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screen printing => General Screen Printing => Topic started by: farmboygraphics on July 15, 2015, 05:56:22 PM

Title: New Dip Tank
Post by: farmboygraphics on July 15, 2015, 05:56:22 PM
Just got our new dip tank and I had to make changes to it before even using it :-) Wasn't to keen on the hold down rods so I whipped up some weights to hold each screen in place. Had some aluminum channel around, fastened some lead strips to them (3lbs does the job) and now I have one for each screen. Maybe it's just because I haven't used one before, but those rods just didn't feel user friendly.
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: mimosatexas on July 15, 2015, 06:15:23 PM
Smart!  Just don't drop one in and forget about it...
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: farmboygraphics on July 15, 2015, 07:17:31 PM
Smart!  Just don't drop one in and forget about it...

Thinking I need to tie a string  through the hole in the channel just in case. :-)
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: rmonks on July 15, 2015, 10:16:28 PM
Someone here might know. But! will the lead have any effect on the dip take chemical life span.
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: mimosatexas on July 15, 2015, 11:32:09 PM
Not sure about lead specifically, but the metals will only affect it if they sit in the chems.  It looks like these are out of the chems and thus should have no effect. 
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: GKitson on July 16, 2015, 07:01:53 AM
Just got our new dip tank and I had to make changes to it before even using it :-) Wasn't to keen on the hold down rods so I whipped up some weights to hold each screen in place. Had some aluminum channel around, fastened some lead strips to them (3lbs does the job) and now I have one for each screen. Maybe it's just because I haven't used one before, but those rods just didn't feel user friendly.

Ferrous metals (iron, steel) will cause your reclaim chemistry to prematurely exhaust itself. 

Give the rods a try, they are a simple solution, you probably will want to raise the water level a bit to make it more efficient.

~Kitson
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: Binkspot on July 16, 2015, 07:25:37 AM
Fill a one gallon jug full of water and set it on top of the screens, just enough weight to hold them down, fits perfectly between the walls and won't sink to the bottom.
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: farmboygraphics on July 16, 2015, 08:45:04 AM
Just got our new dip tank and I had to make changes to it before even using it :-) Wasn't to keen on the hold down rods so I whipped up some weights to hold each screen in place. Had some aluminum channel around, fastened some lead strips to them (3lbs does the job) and now I have one for each screen. Maybe it's just because I haven't used one before, but those rods just didn't feel user friendly.

Ferrous metals (iron, steel) will cause your reclaim chemistry to prematurely exhaust itself. 

Give the rods a try, they are a simple solution, you probably will want to raise the water level a bit to make it more efficient.

~Kitson

The level raises when I add more screens, the lead never touches the solution. I tried the rods, briefly. They made me nervous around the S-mesh.

Fill a one gallon jug full of water and set it on top of the screens, just enough weight to hold them down, fits perfectly between the walls and won't sink to the bottom.

Great Idea! Where were you before I went and bought 10lbs of lead lol :-)
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: kingscreen on July 16, 2015, 08:51:18 AM
Here was my solution:  http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,9677.msg94556.html#msg94556 (http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,9677.msg94556.html#msg94556)
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: farmboygraphics on July 16, 2015, 09:46:20 AM
Here was my solution:  [url]http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,9677.msg94556.html#msg94556[/url] ([url]http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,9677.msg94556.html#msg94556[/url])


Bookmarked! ps...I just applied for a trademark :-)
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: Maxie on July 16, 2015, 12:27:05 PM
I had my dip tank made out of stainless steel.     All the blue tanks I have seen have lost there shape, they bow out, I don't know why they don't strengthen them.    Mine has 2 outlets so I can drain it easily and maybe put in a filter sometime.
To keep the screens in the liquid I use a rod that keeps them down.
I also have a drip tray for draining the screens before washing.
Thanks to Kitson for the inspiration.
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: kingscreen on July 16, 2015, 12:58:14 PM
Very nice, Maxie!  What did that cost you to have made?
Title: Re: New Dip Tank
Post by: Maxie on July 16, 2015, 02:19:24 PM
Dip tank cost USD500.00
I can put 4 screens in it at a time.
The taps on the side help a lot.
In the beginning I overfilled it and soon I have to drain it.
I just hook a hose onto it and open the tap.
It's stainless steel so it will last forever and I designed it with a 1" square profile around the top so it cannot bow outwards.
The drain tray cost about USD150.00.    Is has hole with a pipe in the bottom corner and its a little bigger than my screens so I just hung it up at a slight angle and I put the screens in it for a few minutes after they come out of the dip tank.   The excess liquid from the dip tank just drips back in.
(Once again credit to Kitson)