HP 5000 Polyester Plate Instructions
HP 5000 Polyester Plate Instructions
edu/~khaas | 2006
2. Set your Printing Options MB > File > Print with Preview Use this dialogue box to flip the image so it will be backwards on the plate by checking the Emulsion Down box. This is also where you will access the Screen settings to change the lpi of the printed image.
Set your Halftone Screens Lines Per Inch to 75. Angles for 4 Color images: Black/Darkest Color: 45 Cyan/Next Lighter: 15 Magenta/Next Lighter: 75 Yellow/Lightest: 90
3. Set the image Quality Settings MB > File > Print 4. Load your polyester plate into the manual feed tray on the printer and click Print. Viola!
PRESS SETUP
Printing using an etching press To print on the Brand etching press, set the pressure to 1|0, so the roller is just in contact with the press bed. It is easiest to ink your plate on a separate glass slab before printing. Once it is inked, place the dried plate face up on the center of the bed and your paper face down on the plate. Cover the plate and paper with 2 sheets of newsprint. Place a tympan on top and run them through the press. Felts are not needed. Printing using a litho press To print on a litho press, lay your plate centered and face up on the press. Place your paper on the plate according to your registration marks, and cover with two sheets of newsprint. Cover with a greased tympan and print. You should only use as much pressure as needed to pull a good impression. The plate will break down quicker if excessive pressure is used. Before you print, set up the litho press by centering your plate, setting the pressure, and marking your start and stop points (traverse marks).
PRINTING METHODS
Collage or Freeform Printing You can print polyester plates using a free-form collage approach, without worrying about correct registration or paper stretch. When working this way, you may find it best to print with the paper face-up and position your plate face down onto the paper. This will allow you to see where you are placing the image, and minimize the embossment from the edges of the plates. You will most likely want to wipe the edges of the plate down with a felt and toothpaste to prevent the ink that has collected there from transferring to your print. I find this method works well for plates that I have cut into shapes or for a more free form approach to layering images. This method works well when using an etching press. Registration Setup / T & Bar Marks You can put T & Bar registration marks on the back of your plates with a ballpoint pen; the marks will be visible from the printing side. You can register multiple plates easily on a light table. If printing multiples colors where correct registration is important, you will need to pre-stretch or calendar your paper. This can be done by running your paper back and forth through the litho press 2 times between newsprint. Once this is done, draw your corresponding registration marks on the back of your paper. Tear down 1 sheet of newsprint for every sheet of paper you will print, plus 4 extra sheets, all at least 1 larger than your paper. Using an additional litho plate and pin registration Printing your pronto plates when they are laying on top of an old litho or photo-litho plate, will help the pronto plate stay stuck down, as well as keeping the area around the plate damp and ink free. The litho plate, the pronto plates, and your paper can all be punched to use pin registration. Be sure to punch your plates face-up and the paper face down. For tight registration, pre-stretch your paper and then punch it.
Lightly dampen either a glass slab or the press bed with the water and gum mixture and place your plate on the wet surface. Dampen the plate with even horizontal and vertical strokes leaving a thin film of water on the plate with no water streaks. Using a wet sponge to dampen the plate and a dry sponge to thin the film of water works well. Begin inking your plate using moderate pressure on the brayer while alternating your rolling pattern. Once you have rolled ink across the entire plate and back again, charge your brayer with more ink, dampen the plate again and complete another pass of ink from a different direction. After doing this about 4 6 times you can print a proof of your inked image on newsprint. You may find that you will need to alter your rolling pattern quite a lot and complete quite a few passes to have a fully and evenly inked image, especially if it is a dark or large image. Scumming areas and edges of the plate that have collected ink can be cleaned with a small piece of felt, toothpaste and water. Based on the appearance of the newsprint proof you may want to add pressure, add ink, vary your inking pattern more or continue as before printing on good paper. Continue inking and dampening 46 times for each print. If your image is still light you most likely need to add ink to your slab. If it is too dark scrape ink from your slab to reduce the amount of ink you are placing on the image.
CLEAN UP
To save a polyester plate, print it several times without inking it to remove the excess ink. Rinse the plate with water and store between newsprint. If needed you can clean it further with water and toothpaste before rinsing. The next time you want to print it, use it as you would any other polyester plate. To clean up your ink and brayers, etc: 1. Put on you Gloves. 2. Scrape the excess ink off the slab with a razor scraper and wipe it onto phone-book pages. 3. Pour a small amount of vegetable oil onto the slab. Roll the brayers in the oil until the ink begins to dissolve. 4. With a dirty rag, wipe up the oil and ink on the slab and then use the same rag to wipe down the brayers and ink knives. 5. Pour a small amount of solvent onto a fresh rag and thoroughly clean your brayers until they are spotless. Put this rag in Rag Hell. 6. Use simple green and a fresh rag to clean up the oil and ink residue on the ink knives and glass slab. Also clean down the press bed and tympan with simple green. 7. Rinse out your sponges with water and clean out the bowls with a powdered cleanser if needed. Rinse out your felts too. THANK YOU for leaving the studio clean and tidy for the next person!