Removing plastisol inks

[Justin]

Recomendations for removing inks before stripping emulsion please.

[John G]

Screenwash - you might get away with turps/white spirit.

[Justin]

Thinners etc. Does a good job but its 'setting' the emulsion in and ruining the mesh. I have a specific chemical which the supplier said to water down 1:1 but results so far aren't good.

[John G]

We use colenso's emulsifiable screenwash
Even if washed off with white spirits/thinners, you should still be able to get the emulsion off. For the stripper, brush it on both sides and give it a good brushing - leave for half a mninute, then a good blasting with a power hose. You will need a power hose as a standard garden hose will leave emulsion in the screen.

[Justin]

Nope, rock solid I'm afraid, even the pressure washer won't shift it. I'd read about thinners doing this but took a chance. Maybe something stronger might shift it but the stuff I have isn't doing a thing. Normally it melts the emulsion off very easily and comes off with a hose.

[John G]

Normally the screenwash softens the top surface allowing the stencil strip to do its business, could be that the thinners is drying too quickly so the surface isn't soft enough to let the stripper work.
Have you used the right stripper for the emulsion you're using - and have you diluted it to the instructions supplied?

[Justin]

Yes, like I say, strip is working fine until I clean inks with thinners.