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Showing posts from October, 2009

How To Make Printing Ink

  Introduction Printing ink is so much more than just the black stuff that you put on a page. It has been around for thousands of years, and it's been used in everything from newspaper presses to digital printers. As you can see, we're not talking about offset printing ink which is oil based. I want to have a little fun and talk about how you can make your own ink for your printer.  At home! Ready? Ingredients You will need the following ingredients: Soot (5 tbsp) : This is as purest as it gest. You can make the soot yourself by holding a glass up to a flame. This will allow you to slowly accumulate the soot. Water (2 tbsp): For the base of your ink, use distilled water so that you don't introduce any impurities into the mix. Distilled water is also easier to clean up than tap water because there are no minerals or residue left behind from tap water. Alcohol (2 tbsp) (grain alcohol): This ingredient works as a preservative for your ink and allows it to last for several mo

How to Measure Your Ink and Water Balance Window

Most offset printing presses differ in the way they balance ink and water, but there's a simple way to measure your window in your pressroom . In my printing experience, the ink and water balance measurement has always been a feel thing . It wasn't hard to tell if an ink was behaving properly just based on my experience and instinct . I was soon introduced to a method of actually measuring the window that gave me a tangible number. This allowed our pressroom in a number of ways: comparing different ink brands keeping historical accounts of the same brand tracking quality It also allowed us to also compare the window at different speeds and different press temperatures, not based on a feeling, but a solid number . This method, I can assure you will work for any press, web or sheetfed. So here it is: 1. At a specific running speed, get a water reading at the bottom of the window. This means, run the absolute minimum amount of water until the product is ab

A Color Blindness Test For Offset Printers

This is a color blindness test.  Though these pictures can tell you if you suffer from color blindness, it should not replace an actual diagnosis by purchasing the real Ishihara Color Blindness Test which consists of several plates that diagnose various forms of color blindness. If you would like to skip my story and go right to the color blindness test, you can here . I work in the offset printing industry and purchased these plates to diagnose a pressman to see if he was able to perceive color well. At first, I took it upon myself to teach him some the basics of ink and water balance . Before long though, I discovered a hurdle that even he wasn't aware of. One that would stop him dead in his tracks in the printing industry. He was color blind. Color blindness doesn't necessarily mean only seeing black and white. I don't profess to know all different types, but there are some that are more subtle to discover than others. Here are some different types

What Makes a Good Pressman

--> Not everyone has got what it takes to be a good pressman, so here are a few qualities to look for when deciding whether to train one. by Harold Stansted I think most would agree with me that being a printer is not for everyone. Okay, it takes mechanical ability and a good production mentality. But let’s face it, there is enough chemistry and physics in this trade to show up those that really know what they’re doing. I will not venture into those details, but I will tell you some qualities to look for whether your deciding to hire a pressman or you’re contemplating whether it’s worth it to train that promising new guy. A good pressman must have the following abilities: 1. A Good Pressman Is Quality Conscious. This is one that’s not hard to figure out. Many guys can fake it by hiding those bad copies in the middle of the pile or bundle coming off the machine. But at the end of the day this one shows through in their habits of cleanliness . The guy that is cons