[Baren] Daily Digest

Today's postings

[Baren 36732] RE: Leech (Jason VanDeusen)
[Baren 36733] Re: Leech (Barbara Mason)
[Baren 36734] Re: Leech (eli griggs)
[Baren 36735] Re: Leech (Charlie overshoe)
[Baren 36736] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification (Blog Manager)
[Baren 36737] Re: oil stain/ leeching (ArtSpotiB # aol.com)

Message 1
From: Jason VanDeusen
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:56:04 GMT
Subject: [Baren 36732] RE: Leech
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Thanks for the comments on the block and double thanks for the replys.

This oily leech is definitely veggie oil. The MDF block I am printing is sealed with multiple coats of
shellac before carving. The problem is that during carving any areas that are removed via carving creates
bare areas of MDF. MDF is like a sponge, its just particles of wood, glue and sand. Therefore the exposed areas
and the edges of the block all absorbed the veggie oil which i slathered on way too thick during cleaning. I have
printed on this block about 12 times so far, so it has had time to absorb alot of veggie oil. I can actually see the
stains of it along the edges of the block and in bare mdf areas.

My first 2 prints turned out perfectly but that was before the block had absorbed the veggie oil.

Because the paper is on the block for a hour during printing it has time to absorb the veggie oil. A five
minute print during test printing on this same block yielded no leech, it simply was not on the block long
enough to absorb anything.

As a final test I took a scrap piece of paper and put a drop of veggie oil and a drop of oil of cloves on it.
The oil of cloves evaporated in one day. The veggie oil is still on the paper and has seeped outwards a ways.
Plus it looks exactly like the stains on the prints.

And finally my printing notes confirmed that the ink mixture I am using has not produced leech in the past. I
never go over 10 percent additives.

So now the question is can the prints and block be saved? I will try to removed any oil saturation on the block
with a small toothbrush and some solvents but I am not sure how effective this will be. The bare MDF really holds
on to this stuff.

after 24 hours the newsprint blotters are absorbing some oil, time will tell how effective this will be. Every 3 days
I will replace the newsprint and see how the prints are after a week. This could take some time for this to work.

So for now I am taking a break and working on smaller things until September when I will be at it again.

Worse case scenario is clean the block and wait a few months and start over.

Thanks for the feedback.

Jason

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Message 2
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:38:27 GMT
Subject: [Baren 36733] Re: Leech
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Jason,
You need some type of desiccant to draw the oil away...,try cat litter. Just dump the cat litter on the block
and leave it for a day or so. It will pull the oil out, hopefully with good enough results.
My best
Barbara

> So now the question is can the prints and block be saved? I
> will try to removed any oil saturation on the block with a
> small toothbrush and some solvents but I am not sure how
> effective this will be. The bare MDF really holds on to this
> stuff.

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Message 3
From: eli griggs
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:40:42 GMT
Subject: [Baren 36734] Re: Leech
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Using cat litter is a good idea. Collectors of old,
surplus rifles will often receive guns in decades old
wrappings, stuffed and blanketed with old cosmoline, a
Vaseline like concoction, possibly of satanic origin!

One of the better methods of removing years of soaked
in oil and grease, including old linseed oil, from
deep inside wood stocks is to wrap the firearm in
black plastic with cat litter. The wrapped package is
placed in the sun, sometimes on a blacktop or car
trunk, and the oils are sweated out. It may take a
few tries but you should be able to use this method
to remove most of the excess oil from your block. Be
sure to change the cat litter between bouts.

After you remove as much oil as you're able, you might
try sealing the block with a soft paste of beeswax and
turpentine. This is a universal wood finish and is
easy to make. This should go over the block well and
keep any residue oils from reaching your paper.

To make the paste, try starting with a 1:1 VOLUME of
wax and solvent.

Warm the wax and turps slowly in a double boiler over
an electric heating element, NO OPEN FLAME, and stir
till an even mix is reached.
You want a firm paste, more so than, i.e. Johnson's
Paste Wax, so add more beeswax until you feel like
you've got a good mix, you can always adjust with more
turp and heat latter. Let this cool and if it feels
right apply it thinly to your cooled block with
brushes and rags. Let the wax cool on the block and
then buff of the excess with clean, soft brushes.
Give your block a couple or three applications.

If you don't want to mix your own, look for Liberon
Beeswax Paste online.

I've not tried this wax on a woodcut block myself but
I believe it will serve your purpose. It should also
make cleanup a bit easier, though you might want to
reapply it between printing editions.

I hope this helps.

Cheers,
Eli

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Message 4
From: Charlie overshoe
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:02:33 GMT
Subject: [Baren 36735] Re: Leech
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Jason,

Don't know if it will work on your prints but I once saved a couple of small monoprints that had oil leeching
into the margins. I powdered some white dime store chalk and sprinkled it (heavily) on the oil stain. I was
actually thinking of rubbing it into the discolored oily paper but first ran the prints thru the press again
with a top paper .... at that point I discovered that the chalk and paper had absorbed almost all of the oil stain.

Barbara P.

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Message 5
From: Blog Manager
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:29:33 GMT
Subject: [Baren 36736] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification
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Message 6
From: ArtSpotiB # aol.com
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:51:47 GMT
Subject: [Baren 36737] Re: oil stain/ leeching
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Jason.

That Eagle Print is totally stunning! Thanks for showing it to us all.

ArtSpot Out
Benny in Oakland, CA

Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. -Eric Hoffer, philosopher
and author (1902-1983)

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Baren Archives

[Baren] - the International Forum for Woodblock Printmaking

Volume: 44 / Number: 4504

Thursday, 28th of August, 2008

Today's postings

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