The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

[NewLondon88]

The Good: I finally found a supplier who has ribbons for the Alps printer that
has been hanging around in storage for 10+ years.
(I have the Windows 3.1 driver, too)

I can now print metallic inks, and I can print white ink. Smudgeproof,
waterproof and all. Should be great for logos. If anyone needs labels with
metallic, I should be able to experiment tonight and get a feel for it.

The Bad: I coated the labels with Elmer's Glue. I'm not sure if the "School
Glue" is different, or if thinning it with water was the problem, but they all
turned hazy and white. I let them dry under a 500 watt lamp, and then I let them sit another day. Won't do that again.

The Ugly: I still can't find every leak in the pressure pot. It held for about
2 hours, then I left it overnight. Came back in to find 0 lbs.
gggrrrrrrrrr.... Need to go buy a few more 5 packs of tubes..

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

The Ugly: I still can't find every leak in the pressure pot. It held for about
2 hours, then I left it overnight. Came back in to find 0 lbs.
gggrrrrrrrrr.... Need to go buy a few more 5 packs of tubes..

Do you also have it set up for vacuum? If so, pull a vacuum and put thin CA around all of the fittings.

 

[Jim Smith]

You might want to consider trying the Color Preserver used by fishing rod builders. It is designed to go over thread or decals and I've never had any problems with it turning hazy or white. Just a thought...

Jim Smith

 

[helgi]

How big is your pot if it is two gallon size, take a 45 gallon drum or garbage pail filled with water. Hold 10--15 pounds air pressure in pot and dunk under water it should tell you the leaks, or fill pot with soapy water and put under pressure leaks should show up.
Hope this will work for you.
Helgi.
p/s, check the rubber on the potlid, if it is really hard you might have to purchase a new one.

 

[MesquiteMan]

The easiest way to check for leaks is to get a spray bottle and put a little dish soap in it and fill with water. Shake well and then pressure the pot. Spray the soapy water in every spot where there could be a leak. A leak will make a bubble in the soapy water and you will know where your leak is.

 

[NewLondon88]

I've been doing the soapy water to find all the leaks. Found at least one on
every fitting in the stupid thing. Got all of them now, except one that I think
is in the compressor itself. That little screw in the pressure guage.. if it is
closed no air gets into the pot. So I charged it up and closed it this afternoon
and in the morning I'll go see if there's still any pressure in the pot. If so, I'm
golden..

Now, to try out labels with metallic ribbons.. :biggrin:

 

[NewLondon88]

You might want to consider trying the Color Preserver used by fishing rod builders. It is designed to go over thread or decals and I've never had any problems with it turning hazy or white. Just a thought...
Jim Smith

Nothing wrong with a thought.. I think I'll have the color part licked.
I didn't get any color bleed, so that's OK. Colors look good, except when I
tried using the Elmer's. Could be the wrong kind, or it might not have dried
out completely. Water will make it hazy or milky, right?
Someone else said CA, which I could also do.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

My suggestion won't find the fittings that leak, it will fix the fittings that leak.

 

[NewLondon88]

My suggestion won't find the fittings that leak, it will fix the fittings that leak.

Ah.. I thought about the vacuum, but I have no equipment for it and I just
invested in the pressure pot. That was the end of 'discretionary income' for
this month..:tongue:

So is there a reason for casting with pressure vs. vacuum? Certain types of
resin that need one or the other? Or certain colors? And how do you keep
the stoppers in the tubes under vacuum? Won't the air in the tubes push
the stoppers out? (Newbie, remember?)

On another note, it took hours and a ton of downloads, but I finally got the
Alps printer and the ink ribbons installed. driver built into windows won't
let you use the spot colors or allow you to print multiple times on the same
sheet without removing it. Got to say, the metallic inks look sharp.

I can make great looking labels, just can't cast them yet. Anyone want to
swap a casting for some labels?

 

[NewLondon88]

ha HA!

it held 30 lbs overnight.. so the leak is in the compressor somewhere.
I don't really care where, I just pressurize and then close the valve behind
it. I wish the pot came with instructions so I had a better idea what
everything does..

so .. metallic labels .. check.
pot holds pressure .. check.
the right elmer's glue .. check

I'm off to go try it :biggrin: