TSB
screen printing => General Screen Printing => Topic started by: ericheartsu on September 19, 2012, 11:42:35 PM
-
i have a ton of these 8" metal spatulas with plastic handles here, but i'm wondering if there is something better? some tips and tricks you guys can recommend maybe?!?!
-
In general, even the ink knives sold by suppliers are merely re-purposed cake spatulas.
Somewhere here, there is a thread from about a year ago, I think, about sourcing them.
-
In general, even the ink knives sold by suppliers are merely re-purposed cake spatulas.
Somewhere here, there is a thread from about a year ago, I think, about sourcing them.
i'm not really looking to get them cheaper, but just looking for something that might work a bit better?
-
Got a pic of what you are using?
-
I use 2" steel putty stiff putty knives from Home Depot. I work the end of the blade over with a belt sander to round over the edge and the corners so they won't tear mesh. I've also got a couple of those aluminum knives with the "monkey thumbs" I bought for gallon pails but they're a little too wide, so I need to cut them down. Never found anything plastic that I liked, and I've never bought the metal knives from screen suppliers because they look too narrow/flexible for stirring ink. That's typically what they use in offset print shops but then they use them to put ink into the fountains on a press.
Most of my containers are quarts, for what it's worth.
-
We use the steel knives and scrapers as well. Various widths. Be sure to grind off the sharp corners with a bench grinder!
-
we use wilton frosting spatulas...the ones that are 8 inches with a bend...great for getting ink in and out of screens and easy clean up..
get them at Michaels or any craft or cake store..
sam
-
Here it is what I use http://www.waresdirect.com/products/Restaurant-Supply/Johnson-Rose-/Offset-Spatula-73426439 (http://www.waresdirect.com/products/Restaurant-Supply/Johnson-Rose-/Offset-Spatula-73426439)
They are good AND cheap. A bunch or other sizes on the web site
-
I used the steel ones forever, but changed to the GOOP SCOOP and I like them 9999999999999999 times better.
-
I hate good scoops. the problem I have with them are the edges are crap and you leave so much ink in the screen. I like to get as much ink out as possible
-
The slightly springy offset spatulas are the easiest for removing ink, but I keep slightly bigger, more rigid straight ones in my whites for stirring and scooping out.
-
We use "goop scoops" and don't have any issues leaving ink in the screens. They get as much ink out as any other tool I've used besides a squeegee. The metal spatulas are too thin to get the ink out in a timely manner. I do sand down the edges of our goop scoops when they get bad so maybe that's why we like them. I've tried everything for this and the goops are my favorite. The metal drywall spackling tools are good but they seem to tear tape and mesh on occasion.
-
this is what we use and love them.
http://www.onestrokeinks.com/pc_product_detail.asp?key=B1D7BAA3734A4714AD04358EC8A63C18 (http://www.onestrokeinks.com/pc_product_detail.asp?key=B1D7BAA3734A4714AD04358EC8A63C18)
-
we use wilton frosting spatulas...the ones that are 8 inches with a bend...great for getting ink in and out of screens and easy clean up..
same here......work fine for me....no issues at all
-
I use 3" drywall spatulas. I round the corners slightly. They work great. you can get them direct from Red Devil and they are perfect.
-
While still wearing the gloves I have for clean up, I just scoop ink with my hand and plop it in the screen. Then when cleaning it up just scoop up with my hands and plop back in the bucket.
-
That ergo scoop that aauusa posted looks interesting. If I ever order some ink from them hopefully I can remember to get a scooper to go with it.
-
While still wearing the gloves I have for clean up, I just scoop ink with my hand and plop it in the screen. Then when cleaning it up just scoop up with my hands and plop back in the bucket.
That sounds awesome.
We use cake knives all around, DK's link has very affordable ones but a bit flimsy compared to some other, more expensive ones. The best ink knife/cake knife out there is the ateco ultra, squared off and sanded- flexible, the right length and lots of backbone.
I also hate the goop scoops. They may be better sanded. We do use one of the big alum deals with the "monkey thumb" or whatever it's called for scooping out of 5 gals into gallon buckets. I thought that ergo scoop looked cool until I saw all the fins on the handle. No way in hell do I want to clean ink out of that.
Follow up ? to this thread- anyone have a great ink knife/scoop for WB? We have some straight up stainless spatulas (wide), also from DKs link to try out.
-
That ergo scoop that aauusa posted looks interesting. If I ever order some ink from them hopefully I can remember to get a scooper to go with it.
They sell them as packages of 12, but you could probably finagle one to try.
