# Shop clean up time - web based adhesive removal



## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

My little shop took a massive beating this year. Especially hoodies. Good thing though I suppose. 

Problem is, time for some press and shop maintenance, and I have web based adhesive stuck to my concrete floor. 

Any advice on what to use to clean it up? And also what works on cleaning press rotor arms (Vastex) without removing the powder coat? Or is that just unavoidable?


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## DPendable (Dec 21, 2012)

I have always used lacquer thinner for my heavy areas. Also, consider wrapping your arms and heads with platen tape. I wrap the arms only since that is the worst spot for over spray. Once you clean the concrete, apply a concrete sealer. They are cheap and easy to apply. Makes cleaning easier. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using T-Shirt Forums


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

Wow, the platen tape on the arms is genius! I'll be doing that next week for sure! Thanks!


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## Smckee21 (Jul 23, 2010)

I use W-D 40 on anything metal, including the press arms, just spray it on and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes then wipe off the lint and adhesive. the W-D 40 also leaves a coat which helps the next time you need to clean. On Tough spots on the floor I use Xylene to clean there. Hope this helps!


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## Dakent012 (Nov 7, 2012)

We tried covering our production floor with large sheets of cardboard. However, it proved to be a potential tripping hazard as a result of the tape coming up around the edges. We are currently exploring others options such as putting square mats down that are similar to those used in gyms. The mats are proving to be a costly option which is why we are currently exploring more costly options. I also recommend covering problem areas of your press, we use a thick type of white paper that doesn't tare very easily and is also extremely inexpensive. Every few months we change out the paper. We have found that crud cutter works very well in removing stubborn glue residue. Spray the crud cutter and allow it to sit for a few minutes before attempting to remove old glue.
Hope this helps
Happy New Year
Dave Kent


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

Also this would be a good time to switch to non aresol water base adhesive, you will never have to clean up this fuzzy sticky mess ever again!


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I DO use water based adhesive. For t-shirts. But it just doesn't hold down hoodies well enough, or reliably for me. I probably printed and sold about 600 hoodies this winter, still more piling up in my print queue as I type this, and there is no reliability in water based with fleece, even full strength.

I don't like using web, but it has become a necessary evil. At least it is not as bad as regular non-web.


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

I do a lot of fleece myself, can usually get a dozen or more before I have to dampen & flash my pallet. It slows production down but I'd do anything to avoid the sticky fuzz bunnies spray creates, I hated cleaning the crap up.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

Yeah the dust bunnies suck. What waterbased are you using? I use the pro-bond and the last batch was MUCH weaker. I would give it another go though because I do hate web. But...


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

Try actually letting some waterbased adhesive evaporate for a few days so it gets more concentrated. Should hold down a hoodie then!


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

I also use pro bond, I use pallet tape then I apply several coats with a ink card and let dry or flash between coats till I get a good build up going, then every dozen or so I wipe with a damp sponge to remove lint and flash, usually do this 3-4 times before I have to reapply glue


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

I use the probond also and the only way I can get it to hold for more then 2 rounds is to let it evaporate some but I mix it 50/50 for tshirts. Screen wash cleans up spray adhesive very well including web adhesive. So does CCI AR-20 adhesive remover which also cleans up water base adhesive so its handy to have around.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

Yep. MAYBE two rounds here too. Often times less. 50% will barely hold down tees on the last batch I got of Probond. Weird.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

You know that's funny you mentioned that. I bought a bunch of it after my first experience with probond and its been great. I ordered a qt and it didn't seem as sticky as before. Might have to email CCI. Maybe just a bad batch or they have changed something.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

Funnier even that last year, it seemed to hold down hoodies OK. This year...nope. Seems real waterd down. Works ok on shirts but nothing less than a 70/30 cut even on shirts is any good with the latest. Which is why I switched to web with hoodies. Got my latest batch of probond from "The Big R".


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

I bought 4 qts a year ago and am on the last qt, that sux if it is really watered down from previous batches. Guess I'll find out myself soon enough


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

If you do a lot of fleece, you might consider investing in a set of these:

Sweatsheet 14" x 14"

Not cheap, but if you've only got 4 pallets, not out of the question. I've got one, and it works surprisingly well. Gotta take into consideration whether you push or pull the squeegee on your print stroke, too.
I live in Orlando, so I rarely print fleece. If I printed more of the stuff, I'd spring for another 3 for my press.


