Windmill questions - Please help!
I just started playing around with the Windmill and I have a few questions for all you Windmill experts out there. Sorry in advance for not knowing the names of all the press parts!
(1). I’ve adjusted the rollers, the packing and the impression to get a clean, crisp print. BUT, sometimes the suckers don’t grap the sheet correctly and it skips a sheet. When this happens, the tympan ends up getting inked and the rest of my prints pick up this ink on the backside. I am having to put on a new tympan sheet every time this happens, which is completely impractical. I have the blower setting fully open and have several of those little metal finger things in place on the paper tray.
I should note that In addition to missing sheets, it also sometimes picks up multiple sheets (this is within the same press run, without any adjustment). Most of the time is picks up one sheet cleanly, but I can’t figure out how the suckers can miss one sheet then a few sheets later pick up 2 or 3 at the same time. I’m also wondering if the speed of the press plays any role in how well it picks up sheets.
(2) How in the heck do you clean the rollers on this thing? I’m used to wiping rollers clean on the Vandercook, but there are so many rollers on the Windmill that this is taking forever. I know there is an auto washer on there, but it just made a mess and I still needed to wipe the rollers down by hand anyway. Am I not using the washer correctly? Is it necessary to hand-wipe each roller?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
~ Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Great job in just jumping in head first. If you haven’t already, read the manual, then read it again.
Naturally, the more experience you get running the press, the more obvious the operation is, but it is probably a good idea that you get some instruction from an experienced pressman. Either find someone local that can pay you a visit, or travel to them.
Here are some answers to your questions:
When the press skips a sheet, it should shut off automatically before the impression. The adjustment for this is right by the suction knob. You can adjust the sensitivity by turning in or out.
If you do print on the packing, dont replace it, rub off the ink with a dry rag the best you can, and rub some spray powder on it. It should stop printing on the back of the pieces in a few impressions (unless it is real heavy coverage).
Every job will have its own balance of suction, blast, sucker angle, and pile height adjustments. Getting the balance correct is what will enable you to pick up one sheet at a time, every time.
The speed of the press does play a role, but barely. When you are a advanced press operator, you will notice when speed helps or hinders.
When you wash up the press, insert the wash-up blade in its slot, start the press, spray the typewash on the rollers, and push the handle of the wash-up blade forward firmly. Keep the rollers wet and blade engaged until the rollers are clean and almost dry. If you let them completely dry with the blade engaged it will squeek loudly and that can damage the rollers. After the press is stopped, relieve the pressure off the blade and remove it from its track and dispose of the waste ink. Cycle the press slowly until the line of ink is seen on the largest metal roller, wipe the line off and you should have a pretty clean press.
Like I mentioned before, get some instruction. If you have some experience on other presses, the windmill will be a breeze to operate, but education from an experienced pressman will be priceless to you.
Bill
Here’s a good tip: If you print on the packing, wash it off with isopropyl alchohol (don’t rub too hard or the packing will peel and wait until the alchohol has evaporated). The quick evaporation of the alchohol will nearly dry the ink residue that is left and really cut down the offset impressions. You also have less of a chance of making mud with the off-set power - if you need it at all.
Make sure you fan the edges of your paper before putting it into the feeder, this will help to separate sheets pressed together with static electricity or by the paper cutter. Getting air between the sheets can be a real tough thing to balance and a lot of time can be spent getting the pile heighth, air and suction just right. You should have this problem solved before you ever start to print - even before you ink up. You might have to run a whole stack of paper through the press at times to get the balance just right.
Here’s a good tip: If you print on the packing, wash it off with isopropyl alchohol (don’t rub too hard or the packing will peel and wait until the alchohol has evaporated). The quick evaporation of the alchohol will nearly dry the ink residue that is left and really cut down the offset impressions. You also have less of a chance of making mud with the off-set power - if you need it at all.
Make sure you fan the edges of your paper before putting it into the feeder, this will help to separate sheets pressed together with static electricity or by the paper cutter. Getting air between the sheets can be a real tough thing to balance and a lot of time can be spent getting the pile heighth, air and suction just right. You should have this problem solved before you ever start to print - even before you ink up. You might have to run a whole stack of paper through the press at times to get the balance just right.
Oops, heavy thumb.
Hi Lisa,
From an octogenarian with 50plus years experience of Heidelbergs etc
Your first point; if you missfeed and print on the tympan, do not use any liquid to remove the ink; in all my years the only thing we ever used was french chalk (talcum powder).
Dust it on with a cotton wool pad and wipe clean.
As regards poor feeding; always start with the front blower in the highest position, the feed table height adjuster set to central position, sucker bar set to about a 15 degree tilt.
Then without any forme in the press, fan your paper between finger and thumb so that you see every sheet seperates from the next, then knock-up the cut of paper so that the edges are aligned and place on the feed table, adjust the standards accordingly, set the back stops, set the front seperators fully in, and start the machine, let the machine raise the pile with the suction stopped, until the front blower is seperating the top 4/5 sheets only, with enough blast to blow the air through to the tale of the sheet, now start suction and it should feed correctly.
Remember suction has little effect on normal papers, the front blower is your main control for accurate feeding.
As regards wash-up problems, it should not be necessary to wipe individual rollers if you are using the wash-up device with a quick-drying cleaner fluid. Practice makes perfect !
Thank you all for so generously taking the time to respond and for giving me such helpful advice! There are so many important suggestions here that I’m anxious to get back to the press and try them out. I will definitely take your advice and read the manuals again, more thoroughly this time, too! I am also looking into having a local pressman give me a lesson or two on press operation.
Thanks again for all the great tips!
Happy Printing!
Lisa