-
i bought 6" long cooking spatulas from the dollar store about 6 years ago. The handles were offset, blades are stailess about 3" wide. They had a label from Bed, Bath and Beyond on them. I paid 1.00ea, I'd pay 5.00ea for them now. Can't find them anymore. We have 100 goop scoops, I hate them. they bend, break, stain and pastisol hardens on it...they all around suck but it's all I can find... The metal ones from suppliers are way too thin to hold ink. I want Action to make a decent ink knife. Price point around 10.00ea, that would be sweet.
-
I have had the hardest time finding something for 5 gal. buckets. Came across these the other day, just shaved the corners down a bit. The nice thing about them is they are sturdy enough to scoop white, and they have no "ripples" anywhere on them so cleaning them is a breeze!
http://menards.com/main/tools-hardware/hand-tools/drywall-tools/broad-knife/p-1801779-c-8951.htm (http://menards.com/main/tools-hardware/hand-tools/drywall-tools/broad-knife/p-1801779-c-8951.htm)
-
I'm beginning to think that there are different brands and compositions of the goop scoops out there. I've never had one bend easily, or break, or have any ink dry up on one. The complaints I'm reading just don't sound anything like the one's I've got. They clean up easily however you choose to do it and they remove the ink as good as any other device besides a squeegee blade. I've seen them in yellow and white, the white ones are a little stiffer and I think I have a few yellow ones that bend a little easier than the majority of them do. I know we all do things differently and get different results with all of our products, but scooping ink really isn't one of those things that I would think would have that much subjectivity in their use. I find this interesting.
-
Here it is what I use [url]http://www.waresdirect.com/products/Restaurant-Supply/Johnson-Rose-/Offset-Spatula-73426439[/url] ([url]http://www.waresdirect.com/products/Restaurant-Supply/Johnson-Rose-/Offset-Spatula-73426439[/url])
They are good AND cheap. A bunch or other sizes on the web site
Yep I ordered these they are nice and inexpensive
-
I'm beginning to think that there are different brands and compositions of the goop scoops out there. I've never had one bend easily, or break, or have any ink dry up on one. The complaints I'm reading just don't sound anything like the one's I've got. They clean up easily however you choose to do it and they remove the ink as good as any other device besides a squeegee blade. I've seen them in yellow and white, the white ones are a little stiffer and I think I have a few yellow ones that bend a little easier than the majority of them do. I know we all do things differently and get different results with all of our products, but scooping ink really isn't one of those things that I would think would have that much subjectivity in their use. I find this interesting.
agreed!
-
That would make sense on the goop scoops. I've broken several of them and the rest of them are way too flexible. i like metal, but metal doesn't like discharge inks.
-
Goop scoops turn to pieces of semi cooked lasagna if the ink is remotely thick. Cannot stand them.
-
You guys that don't like goop scoops are using the wrong ones. We use ones where the insert between the handle and the scoop part is angled so you can actually put it on the side of the ink bucket and keep the handle clean easily. They don't bend much at all and of course are very inexpensive. We had ordered 12-24 from someone else and the flex like crazy so they are terrible with thick inks / mixing. They don't have an angle cut into it near the handle so you can't keep it on the edge of the ink bucket either.
I also don't want to use metal for fear of stabbing mesh, we use a lot of S thread mesh.
CRAP:
(http://www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/files/799934/uploaded/inkgoopscoop.jpg)
What I like:
(http://www.tandjprintingsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/G/o/Goop-Scoops_1.jpg)
We only use the large ones, work better for quarts than the small ones, much cleaner. Also do people not tend to keep handles clean? I hate the downtime and messiness of ink on the handle part, so I do with the goop scoops had 1-2" longer handles(a few people have trouble keeping them clean so I have to make them clean it up after they use it)...
-
Sand down the corners on those white ones. I had to take mine away from the guys and sand them down. They were poking little holes along the tape line when scooping out excess ink. They swore they were not causing the holes. It as soon as the sharp edges were gone so were the spontaneous holes
Appearing in the mesh.
-
You guys that don't like goop scoops are using the wrong ones. We use ones where the insert between the handle and the scoop part is angled so you can actually put it on the side of the ink bucket and keep the handle clean easily. They don't bend much at all and of course are very inexpensive. We had ordered 12-24 from someone else and the flex like crazy so they are terrible with thick inks / mixing. They don't have an angle cut into it near the handle so you can't keep it on the edge of the ink bucket either.
I also don't want to use metal for fear of stabbing mesh, we use a lot of S thread mesh.
CRAP:
([url]http://www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/files/799934/uploaded/inkgoopscoop.jpg[/url])
What I like:
([url]http://www.tandjprintingsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/G/o/Goop-Scoops_1.jpg[/url])
We only use the large ones, work better for quarts than the small ones, much cleaner. Also do people not tend to keep handles clean? I hate the downtime and messiness of ink on the handle part, so I do with the goop scoops had 1-2" longer handles(a few people have trouble keeping them clean so I have to make them clean it up after they use it)...