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

That's awesome, think I'll order one and give it a try


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

I'm going to order 3 of them. I have a 6 station and if they work out I'm going to order 3 more. Tom since you have one. I have 15x16 platens. Do you think it would be ok to order the 16x16 as sometimes I have very close to 14" wide prints.


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

I ordered the 16" one and kind of wish I'd ordered the 14.
It's a sheet of aluminum with a plastic cover of "teeth" that all face one direction. You tape it down to your pallet, load the shirt, then pull it back against the grain of the teeth. I then smooth it down tightly, again against the grain, to take as much of the loft out of the fleece. I do the same anytime I've used pallet adhesive with fleece. You want the grain of the teeth to be facing the opposite direction that you'll be moving the squeegee on the print stroke to avoid any tendency to pull the fleece off the teeth.
You may want to try just one to start. If I had much fleece to do, I'd get the 4 for my press, but that's just my opinion. It's different from anything else and you may want to try one before jumping in with a whole set.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

That's a real interesting looking thing there. I think I will grab one to try as well. Hoodie season will be over soon, but I'd be into trying one out. Thanks for the link!


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

Just wanted to pop back in and say thanks for all the input and advice, and post some of limited results. Don't you hate it when you give people advice and they don't come back and post their results? 

As far as cleaning the web off of the platen arms, WD40 worked like a champ! Just sprayed it on, let it soak and the stuff just wiped right off. It also worked great for just cleaning my press legs and such. 

As far as adhesive, I placed an order for some ink from One Stroke last week and had them toss in a small bottle of TekMar waterbased, my rep stated it should hold down hoodies well. I think Pro-Bond claims the same thing though. But I'm willing to give TekMar a goto compare. 

This is my second year in business and my site sales as well as my sales through retail partners has really started to boom. It's a grind, and on the surface it can seem like one might make more money this way, but there are other expenses involved. Like lots of shipping supplies, shipping label printers, hang tags, promo items, not to mention hours of packing and such. I also use all domestic garments, so it's more expensive right off the bat. I'm not complaining though, I'm fortunate. So...cutting down on time wasted with things like hoodies lifting off the platen is a big deal to me. As well as wasted adhesives.

Point to all that, is this year in comparison to last, I am printing WAY more hoodies. One thing I noticed is that no matter what I am using for an adhesive, I'm not getting a lot of hold time with hoodies. If I use web, I'm having to reapply after every hoodie to be safe. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the hoodies I'm using - American Apparel 5495 California fleece which are 100% cotton and they just leave more fuzz behind. Or if I'm doing something wrong...like smashing them down and smoothing them onto the platen too hard? 

Sorry for the long post. Just me rambling!


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Let us know how the texmar works. Just a FYI if your spraying you can get a refillable spray can that you can fill with the water base stuff and use compressed air to pressurize can. I'll see if I can find the link to where I ordered the last ones. I haven't tried with water base product but I use this some other stuff like kerosene which is WD40. You do have to be care full though pressurizing flammable stuff. I also use them for paint and other stuff. I have to order some to try the adhesive cause all the ones I have right now have been used with stuff I wouldn't want to reuse.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I'll have the TekMar on Thursday along with my inks. And I will be switching over to the hoodie queue on Friday after I clear out my t-shirt queue today and tomorrow. So we shall see how it holds down the fleece. I will post my initial findings. I think I paid like $6 for 8 oz, and I probably overpaid, but I was ordering ink and they had it...so what the heck, toss it in and 8 oz will be a good enough amount to get a feel with. Seems like my first pint of Pro-Bond lasted me well over a year. My second pint is almost gone after about 2 months. So like I said the last Pro-Bond I got was way weaker than my first batch.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Reusable Spray Canister at Menards. I just learned they have these in stock at my local Menards so I'm going to pick up a few in just a bit.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I think the TekMar comes in 2 flavors, one for a gun like you posted above, and one that is applied by hand with a card or whatever (I always just use a card). I got the hand applied one. 

