch of ink on the end of the rollers put lid on and add water....