Where are those white ones available?
-
I have both, I believe Nazdar sells the white ones, but I could be wrong, maybe it was atlas. . either way, they both suck for us. Maybe we are hard on our knives, I don't know but we go through them pretty quick.
-
I just want one that does not bend over like Monica Lewinsky in the oval office the first time you try to whip the ink in to shape.
-
dig that one out of the annuls of history much? How about a more current reference, like:
I don't want one that bends in the middle like Obama to a foreign dictator? ;)
-
dig that one out of the annuls of history much? How about a more current reference, like:
I don't want one that bends in the middle like Obama to a foreign dictator? ;)
Oh wait first you Biatched that Obama does not kiss Netanyahus ring, but now its the opposite? ;)
-
not the place for a political discussion, I was just trying to make a more current joke than a lewinsky reference.
you could have even said fold like the Bills to the Pats just to get a rise out of homer.
-
Hey I am sticking with the theme, thats why I ended your bend like a Romney flip flop with a smiley lol
-
When taking the excess ink out of the screen try using the Ultimate Clean Up Cards. There is no mess and are discarded once used. They work well for applying adhesive or scooping thick ink out of the container. You can clean squeegees and also apply blockout. If any of you are interested in getting more information on these clean up cards let me know.
-
When taking the excess ink out of the screen try using the Ultimate Clean Up Cards. There is no mess and are discarded once used. They work well for applying adhesive or scooping thick ink out of the container. You can clean squeegees and also apply blockout. If any of you are interested in getting more information on these clean up cards let me know.
First post is a sales pitch?
-
We have the yellows and white ones, the white scoops are better, more stiff. We use the cake spatulas for when we need to really mix an ink, on most gallons that we use often I just use the "jackhammer" method of loosening the ink up instead of a back and forth stir. None of the goop scoops are stiff enough to really mix back and forth but I find the up and down jackhammer method works great.
-
This is the one thing I buy from One Stroke inks... Call and order their big purple ink spatulas... They're huge and awesome... If you like big spatulas, this is what you need.
-
We have the yellows and white ones, the white scoops are better, more stiff. We use the cake spatulas for when we need to really mix an ink, on most gallons that we use often I just use the "jackhammer" method of loosening the ink up instead of a back and forth stir. None of the goop scoops are stiff enough to really mix back and forth but I find the up and down jackhammer method works great.
White ones are far superior to the yellow ones, I have both.
-
When taking the excess ink out of the screen try using the Ultimate Clean Up Cards. There is no mess and are discarded once used. They work well for applying adhesive or scooping thick ink out of the container. You can clean squeegees and also apply blockout. If any of you are interested in getting more information on these clean up cards let me know.
Wasteful, expensive and no better than a good ink knife. Just my two on those, no offense.
-
Small shop most inks in quarts. Paint stirrers from Walmart. If you by tape so they think you are a painter, they're free. I coat them with polyurethane before first use.
For removing ink from screens, 4" putty knife, very carefully sanded smooth and corners rounded a little. Works for me.
-
zoo i agree with you.
We use cut up messed up cardstock that we have from our graphics/flatstock department. BUT don't leave it in your ink, it soaks up the oils, and cause ink to dry and cake.
-
i am going to try the cards out. at $.026 each, that is hardly expensive. Especially when you look at how long it takes us to clean a putty knife. And then I still have to dispose of the solvent after it fills up with ink...another cost.
running the cards through the dryer is a great idea.
-
I used the clean up cards for a year or so, they were pretty handy..However, I found the guys using one every single time they touched ink. sometimes 5-6 cards per screen on a job, that's an extra buck or two I do not need to spend for a small convenience, not enough to make me buy another box. winged floodbars and a good ink knife and that's it. . .still looking for a good knife though haha.
-
Here is what we do and I think just about any printer here can find the same. There is a sign shop a couple buildings up from us, we do all their apparel printing. But they go through tons of corrugated sign material, they buy in bulk 4x8 sheets. They give to us all the scrap pieces and I then cut them all into card size scrapers. They give us so much we can use them willy nilly and never ever run out. The edge on them is so clean it will scrape ink off a squeegee leaving nothing behind.
Fore warning tho never use them on the edge where the flutes come out the ink will wick up the flutes and make a mess.
-
nah, just play them like a harmonica ;)
-
Not a sales pitch at all. Only offering a solution. :)
When taking the excess ink out of the screen try using the Ultimate Clean Up Cards. There is no mess and are discarded once used. They work well for applying adhesive or scooping thick ink out of the container. You can clean squeegees and also apply blockout. If any of you are interested in getting more information on these clean up cards let me know.