I was printing shirts today using this batch of ProBond I have, and you know how if you use it uncut it is kind of tough to get the first few shirts off the platens? It's not like that with this batch at all. It'll hold the shirts down OK. But it's nowhere near as strong as it should be. Or used to be.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

The other texmar is for the air assorted guns that are primarily for autos. I was thinks you can use the hand applied though the spray can. I was on my way to get some new can to try with the textac I have and Probond but as I pulled into Menards my phone rang and a building I take care of the sprinkler by the front door froze and broke. Spent the last 6 hrs cleaning up water in 0 degree weather. So I will have to go pick up tomorrow.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

Sorry guys I've been a bit under the weather lately. Ok the Tekmar is giving me much better results when printing my American Apparel hoodies. Holds better than web and way better than the last batch of ProBond I received. I will be ordering a gallon of it.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Great think I will order a gallon. I put the textac in a refillable spray can and makes it very east to apply. I'll just fill one with texmar. Sure beats carding it on or rolling. You just have to turn upside down and clear nozzle and wipe down when done.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I actually printed about 40 hoodie orders yesterday. The best hoodies I've ever done. So, not sure if it was the adhesive, Ed's squeegees, switching over to the aquasilk ink, technique, or experience. I guess all of the above. But I wasn't fighting my hoodies not sticking. The end prints are damn perfect and very little hand. I mean...I think they have less hand than the water based printed T-SHIRT samples my Mom and Pop shop were showing me. 

It's really nice when things come together like that.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I should clarify that the reason I say "it held down my American Apparel hoodies well" is because I am finding that the AA 5495 100% cotton California fleece pullovers leave a lot more fuzz behind. Well, they leave a lot more fuzz behind than say some of these 50/50 Gildans I use for testers. 

So with the AA hoodies (which are all I sell), I find I have to apply ANY adhesive more often. But the TekMar is doing a better job and holding longer than Probond ever did for me. And it is better than web too. Plus other than the obvious advantage over a spray, it doesn't glob up sometimes and get stuck to the inside of the hoodies. 

That's all I got. Hope someone finds something in this thread helpful.


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

Sean - I assume you'll be getting the aerosol version rather than hand applied version?

Let us know how you get on with it!


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I thought he had said he was going to get a gallon of the hand applied one and run it through his sprayer? The hand applied one is pretty thick. I wonder if the only difference between the two is that the sprayer version is watered down? Or has some kind of lubricant in it? I dunno. If that is all the difference there is, you would probably get more of a bang for your buck to buy the hand apply and cut it how you want it.

I don't cut any of them with water at all anymore. I put it on full strength and start printing the largest sizes in the print queue for that day. So if I'm doing shirts...I'll start with XXXL's and work my way down to the smallest sizes ordered. Only hitch there is you want to make sure that you have enough tack before you get to say the ladies smalls. Because if you apply is right before you do them, you're gonna stretch out the print on removal. 

I do not know the difference bewtween the two prices. If anyone has links on other places to get it, please post them.

One thing I noticed is that if you wipe the lint off regularly, it's easy enough like anything else. IF you get lazy when you're printing hoodies and just keep re-applying it over the top...it's real tough to get it clean again! Don't ask me how I learned this!  

Doing it by hand is easy enough for me. I'd probably get it all over the place with a sprayer. But you guys doing jobs are probably printing more shirts in a day than I am so it makes sense. I spend a LOT of my day swapping out screens on the press based on the designs ordered on a given day.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

I'm not sure which version to get. I was all set to buy a gallon of the hand applied because the spay version is set up for their spray gun which is a high volume low pressure gun that uses a pick up instead of gravity feed so its more then likely thin. I called a distributor today and they also said it might be better with the hand applied though that bottle. I need to see if I can get sample of each to test . I have 2 autos stored but I found one that will fit in my building now so I may purchase it and I might just buy a gun if I do. 

Larry how much thicker is it then the probond.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

I'm not sure which version to get. I was all set to buy a gallon of the hand applied because the spay version is set up for their spray gun which is a high volume low pressure gun that uses a pick up instead of gravity feed so its more then likely thin. I called a distributor today and they also said it might be better with the hand applied though that bottle. I need to see if I can get sample of each to test . I have 2 autos stored but I found one that will fit in my building now so I may purchase it and I might just buy a gun if I do. 

Larry how much thicker is it then the probond.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I find it to be just a tad thicker than the ProBond. Just a tad.


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