Rest assured that ink on your base is a cosmetic problem; ink won’t damage the tolerances or the thickness of the plates. But if your base’s grid is covered in a pretty shade of PMS 2756, registration will be difficult, as you won’t be able to see your grid well!
You want to try and remove ink from your base before it’s dried. Aluminum is like your skin, with millions of pores that will absorb the pigments of the ink. But unlike your skin, aluminum’s surface doesn’t shed. If ink dries in these pores, it’s very difficult to get out. When ink contacts the base, clean it off immediately with any press wash so that you’ll continue to have a beautiful gray surface to attach your plates to.
If ink has dried on your base, use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge (or similar generic product) and Simple Green (found in hardware and drug stores). Wet the sponge and squeeze out excess. Wipe your base to start to remove all the ink. Sometimes the sponge will do it all. If you have some ink remaining, use a little Simple Green and wipe again. This will do the job beautifully. Rinse out the sponge until clean and let it dry for the next time. Dry the base with a soft rag.
Most printers who use the Boxcar Base have very clean bases because they make sure, like all their other non-printing surfaces, to keep things clean and tidy during the whole course of the printing process.
Posted in: Troubleshooting