First post is a sales pitch?
-
Not a sales pitch at all. Only offering a solution. :)When taking the excess ink out of the screen try using the Ultimate Clean Up Cards. There is no mess and are discarded once used. They work well for applying adhesive or scooping thick ink out of the container. You can clean squeegees and also apply blockout. If any of you are interested in getting more information on these clean up cards let me know.
First post is a sales pitch?
I use Ultimate Cleanup Cards, get them from TexSource. Can't imagine not having them in the shop. I probably use 10 a day.
-
You guys that don't like goop scoops are using the wrong ones. We use ones where the insert between the handle and the scoop part is angled so you can actually put it on the side of the ink bucket and keep the handle clean easily. They don't bend much at all and of course are very inexpensive. We had ordered 12-24 from someone else and the flex like crazy so they are terrible with thick inks / mixing. They don't have an angle cut into it near the handle so you can't keep it on the edge of the ink bucket either.
I also don't want to use metal for fear of stabbing mesh, we use a lot of S thread mesh.
CRAP:
[img]http://www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/files/799934/uploaded/inkgoopscoop.jpg[img]
What I like:
[img]http://www.tandjprintingsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/G/o/Goop-Scoops_1.jpg[img]
We only use the large ones, work better for quarts than the small ones, much cleaner. Also do people not tend to keep handles clean? I hate the downtime and messiness of ink on the handle part, so I do with the goop scoops had 1-2" longer handles(a few people have trouble keeping them clean so I have to make them clean it up after they use it)...
Where are those white ones available?
tandjprintingsupply.com
-
Why pay for clean up cards. I think most of use resale or offer business cards right. I have about 5000 cards here that I use daily to clean squeegees and goop scoops. They work perfect. One card can scrap off all the ink on a squeegee until there is just a thin deposit. One spray of press wash and one shop towel and the squeegee is clean. I have the 14 point coated cards. Even if you don't have mess up cards just order some from your bulk printer they are only like $15 per thousand.
-
X2 @ screened gear. But I like the 16pt cards better.
-
Why pay for clean up cards. I think most of use resale or offer business cards right. I have about 5000 cards here that I use daily to clean squeegees and goop scoops. They work perfect. One card can scrap off all the ink on a squeegee until there is just a thin deposit. One spray of press wash and one shop towel and the squeegee is clean. I have the 14 point coated cards. Even if you don't have mess up cards just order some from your bulk printer they are only like $15 per thousand.
Hmm with the cleanup cards you can partially fold them and have a decent sized area for ink to scrape. I'd think with a business card my thumb would be covered in ink before I got one screens worth of ink back in the bucket. Also use them to scoop process inks out of quart buckets so I don't have to clean a real scoop each time I print cmyk.
I do have some business cards I loathe though and was goin to toss, I'll give them a shot but I love my cleanup cards!
-
Dudes, seriously, you can use a good quality offset cake knife (squared off) to pull ink out of the screen, stir ink, clean squeegees and floods. It does all that. Round the corners off real good, polish them and just don't go stabbing the screen and it works out great. No need for piles of cardstock all over the shop and you'll conserve more ink.
One thing I'll say about the "cleanup cards" made for screen printing is that they are well thought out. They made a scoop coater that the cards fit into perfectly. I don't like manufacturing - buying- disposing anything, even if they are just 3 cents each if it's not absolutely necessary but, hey that is convenient.
http://www.performancescreen.com/sites/performancescreen.com/files/downloads/monster-max-brochure-081210.pdf (http://www.performancescreen.com/sites/performancescreen.com/files/downloads/monster-max-brochure-081210.pdf)
I think I'm going to check one of these coaters out. It's the only one I've ever seen besides the AWT dual coat that looked any good to me. If it sucks I could just keep it around as a bucket buster.
-
Hmmm... I just had a 2500 pcs biz card order that paid and then sold the business and backed out. So I'll have plenty to use just for that, I had no idea what I was going to do with all those.
What is a "bucket buster"?
-
I don't use business cards for cleaning screens. A Goop Scoop and then a squeegee works just fine. For squeegees / floods and goop Scoops I use the cards. On the squeegees I scrap them with the good scoop first to take off most the ink. Then I take the business card and scrape it until there is almost nothing left (takes just seconds) Then just a spray of press wash and a shop towel. I am sure the Clean up cards work great but so do regular old business cards.
-
We bought a parts washer at tractor supply and some PSC-1000 and my guy LOVES it!
-
I have whoever "the new guy" is cut up pizza boxes into 4 x 4 squares, as long as the sides are cut straight they work wonders for cleaning out screens and squeegees/flood bars...
Added bonus snack if there is dried cheese on the box! :o