C&P 8x12 cleaning rollers

Have a couple of runs on my new-to-me C&P with comp. rollers, couldn’t be happier, at least until winter hits!

I’d like to know how C&P owners clean their rollers while on the press, or is removing them for cleaning the best option. Please share your technique(s). Thanks, Michael

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Here’s my procedure:

Put your roller wash in a spray bottle; I use emptied shower spray bottles.

Squirt a little on the ink table and put some newsprint or other scrap paper on the wet ink table. Roll the rollers over the paper on the ink table, giving them a light spritz from the spray bottle on the way up. Repeat a few times until the most of the ink on the rollers and table is gone.

Wipe off the ink table with a used rag dampened with roller wash. Run the rollers up and down a couple of times onto the ink table and wipe down again. Repeat this a couple of times until little ink ends up on the table.

Put the rollers up as high as they’ll go onto the ink table. Use a clean cloth dampened with roller wash and clean the table under the rollers. Using the same cloth wipe down the rollers from end to end; move the rollers down a bit and keep on wiping the rollers off; adjusting the cloth to get a new clean area. Repeat until the rollers are clean and off the ink table.

I leave the rollers on the press, centered in the middle of the bed where there is minimum pressure on the roller springs.

Arie writes a good procedure.
I prefer to use blue disposable shop towels. They are nearly lint free, and can endure lots of scrubbing.

Excellent, thank you. Instead of commercial roller wash is kero okay for composition, I’ve been told it is. Yes, I use the disposable blue towels as well, I’m finding the orange shop towels leave a lot of crud behind. I did manage to get the grippers out of the way with a spring clamp holding them down, that was the big problem in trying to clean up. Cheers, Michael

Michael:

Kerosene is fine for composition rollers. It does leave a bit of an oily film on the rollers, which is good if you leave them set for a period before using again. The oily film keeps moisture from invading in the interim. I think it might also keep them from drying out (the opposite blight).

The way I was taught ws to clean off the ink plate, wipe it dry then run the rollers up slowly and as they approach the ink plate begin washing the portion which is accessible on each roller as it mounts the ink plate, when they are at the top, again clean and dry the ink plate and as the rollers are run down, clean and dry them, by the time they leave the plate they should be clean and dry.

I may be in the minority here, but I usually remove the rollers on my 8x12, wipe them down, clean off the ink disc then replace the rollers. I use Varn California wash with Kimberly/Clark Wypalls (white). I can usually do the complete wash in 20 minutes with 3 rags. I agree with Ari to leave the rollers on the press centered on the bed so they don’t develop any flat spots. Happy cleaning!

I typically leave them on the press but my husband swears by removing them to clean them… But we always leave them on the press for storage but never leave them sitting on the ink plate (not even for 10 minutes!)