Ink Solvent

[species8350]

I have some solvent from a manufacturer of dye based inkjet inks.

It looks and smells like methylated spirits.

I know that meths is mainly methanol plus a little methanol and dye.

I was wondering if methylated spirits can be used as the solvent.

Thanks

 

[Rob]

I have some solvent from a manufacturer of dye based inkjet inks.

It looks and smells like methylated spirits.

I know that meths is mainly methanol plus a little methanol and dye.

I was wondering if methylated spirits can be used as the solvent.

Thanks

Window cleaner is the stuff you want - straight metho can bugger plastic.

 

[Al]

I have some solvent from a manufacturer of dye based inkjet inks.

It looks and smells like methylated spirits.

I know that meths is mainly methanol plus a little methanol and dye.

I was wondering if methylated spirits can be used as the solvent.

Thanks

A product called Super Clean by Castrol, the oil company, is a
complete solvent for ink. This product is available cheaply in
hardware and home centers, Meijers or WalMart. It is pretty much non
toxic too. It will remove ink from your hands or anything else.
Alcohol still leaves a residue or haze. You won't get all the ink off
your hands with alcohol. I had an HP45 black ink cart dump all over my
neighbor's white carpet and it had been there for a few days. This
Super Clean took up every trace of ink. If the kids do some Sharpie
work on the wall, this will take that off too, but watch for paint
removal as well. Super Clean should not be used internally as an ink
solvent as it seems to have a residue when it dries. I believe it
would clog the nozzles.

 

[NotMe]

: On Sep 20, 8:26 am, species8350 <[email protected]>
: wrote:
: > I have some solvent from a manufacturer of dye based inkjet inks.
: >
: > It looks and smells like methylated spirits.
: >
: > I know that meths is mainly methanol plus a little methanol and dye.
: >
: > I was wondering if methylated spirits can be used as the solvent.
: >
: > Thanks
:
: A product called Super Clean by Castrol, the oil company, is a
: complete solvent for ink. This product is available cheaply in
: hardware and home centers, Meijers or WalMart. It is pretty much non
: toxic too. It will remove ink from your hands or anything else.
: Alcohol still leaves a residue or haze. You won't get all the ink off
: your hands with alcohol. I had an HP45 black ink cart dump all over my
: neighbor's white carpet and it had been there for a few days. This
: Super Clean took up every trace of ink. If the kids do some Sharpie
: work on the wall, this will take that off too, but watch for paint
: removal as well. Super Clean should not be used internally as an ink
: solvent as it seems to have a residue when it dries. I believe it
: would clog the nozzles.

According to reports you can use Purple Power, it's the generic form and
basically the same type of degreaser

 

[Joel]

A product called Super Clean by Castrol, the oil company, is a
complete solvent for ink. This product is available cheaply in
hardware and home centers, Meijers or WalMart. It is pretty much non
toxic too. It will remove ink from your hands or anything else.
Alcohol still leaves a residue or haze. You won't get all the ink off
your hands with alcohol. I had an HP45 black ink cart dump all over my
neighbor's white carpet and it had been there for a few days. This
Super Clean took up every trace of ink. If the kids do some Sharpie
work on the wall, this will take that off too, but watch for paint
removal as well. Super Clean should not be used internally as an ink
solvent as it seems to have a residue when it dries. I believe it
would clog the nozzles.

I use a hand cleaner called "Fast Orange" I bought a big 1 Gal bottle
about 8 years ago and it works super well.

