Color contamination: AB Dick 9810 with a T-Head.

[astokes]

Clean with chrome cleaner first, then use something like Varn "true blue" plate cleaner to densensitize the roller, then its best to apply gum arabic and let it dry. After each washup we clean the roller with true blue and apply gum, doing this we have zero problems with the water system on the t-head. You could always get a crestline installed on the T-head, kind of a big expense though. We have a Kompac on the main press (9970) and a crestline on the T-head and it runs all day with zero issues.

 

[lantz_xvx]

My repair guy has advised me against using gum arabic on the chrome roller of the T-head. It was his press before mine, so I tend to trust him. I picked up some blue etch the other day and I'm going to see if that works. Hopefully it will at least help the problem. What would totally solve the problem, though, is if I'm able to buy this Ryobi 3200CD with Crestlines on both heads that I'm looking at. :-D

 

[astokes]

Wow ive never heard of anyone saying dont use gum arabic on a chrome roller, we even use it on the chrome rollers on our Abdick Century 3000, without it they pick up ink and cause major hassle, I even put 1oz of gum per gallon into my fount solution. Blue etch is pretty good ive used it but I have to say we get way better results with gum, good luck though hopefully the blue etch solves the issue.

 

[lantz_xvx]

Hey all, so I've actually still been having this problem. I've been running two-color jobs in two passes on the main head, because it's running like a champ after adjusting the form roller stripe (working out of a garage is a killer in the winter AND summer) and re-stocked my blue etch.

Before I adjusted my form rollers on the parent press, I noticed that I was having a similar problem as on the T-head: the plate was having trouble staying clean, and the water roller was picking up ink. The form roller pressure needed to be backed off. Once I got it to 4mm, it worked beautifully and has been going strong ever since. I'm wondering if the form rollers on the T-head need to be adjusted? I'm sure someone suggested that, but at the time I thought they had been set properly. It wasn't until the parent press started acting up that I realized what the problem was.

Does anyone know how to adjust the form-to-plate pressure on a T-head? I don't have an AE edition or anything, it's pretty barebones. Any help would be appreciated. I miss the efficiency of running two colors in one pass, and the tight registration. I use poly plates, and I can only trap things so much.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Scott C]

I feel your pain.. I also work out of my garage and I live in Texas.. Summer time is brutal!

If you remove the panels on your T-Head you will see the mounting bolts on either side. You can adjust them so that you have a good stripe across your blanket. Should be the same a your form rollers 1/8" or 4mm. Turn the water off and allow your plate to tone over completely before you stripe the blanket.

 

[lantz_xvx]

Hey Scott, which mounting bolts are you referring to, exactly?

 

[astokes]

Scott is referring to the turnbuckles, the two knurled handles either side of the press press that you tighten by hand when installing the T-head, when you take the side panels off you will see the adjustment bold attached to the turnbuckle.

 

[lantz_xvx]

Ah, the turnbuckles, yes. I would have thought the form roller knobs themselves would have had some sort of adjustment. I'll check it out in the next day or so and see if I can get it going.

 

[astokes]

Well you can adjust the stripe for ink and water forms but start with the plate to blanket stripe first then go from there.

 

[lantz_xvx]

Makes sense. But I was still wondering how exactly to adjust the ink and water forms, too. The manual makes it really unclear. Thanks for all the help, folks.

 

[ghuerth]

Follow the rotation, after the sheet gets printed the parent press inks the blanket then the T-head then the paper. The tackier ink in the parent press, the darker and the less tackier ink in the T-head

 

[ziggy33]

Doesn't always work that way my t head won't run the darker ink without toning and ink transfer it like the lighter ink color with the darker color on the parent head runs great for me that way

 

[ghuerth]

Whatever has to be done to get the job finished on schedule is the right way. I was curious, when you spin the water fountain roller on the T-Head does the water bead off or does a film remain and focus on the ends they usually don't get the full cleaning effect due to ending of a wipe and change of direction.