Inking issue with plastic polymer base on windmill 10x15

Hello,

Being new to print on the Heidelberg Windmill, I am trying to learn the right printing technique.
I use a polymer for printing and after the necessary adjustments I noticed that the rollers put the ink on the polymer one time out of two so I have a good impression once and I did not know remedy if you have an idea of ​​where the problem comes from or if you have encountered the same problem thank you for helping me

image: 20180506_230716.jpg

20180506_230716.jpg

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Have you checked the basic things? Are your polymer plates mounted to the correct height? And have your rollers been set to the correct height using a lollypop guage or block guage, to show about 3mm stripe.

Thank you for your quick response, how can I know that my polymer plate is at the right height? and unfortunately I do not have the lollypop gauge to be able to measure the rollers, with which I can replace this tool (unavailable in my area)?

Not sure where you are based but lollypop roller guages are availabe in the uk from Lyme Bay Press and probably from NAGraphics in the USA. Checking the height of polymer is abit more difficult, what are you mounting your plates on?

I am from Algeria and we rarely find this kind of accessory here, I plan to get one on the internet if I find a seller can send it to me here.
I mount my polymer on magnetic plate which is 23mm thick

Hello Screech, before going online and buy the ‘lollipop’, it’s important to establish first if the press is French type height (23,556 mm). I presume Algeria uses French type height, as most of the printing equipment and type was imported from France. If that is the case, brand new ones can be bought from Drucken und Lernen in Germany: http://www.drucken-und-lernen.de/Detailview.92.0.html?&tx_ttproducts_pi1...

If you have not got roller gauge you could unlock your chase and place the magnetic mount and plate face down carefully, lock up and see what stripe you get on the back of the mount which I should think will be a bigger area to judge,

John

Thomas, thankyou for your comment re French type height.
Screech, it looks as if your base could be too high even for French Type height. if for example you are using 1.52 thick polymer plates your base would need to be approx. 22mm high.

Thank you all for your answers,

I tried to apply your advice, and I get a nice impression with light embossing, however I still have a problem with the ink that weakens from one passage to another, I explain: it takes that the rollers spends two or three times on the polymer to have a good ink quality and have a good impression with the right color, can it be because of the ink because I use the offset ink? (as it’s the only one available)

image: Letterpress_problem.jpg

Letterpress_problem.jpg

Well done so far, the first sheet looks good. I get that sequence of prints when I forget to lower the rollers and they are not picking up fresh ink from the large distribution drum or you need to put ink in the duct to keep the ink supply topped up.