Cold printing conditions!?

[smikes]

Due to my company trying to save dollars, I have been running jobs in a 45 - 50 degree F. shop.Ink has been emulsifiing quickly and if I cut back any on the water I get toning.Tried thinning ink ,adding varnish, cut back on fountain solution but no luck. I believe most of the problem comes from the lack of "heat" not drying the water off the plate. I have a little success if I blow a heater towards the plate,but that causes other problems.Humidity is very low in shop also.I have very high ceilings in a very large shop. I do not think that they will give me more heat, they just expect the job done no matter what. Any ideas?

 

[Di Nut]

Bottom line, you have to control the temperature. 45-50 F. is too cold. Get the heat back up, say 65-70 f. you'll see a huge difference. Cold is not a friend to rubber rollers or ink on conventional offset. One suggestion, if you have high ceilings, put in a cheap ceiling fan to help push that warm air down. Happy printing.

 

[FFR428]

Man I agree 100%. 65-70* keep the press AND pressman happy. I've worked in places like that and when the ink takes a week to dry and you have to redo a few jobs management will get the idea. I'd wear my coat, hat and gloves too when I could see my breath. Maybe start a little bon fire? LOL hope things get better there.

 

[smikes]

Yahoo....It got to 55f the other day in shop.Friday I walked out, it was 35f.....

I have been looking to leave this shop, but I do not know if I could fit in to a shop where things were more ideal conditions. I am use to making things work. I would probably go into shock if things worked like they should....

 

[dpearson]

Stay put for now Smikes. Dont know where you are located, but here on Printers Row In Elk Grove, IL. shops are closing,merging,laying guys off...its brutal. I have been lucky to keep busy solely because I print for financial institutions; Though many of my buddies are at home collecting a government check. Hold out for now, when it brightens up- hit the road. It will be a shock working at a great shop, but you will find it a very easy transition, guaranteed. Have to admire you though, in those conditions working under those circumstances I would have yelled my way out the door already. If you've made it this long, tough it out a little bit longer, brighter days are just around the corner bub. But if you are intent on leaving, try to go on the RR Donnelly website to view open positions and submit your resume. I believe their home plant is near you, and you wont have to worry about those conditions working for them. Good Luck!

 

[69roadr]

I also work in a cold shop. We have always used a good quality tack reducer in our inks. Your ink supplier should be able to help you in this area. Also, in the summer when it gets hot, you need a heavier bodied ink, or tack inhibitor.

 

[Printer Mike]

Sorry to hear about those working in climate conditions not friendly to printing. Doesn't make sense to me.

As a printing business owner for over 30 years, I have always considered proper climate control a must, even in tight times.

 

[jed]

run the press faster it will heat the shop up. We always have the oppsite problem it is too hot year round and we are in utah 4900 feet above sea level warm in the winter DEATH in the summer

 

[tstruth]

First thing in the morning I would turn on the machines and let the rubber rollers get warm. I would recommend using a little printers alcohol in the dampening system. This may help with running less water. Cover the machine with a blanket at night and bring in a space heater and put it next to the machine to keep you both warm and before you know it the warm weather will be with us and hopefully the printing business will start flourish again.

Good luck,
Tom

 

[m_alatorre]

Let the machine run for some minutes before starting to print has helped me in cold weather. But regardless cold or hot, i've seen that ANYTHING below 40% room humidity ALWAYS starts to give me headaches. Need more water to keep screens clean in plate and the water excess related problems. I have a humidifier which helps, but when it is too bad(too dry), i start mopping(yes... soaking the floor with water and a mop) around the machine until i reach 45% and things go better. I know it sounds like a "cave-man" solution but has helped me get the job done.

Hope that helps!

 

[lildaddy50]

I went trhough the same thing with my current employer. I finally told him,"look , All I'm asking you to do is to keep the room temp between 65 and 85 degrees. That is a huge window. If you can not provide me with this , then I can not guarantee the quality of the job or the time it takes me to do it". Over head heating within 3 weeks.

Even then it is tough on a cold winter morning.I can get my room temp. up to 72 degrees in about an hour , but it takes much longer than that to get the cold steel of your fountain and fountain ball warmed up. Order "Winter set series "ink (which is more loose) for the winter time, and "summer set series" (which is bodied up") for the hot summer temps..

In the mean time your screwed! You are probably experiencing difficulty getting enough ink on the shhet to achive color in the winter right? This is because your ink is so still that it will not transfer (flow) on your rollers. After you run a few thousand ,your color starts to come up quick,right. Pretty soon you have too much ink,right? Thats because your rollers are getting warmed up and your inks are beginning to transfer (flow) properly within the ink train. I used to spead ink on the rollers and then set the press to about 10,000 per hour and let her hum for about 10 min. This will help ti warm up the rollers , but it is still nearly impossible to print under the conditions you decribed.

I suggest that you print out this tread and show it to your boss before next winter gets here. If he won't listen to you , maybe he will listen to us?

good luck

Rod (30 yrs exp.)

 

[gazman]

I work in simular conditions during the winter try start up spray on inks and blankets this works for me 75% of the time. Good luck

 

[tstruth]

The best way for this to get resolved is for the owner to keep the shop warm. If they can't afford to pay for heat then you should be cautious of weather or not they can afford to pay for you. Sad to see that these people who decided to go into the printing business have know idea what it takes to be a pressman. I would start looking for a new job if I were in your shoes. If there is nothing else out there, then think about going back to school.

 

[smikes]

Finally got back to this thread.I did end up setting tents up around press and heating it up that way.Then they began bouncing my paycheck. Only press opening is 45 miles away which I have applied for, so I am praying gas prices stay under 3.00 a gallon. Yeah...after 20 years, I get to start all over!

 

[turbotom1052]

show your boss this post and let him read from the experts that its too damn cold. good luck!!!