Trying to clean off the main input belt (FB700)

[tedbragg]

Aside from using masking tape to 'snap' buildup off, or scraping off dried ink with straight razorblades, what other ways do ya'll employ to clean off the input belt?

I've tried soaking UV ink remover but it won't budge, and ruined the paint on the metal body. Alcohol can cut thru and lube a blade well enough to scrap it off, but there's got to be a better way -- right?

 

[ikarasu]

Get some 90% alcohol... Or methanol, just be careful with the methanol.

Spray a ton on your belt... And cover it in plastic / coroplast so it doesn't evaporate. Come back in 30 mins and start scraping - methanol will turn it to a sludge that just wipes off... Alcohol will be a little more effort, but still pretty easy to scrape off.

We used to do the front and back at least once a day near the end of the day... Then next day do front / back in a different section. Then you're not spending a whole day cleaning the belt

 

[FrankW]

Dont forget that below the belt, under the holes, are some fans who do the vacuum. Try to avoid that any cleaning liquids running down that holes too much.

 

[RabidOne]

We do 2 things here: We place a horizontal band of laminate across the belt (8" wide), Then 2" strips around the entire belt at 0, 24 & 48".
This way the majority of ink is printed on the laminate. It takes an hour to remove the old laminate, add new and poke holes for the vacuum.
We do this every couple of weeks.
Full bleed sheets that don't match up to the above sizes are masking taped on the underside.
When we do accidently print on the belt we use laminate to remove old ink.

 

[tedbragg]

we use laminate to remove old ink.

That's a wonderful idea! Lam will pull UV ink off of anything it seems--

 

[brdesign]

my procedure
I cut a piece of .060 polystyrene to fit the exposed area of the belt at the entrance. At the end of the day spray that part of the belt with Isopropyl or denatured alcohol cover it with polystyrene and let sit overnight. The next morning spray with more alcohol and let sit for about 15 minutes. Then scrape with a plastic razor blade and wipe down with paper towels. Then squeegee down some scrape vinyl or laminate to the belt and rip it off. Do a different section of the belt each day. For the first alignment pin at the far left I would get the most build-up, so I cut 1 inch wide strips of 180c to cover that part of the belt, and just peel up when it gets too much build up.