How to clean the plate on seal press

[Songyun]

I just got a seal press, however the plate needs some cleaning. How should I clean it? Here is a photo of the plate that I just took it off the press.

[Kirk Gittings]

steel wool coarse then fine.

[mdarnton]

I'm not really sure what that photo is, but if you're talking about tissue residue on the aluminum plate, lay some paper towels well-soaked with denatured alcohol or acetone (better, safer) over it, cover that with a couple of sheet of saran wrap and something simple to flatten it out (pile of newspapers, etc) and walk away for 30 minutes. Come back and the tissue will be a slop that you can wipe off with more acetone and a nylon spatula. Then do the steel wool polishing. Acetone in steel wool will remove the last bits.

If you're into safe solvents, use either Everclear (pure ethyl alcohol) or CitriStrip.

[Songyun]

Thanks guys. Now I need to fix the pressure adjustment nob. it seems stuck, would wd40 help?

[mdarnton]

It would be an easy thing to try first.

[gleaf]

penetration oil. WD 40 will drive water out, later it will become sticky.

[Toyon]

Egad, never use steel wool on aluminum.

[Daniel Stone]

Egad, never use steel wool on aluminum.

Yes, use a scotchbrite pad instead.

[Songyun]

oops... I have already done that with the steel wool...

[Ron McElroy]

You should still be able to come back with green scotchbrite to polish out abrasions from the steel wool. If you still have elbows left after this use white scotchbrite to polish the plate surface.

oops... I have already done that with the steel wool...