How to clean the plate on seal press

[Cletus]

I have a Seal press too and I don't think the platen is aluminum, but more likely an iron casting or something like that. It's awfully heavy and it doesn't seem like aluminum would be the most suitable material to make the heavy, flat platen from. But I digress...

Anyway, totally agree with mdarnton on the solvent soak and the scotchbrite over steel wool suggestions to clean the stuck-on adhesive.

I would also strongly suggest getting some of that teflon (or silicone?) coated release paper for when you start mounting, to avoid the results you're trying to clean up now. I use a top and a bottom sheet on my press and with care you should be able to use these for a long time. I don't think I've ever had to change mine and I've mounted many hundreds of prints.

[Kirk Gittings]

Egad, never use steel wool on aluminum.

Egad! Mine is not aluminum......

[Roger Thoms]

The platens on my two are both aluminum. I'd try solvents first, denatured alcohol, acetone, lacquer thinner. I might also try De-solv-it which is a citrus based solvent. Another thought is paint remover, just make sure it's ok to use on aluminum.

This thread on APUG has some info, looks like acetone worked for the OP. http://www.apug.org/forums/forum46/2...s-platten.html

Roger

[mdarnton]

When I used to do a lot of dry mounting, I used a sheet of smooth light weight matte board over the photo, under the platen. That way the platen stayed completely clean, and anything stuck to it wouldn't telegraph through to the print. Also, if you were mounting oversize stuff in passes, the edge of the platen wouldn't stamp onto the print. Once in a while I'd pitch the board and get another piece. When teflon paper came out, I added that over the photo, too. Never had to clean a press, and I was mounting a LOT of photos at the time.

I bought a couple of used ones along the way, and I have no idea how people could get them so crapped up, and then USE them that way!

[Kirk Gittings]

I bought a couple of used ones along the way, and I have no idea how people could get them so crapped up, and then USE them that way!

one word.......students.

[Songyun]

ok, guys, mine is aluminum... I used to use a matt board and a piece of parchment paper on top of the print.

[Drew Wiley]

Steel wool? WD40? ....%*&@+!!!!!!.... Aluminum is soft, and the newer platens are teflon coated. Seal sells their own cleaner, if in doubt. A soft woven nylon Scotchbrite pad like you'd use on kitchen teflon pans can be used, but nothing coarser than a white or gray one (never green or purple - too coarse). But WD40 takes the cake. Set your temp a bit too high and welcome to darkroom Chernobyl. The residue can ignite. If not, it can transfer to your prints and utterly ruin them anyway,
or get into the matboard in between, and eventually into the prints that way. And get real Seal release paper. That's what it's made for. ... Otherwise, get smart students like we have here at UC Berkeley. That way you won't have any left over paper scraps. UCB students will eat anything a goat refuses to swallow.

[George Richards]

one word.......students.

Two words.......government employees I bought one at a surplus auction that was so gummed up I needed a power sander.

George

[Henry Ambrose]

ok, guys, mine is aluminum... I used to use a matt board and a piece of parchment paper on top of the print.

Probably should always do this anyway.

[tgtaylor]

When I used to do a lot of dry mounting, I used a sheet of smooth light weight matte board over the photo, under the platen. That way the platen stayed completely clean, and anything stuck to it wouldn't telegraph through to the print. Also, if you were mounting oversize stuff in passes, the edge of the platen wouldn't stamp onto the print. Once in a while I'd pitch the board and get another piece. When teflon paper came out, I added that over the photo, too. Never had to clean a press, and I was mounting a LOT of photos at the time.

I bought a couple of used ones along the way, and I have no idea how people could get them so crapped up, and then USE them that way!

+1

And get real Seal release paper. That's what it's made for...

+1

Thomas