# What Do You Use To Make Your Own Platens?



## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

Considering the cost of platens, I'm considering making my own. I can buy the brackets, and cut my own platens whatever size and shape I want. What is the best wood to use? I want something that will hold it's shape with a little heat from the flashing.

Thanks,
Rusty


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## EastBayScreen (Mar 23, 2007)

3/4" MDO. Get the plain variety, not the kind with a white laminate. 

The white laminate kind has a much looser "grain" (it's glued sawdust) and doesn't hold up to flashing as well.

Or, do it right once and go for aluminum.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

EastBayScreen said:


> 3/4" MDO. Get the plain variety, not the kind with a white laminate.
> 
> The white laminate kind has a much looser "grain" (it's glued sawdust) and doesn't hold up to flashing as well.
> 
> Or, do it right once and go for aluminum.


Do you mean MDF? I haven't heard of MDO. Since it's bare wood, do you put anything on it to seal it or anything?


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## EastBayScreen (Mar 23, 2007)

Hehe, doh. Yup, MDF. MDO is used for making signs. I don't seal it with anything, just sand the edges nice. You can count on making new ones every now and then, depending on use.


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## JDM (Feb 24, 2007)

and get some pallet mask from your supplier. it's like a 18' wide piece of masking tape. you can use it and when your pallet gets rough from adhesive build up. you just peel it off and put a new piece on. it's kinda expensive but still a lot cheeper than buying pallets. and saves you time cleaning pallets. and if you just have a bare piece of mdf you might damage it cleaning it. the pallet mask solves that issue....


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## EastBayScreen (Mar 23, 2007)

And pallet mask is also sold quite a bit cheaper under the name of transfer tape for vinyl signs. Get the high tack.


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## Sheepsalt (Sep 12, 2007)

MDF on the cheap, or aluminum for something that will never warp. And instead of the high-tac transfer tape, get some sandblast resist (1/8" thick vinyl for masking glass when etching) and cover the top of the platen with that. Your prints will come out better, and the adhesive cleans off more thoroughly.


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## EastBayScreen (Mar 23, 2007)

Sheepsalt said:


> . And instead of the high-tac transfer tape, get some sandblast resist



Wow, never heard of doing that. Is that like the poor man's rubbertop platen?


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## acanvas (Sep 27, 2007)

We have a habitat for humanity "build it again" center here in Columbus. We go there and buy old cabinets and counter tops and cut to what ever size and shape we need. Most recently, 1 armed plattens w/ a groove edged out for the seam of the sleeve....flawless 1 armed designs where made that otherwise would have a bump of ink across the seam.


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## Sheepsalt (Sep 12, 2007)

EastBayScreen said:


> Wow, never heard of doing that. Is that like the poor man's rubbertop platen?


Yeah, I guess it's just from having been around. My rototex press has platens with the white vinyl "rubbertop", and I recognized the material as being the same as sandblast resist from the vinyl supplier. So rather than pay the machinery dealer premium money for pre-cut pieces, I buy rolls of it.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

Sheepsalt said:


> Yeah, I guess it's just from having been around. My rototex press has platens with the white vinyl "rubbertop", and I recognized the material as being the same as sandblast resist from the vinyl supplier. So rather than pay the machinery dealer premium money for pre-cut pieces, I buy rolls of it.


Is it cost effective for me if I'm only going to be making 2 or 3 platens? Do I have to buy a whole roll of it? Or can I buy just a small amount? And who would sell something like this?


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## EastBayScreen (Mar 23, 2007)

Sheepsalt said:


> Yeah, I guess it's just from having been around. My rototex press has platens with the white vinyl "rubbertop", and I recognized the material as being the same as sandblast resist from the vinyl supplier. So rather than pay the machinery dealer premium money for pre-cut pieces, I buy rolls of it.



Do you like your Rototex? They seem like really solid machines. The platen attachments look awesomely adjustable. Not to mention aluminium standard. Sort of the BMW of presses from the 80's.


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## Sheepsalt (Sep 12, 2007)

rusty said:


> Is it cost effective for me if I'm only going to be making 2 or 3 platens? Do I have to buy a whole roll of it? Or can I buy just a small amount? And who would sell something like this?


Call your local vinyl supplier and see what they'll do. Also, you can check with sandblasting shops - allot of them will sell you the stuff cut to whatever size you need. Use some contact cement to stick it on your platen, and trim around the edges.


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## Sheepsalt (Sep 12, 2007)

EastBayScreen said:


> Do you like your Rototex? They seem like really solid machines. The platen attachments look awesomely adjustable. Not to mention aluminium standard. Sort of the BMW of presses from the 80's.


Oooh, I LOVE my Rototex! like you say, everything imaginable can be adjusted. It repeats within thousandths of an inch. The prints actually come out better off this machine that my old one. The ink lays more consistently, and it's very noticeable when compared side by side. 

The thing weighs like 600 pounds - you're not going to break it, that's for sure!


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## JMD (Mar 16, 2007)

What is the technical term for the 1/8" rubber, vinyl material used on platens 
Thanks


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

You could use melamine and finish the edges with t-molding.


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 10, 2014)

I'm making my own (until I can afford aluminum lol) and need some really thin laminate for top and bottom. Stuff at Home Depot has like a grainy pattern (which I guess tape will fix) and super thick. Anyone know what laminate is on real platens? Guy who had the press before me clearly had a few platens catch fire..so goes without saying...they were WARPED)! Rad them through the sander and now they are flat but 60/100 of an inch...compared to the 3/4" they were. So I decided to just make my own! I work at a custom woodworking/cabinet shop and there's scrap mdf and I get discounted sheets if there's not enough scrap. I have platen ideas, just need to find this thin, 100% smooth, laminate...
Thanks all!
#Resurrection


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