 

[Al]

: > I have some solvent from a manufacturer of dye based inkjet inks.
: >
: > It looks and smells like methylated spirits.
: >
: > I know that meths is mainly methanol plus a little methanol and dye.
: >
: > I was wondering if methylated spirits can be used as the solvent.
: >
: > Thanks
:
: A product called Super Clean by Castrol, the oil company, is a
: complete solvent for ink. This product is available cheaply in
: hardware and home centers, Meijers or WalMart. It is pretty much non
: toxic too. It will remove ink from your hands or anything else.
: Alcohol still leaves a residue or haze. You won't get all the ink off
: your hands with alcohol. I had an HP45 black ink cart dump all over my
: neighbor's white carpet and it had been there for a few days. This
: Super Clean took up every trace of ink. If the kids do some Sharpie
: work on the wall, this will take that off too, but watch for paint
: removal as well. Super Clean should not be used internally as an ink
: solvent as it seems to have a residue when it dries. I believe it
: would clog the nozzles.

According to reports you can use Purple Power, it's the generic form and
basically the same type of degreaser

Sounds right to me. I'll look for that too. The SuperClean is pretty
cheap by the gallon. I've never seen Purple Power, but the SC is
purple. Get it in your eyes or cut skin though and it's irritating.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Your question isn't quite complete, so it is somewhat difficult to answer.

Do you wish to dissolve or dilute ink for use within an inkjet printer,
or to try to unclog an inkjet head, or just to dilute the ink for other use?

The reason I ask is that some solvents for the ink may be fine to do
that as long as the solvent isn't going to be used within a
printer/cartridge. However, some solvents will react with the mixtures
of plastics and metals used within the printer, or the papers you may
print upon.


If you are seeking a safe solvent for use within the printer, that is
more limiting. Some solvents may not be compatible with some inks, even
dye inks, so testing is always best before considering using them in the
printer.

However, even if the solvent does a great job on the ink, it may still
react with the plastics or metals.

For most printer parts, isopropyl alcohol and a mild ammonia solution (1
to 2% by volume) work safely at both dissolving dried ink and not
harming the printer parts. Other alcohols may damage plastics, some
solvents are corrosive and may literally start to dissolve the head
components.

Solvents like Fast Orange may contain orange oil which is very
destructive to some (especially styrene) based plastics.

Heavy duty grease cutting solvents are not likely to be appropriate due
to the plastic damage they can cause. Also, keep in mind that some
solvents may not appear to damage anything, but the solvent will slowly
weaken or damage the plastics and the part may fail weeks or months later.

Keep I'm mind that many dye ink printers use a pigment black ink for text.

Lastly, it appears that some countries make it very difficult to acquire
ammonia, so other substitutes might be required.

Art


If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

 

[species8350]

Your question isn't quite complete, so it is somewhat difficult to answer..

Do you wish to dissolve or dilute ink for use within an inkjet printer,
or to try to unclog an inkjet head, or just to dilute the ink for other use?

The reason I ask is that some solvents for the ink may be fine to do
that as long as the solvent isn't going to be used within a
printer/cartridge.  However, some solvents will react with the mixtures
of plastics and metals used within the printer, or the papers you may
print upon.

If you are seeking a safe solvent for use within the printer, that is
more limiting.  Some solvents may not be compatible with some inks, even
dye inks, so testing is always best before considering using them in the
printer.

However, even if the solvent does a great job on the ink, it may still
react with the plastics or metals.

For most printer parts, isopropyl alcohol and a mild ammonia solution (1
to 2% by volume) work safely at both dissolving dried ink and not
harming the printer parts.  Other alcohols may damage plastics, some
solvents are corrosive and may literally start to dissolve the head
components.

Solvents like Fast Orange may contain orange oil which is very
destructive to some (especially styrene) based plastics.

Heavy duty grease cutting solvents are not likely to be appropriate due
to the plastic damage they can cause.  Also, keep in mind that some
solvents may not appear to damage anything, but the solvent will slowly
weaken or damage the plastics and the part may fail weeks or months later..

Keep I'm mind that many dye ink printers use a pigment black ink for text..

Lastly, it appears that some countries make it very difficult to acquire
ammonia, so other substitutes might be required.

Art

If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
   I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

       http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/








- Show quoted text -

Thanks for all the advice.

Best wishes

S