# Run Screens Through Dryer to Clean. Break Ink Off?



## hotrod937 (Nov 15, 2013)

I was just reading here that if you have a septic and don't want ink going down the drain that you can run your screens through the dryer and break off ink to throw away. Sounds brilliant! Anyone done it for real?


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## DanEggiman (Mar 7, 2012)

Yikes, that sounds like you are inviting major problems upon yourself. First of all, assuming your using plastisol, curing that ink in your screen will essentially ruin your screen, assuming it survives the trip through the inferno in the first place. You will have cured the plastisol ink to the fibers of your screen and breaking that cured ink off does not seem possible at that point. It's done, finuto. My other thought is that before the ink even gets a chance to cure to the screen, the screen itself will melt and pop off the frame. I don't see anything good coming from sending a screen, clean or ink covered, down a conveyor dryer. I would say don't do it unless you have a screen you don't mind destroying. However, I have not done it myself and cannot speak from experience but common sense tells me no. Big no. 

Here are some tips for cleaning a screen before you final wash it:

- Use the squeegee and scrape off as much ink back into the container or trash as possible.

- use a card to get into the corners of the screen and get the hard to reach places with that

- move onto a paper towel or some sort of wipe with some good screen cleaning chems and start wiping. I like envirosolve (for waterbased) or citrapaste (for plastisol) by CCI. 

- at that point you should have a fairly clean screen and all thats left is to through some water on it, scrub it with more of the chems and rinse. should have very little ink to deal with. 

Let me know if you have any other questions!


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 10, 2014)

hotrod937 said:


> I was just reading here that if you have a septic and don't want ink going down the drain that you can run your screens through the dryer and break off ink to throw away. Sounds brilliant! Anyone done it for real?


Where the heck did you see that? Sounds like a definite no way!!!
If that is in fact possible, there has to be prep or other steps that need to be taken. But I'm thinking it's not even close to possible.


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## Kenneth59 (Sep 28, 2013)

will ruin your screens


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## Screen Medics (Feb 23, 2015)

If you want to prevent used ink solids from entering your sewage system try running your reclaimed ink and water into a settling barrel first. A sewer pump installed in the bottom of the barrel is used to pump the remaining water only up and out of the barrel into your sewer system leaving the ink solids in the bottom of the settling barrel. We use a heavy duty blue vinyl 50 gallon barrel.

We do that even though we dump into a city sewer system to minimize the solids going into the sewer. Once or twice a year someone get the honor of scooping the solids into a heavy plastic bag to be discarded into the trash (which is legal in most cities).
It is felt the colored water minus the ink solids would have no effect on your sewer system.

This system can be assembled for around $100 if you do it yourself. Our system has been operating every day without any breakdowns for 12 years.

Screen Medics


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 10, 2014)

Screen Medics said:


> If you want to prevent used ink solids from entering your sewage system try running your reclaimed ink and water into a settling barrel first. A sewer pump installed in the bottom of the barrel is used to pump the remaining water only up and out of the barrel into your sewer system leaving the ink solids in the bottom of the settling barrel. We use a heavy duty blue vinyl 50 gallon barrel.
> 
> We do that even though we dump into a city sewer system to minimize the solids going into the sewer. Once or twice a year someone get the honor of scooping the solids into a heavy plastic bag to be discarded into the trash (which is legal in most cities).
> It is felt the colored water minus the ink solids would have no effect on your sewer system.
> ...


Good stuff! Can you explain that a little more? Like pumps for dummies? Lol
I heard in most states it's illegal to throw out wet ink and it all has to be cured?!?! Also heard in my state (which I just moved to), if you are a resident there's free hazordous waste...as long as you bring it to a facility. But again, ?!?!


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Screen Medics said:


> If you want to prevent used ink solids from entering your sewage system try running your reclaimed ink and water into a settling barrel first. A sewer pump installed in the bottom of the barrel is used to pump the remaining water only up and out of the barrel into your sewer system leaving the ink solids in the bottom of the settling barrel. We use a heavy duty blue vinyl 50 gallon barrel.
> 
> We do that even though we dump into a city sewer system to minimize the solids going into the sewer. Once or twice a year someone get the honor of scooping the solids into a heavy plastic bag to be discarded into the trash (which is legal in most cities).
> It is felt the colored water minus the ink solids would have no effect on your sewer system.
> ...





FiveOneSix said:


> Good stuff! Can you explain that a little more? Like pumps for dummies? Lol
> I heard in most states it's illegal to throw out wet ink and it all has to be cured?!?! Also heard in my state (which I just moved to), if you are a resident there's free hazordous waste...as long as you bring it to a facility. But again, ?!?!


Not all the rules and regulations are set by the state. Some are set bu the county, city, or even a township. In MN its is set by the state. No ink into the trash. This includes empty ink containers. This includes bothe waterbase and plastisol. This isn't a bad idea no matter if it's illegal or not. All my plastic ink buckets get thrown on a pan and into a spare oven I have in a shed. I use to use a toaster oven but mostly buy gallons and they wouldn't fit without cutting which made a mess. As long as the ink is cured its solid waste and can be disposed of in the trash. What most don't realize is that many locals have ordnances that aren't specific to any industry, but more of the classification of chemicals that can be disposed of in landfill or to a sewage or septic system. The only places where their enforced is where the person responsible is actually doing their job. 

I am building a new filter now. A simple float type tank is ok. A actual filter system is much better but cost more to build. New system will have a float tank and a filter system. I think I'll have $300-$400 into it but will be better then the $1500-$3000 commercial units available on the market now.


