Heidelberg dampening problem

[3rd Shifter]

If you are willing to change solutions may I recommend Prisco 3451, and Alkaless V. Its 2 step but it works very well for us. We run Alcolor systems and Epic and Epic style dampeners.

 

[FSA]

477sm & Smck89
I have to wonder why in this day and age your still running alcohol? I stopped running alcohol in the early 80's. Alcohol damages all the rollers in the in the water system and works it way up into the inkers! If your rollers are six months old, there toast, the rubber is dried out and not carring the fountain etch properly, your inkers are hard too. When you go alcohol free your rollers last longer. Dosers last longer, blankets retain there compression for a true dot longer too.Put new rollers in and try again.
It's just a thought, don't want to piss off those alcohol lovers, but in my opinion alcohol is for making a good stiff drink after a week of crazyness!

FSA

 

[Bill Borcicky]

I like your opinion ! Most of the smaller businesses I know, still use alcohol. Most use it for solving ink related issues such as toning and tinting and etc... The ideal shops can replace rollers when needed, however in the "real "smaller shops, it is a luxury and not always possible to do as one wishes. Unless a company makes high profits its not always an available option. I agree that new rollers can eliminate the need for alcohol and it would be nice. A figure of over 100 rollers every six months or 200 rollers a year has a tendancy to hit the pocketbook kinda hard for the smaller businesses.
Having said that however I will toast you with a good stiff drink this weekend. Be greatfull you work for a good company ! I wouldn't change jobs if I were you.

 

[Smck89]

I've just started to run a speedmaster we got in our work to replace our 4 colour gto. I'm used to just running varn units with water and a drop of fount in a bottle, alcohol in damps is new to me. An engineer had messed about with all our rollers settings in the units and our pre damp was set too high, machine is running like a dream for now. . Thanks for the reply Paul j I never realised the IPA had to be topped up as the day goes on also so I was upping the damp % overall to get rid of tinting instead of making sure the IPA was at least 8%.

 

[NotAGooner]

Even the old Speedmasters were supplied with a Royce damp system that automatically kept the alcohol at the required percentage, what kind of damp system do you have?

 

[portlandjem]

477sm & Smck89
I have to wonder why in this day and age your still running alcohol? I stopped running alcohol in the early 80's. Alcohol damages all the rollers in the in the water system and works it way up into the inkers! If your rollers are six months old, there toast, the rubber is dried out and not carring the fountain etch properly, your inkers are hard too. When you go alcohol free your rollers last longer. Dosers last longer, blankets retain there compression for a true dot longer too.Put new rollers in and try again.
It's just a thought, don't want to piss off those alcohol lovers, but in my opinion alcohol is for making a good stiff drink after a week of crazyness!

FSA

Initially... I didn't like the switch, getting rid of alcohol on the press in early 90's... but CA law dictated it. We had issues with the GTO and SORMZ with the alcolor system (had to order water meter rollers with less crown...etc). I am so glad we were forced to switch to alcohol replacement. I was shocked when, years later, I moved to OR and found that most of the shops were still using alcohol in their systems. I was glad to find a shop that switched to non alcohol on their Komori L628 / with aq. ... so trouble free (with Prisco 3451 and Alkeless P).