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Cleaning Litho plate

Posted: February 6th, 2018, 8:35 pm
by RichardVaughanDavies
Hi
Just picked up two sheets of used litho plate from a local print shop. The image is still very much on them and I was told that white spirit would clean it off. It didn't :-(

Anyone know of a way of cleaning the image off? Am I right in thinking the base for the image side is silver nitrate?

Would an abrasive metal cleaner (Solvol Autosol) be any good. Haven't any to try, hence the question.

Thanks

Richard

Re: Cleaning Litho plate

Posted: February 6th, 2018, 8:57 pm
by Terry Jessop
Acetone?

Re: Cleaning Litho plate

Posted: February 6th, 2018, 9:58 pm
by RichardVaughanDavies
Hi Terry

Pinched the wife's nail varnish remover and had a go with that. It took some of the ink away, but I think it would need an awful lot of remover!

I'll have to find something else. Thanks for the suggestion.

Re: Cleaning Litho plate

Posted: February 7th, 2018, 2:46 pm
by Dave Collis 2296
I've used lacquer thinner , but my litho plate had been used for newspaper printing so it was just ink.

Cheers,
Dave.

Re: Cleaning Litho plate

Posted: February 7th, 2018, 10:17 pm
by Stuart Solomon
Pure Acetone, not nail varnish remover or I clean mine with cellulose thinners

Re: Cleaning Litho plate

Posted: February 7th, 2018, 10:50 pm
by Steve Mansell
I leave the print on, as it gives me something to read when I've picked up the pieces!

Re: Cleaning Litho plate

Posted: February 8th, 2018, 12:33 am
by RichardVaughanDavies
I'll have a go with cellulose thinners, thanks Stuart.