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 10, 2014)

sben763 said:


> Not all the rules and regulations are set by the state. Some are set bu the county, city, or even a township. In MN its is set by the state. No ink into the trash. This includes empty ink containers. This includes bothe waterbase and plastisol. This isn't a bad idea no matter if it's illegal or not. All my plastic ink buckets get thrown on a pan and into a spare oven I have in a shed. I use to use a toaster oven but mostly buy gallons and they wouldn't fit without cutting which made a mess. As long as the ink is cured its solid waste and can be disposed of in the trash. What most don't realize is that many locals have ordnances that aren't specific to any industry, but more of the classification of chemicals that can be disposed of in landfill or to a sewage or septic system. The only places where their enforced is where the person responsible is actually doing their job.
> 
> I am building a new filter now. A simple float type tank is ok. A actual filter system is much better but cost more to build. New system will have a float tank and a filter system. I think I'll have $300-$400 into it but will be better then the $1500-$3000 commercial units available on the market now.


Can you do like a start to finish tutorial thread? Would be cool to follow along and build myself one. I just picked up a used toaster oven that looks like gallons might fit


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

FiveOneSix said:


> Can you do like a start to finish tutorial thread? Would be cool to follow along and build myself one. I just picked up a used toaster oven that looks like gallons might fit


 I'll try looks like next week or following weekend till I get the time to do. I have most the stuff now. I might reuse my old pump haven't decided.


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## Catalystsp (Jan 12, 2016)

For a filter when I reclaim, i just use one of my old scrub pads i use to clean the screen. When the pad gets worn i put it in the drain to catch all the extra goop/tape and replace the pad in the drain as i use them. It drains into a container that i jave a sump pump in and i have a switch that turns the pump on and pumps my solvent into my washing tub. I take the sump pump container apart once a year to clean excess goop and sludge out, then let it sit for a month in a 5 gallon bucket. Then scoop whatever good solvent that has separated off the top of the bucket to re-use if there is any then throw out the sludge


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 10, 2014)

Catalystsp said:


> For a filter when I reclaim, i just use one of my old scrub pads i use to clean the screen. When the pad gets worn i put it in the drain to catch all the extra goop/tape and replace the pad in the drain as i use them. It drains into a container that i jave a sump pump in and i have a switch that turns the pump on and pumps my solvent into my washing tub. I take the sump pump container apart once a year to clean excess goop and sludge out, then let it sit for a month in a 5 gallon bucket. Then scoop whatever good solvent that has separated off the top of the bucket to re-use if there is any then throw out the sludge


So you have no drain connected to it? By "washout tub", do you mean that red recirculating thing I see in some shops?
Hope Ohio is ok with how you discard the sludge.
Sounds easy and convenient though. Pictures?

Sben...no rush


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## Catalystsp (Jan 12, 2016)

Im not gonna lie, ive been pretty lazy on getting rid of the sludge the past few years. Still have it sitting in 5 gallon buckets haha about 6 of them. I used to take it to advance auto and they would take it no problem, but i just havent had the time. The red tub would work for one screen at a time u suppose and its just a normal parts washing station. I have a big hydrobooth setup. Ill get some pictures tomorrow and try to show you what i have going on. But no, no drain whatsoever. Been doing this for about 15 years and we have a fairly large amount of orders daily, and still just have to empty it once a year.


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 10, 2014)

Catalystsp said:


> Im not gonna lie, ive been pretty lazy on getting rid of the sludge the past few years. Still have it sitting in 5 gallon buckets haha about 6 of them. I used to take it to advance auto and they would take it no problem, but i just havent had the time. The red tub would work for one screen at a time u suppose and its just a normal parts washing station. I have a big hydrobooth setup. Ill get some pictures tomorrow and try to show you what i have going on. But no, no drain whatsoever. Been doing this for about 15 years and we have a fairly large amount of orders daily, and still just have to empty it once a year.


^^^^^^^ YES!!! That is exactly what I need now!!! Lol thanks. Pictures will def help! =D


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## Catalystsp (Jan 12, 2016)

sorry its taking me a bit of time to get pictures up. I dont think I can upload any until i meet minimum post requirements? Ill upload as soon as im able. I took pics of my hydrobooth, drain in the booth that leads to my catch container. catch container has 3 compartments so the sludge settle at the bottom of each before making it to the 3rd where the sump pump is. You still get some sludge around the sump pump but its not a big deal. make sure to get a submersible pump. the pump then moves the solvent back into my hydro booth for reuse. only filters i use are the old scrub pads in the drain to catch tape so it doesnt end up in my pump blocking the inlet. about every year depending on how busy you are, just take apart the container with he pump and clean it all out and store the sludge in a bucket. as you run low on solvent just add more, no maintenance required aside from the yearly cleaning. and like i said, let the sludge sit for about a month. any good solvent still in the sludge will seperate and sit on top and you can skim off so you dont waste any solvent. The container i used to hold the pump and with the 3 compartments is the same style alot of fish tank systems use for their filters. except you dont need any filters, just the plastic container. only real step after you have the right container and pump is making sure the booth you clean the ink off your screens in drains into the bucket. and again, filter that drain with an old scrub pad. youll be golden! ill try to find a link to the type of container i use to give a better example.


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## Catalystsp (Jan 12, 2016)

ok so this is a diy version of what i use. this would actually work pretty perfect for my setup, seems easier to clean too. yes it says for pottery but im sure you get the jist lol


How to Make a Better Homemade Sink Trap for Your Pottery Studio


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