Dip Tank Substitute?

tonkatruck · February 14th, 2011, 11:19 PM

I had been out of screen printing for about 15 years and am starting a shop back up this spring/summer so the dip tank is new since I have been out.

I am thinking of buying a large plastic trash can at Lowes or Home Depot to use as a dip tank. They run anywhere from $30 to $40. Does anyone know any reason they that would not work as long as it is wide and deep enough for the screens. The dip tanks I see are $200-$400. Any reason why the large trash can would not work?

SClow303 · February 15th, 2011, 07:20 AM

The issue is that it would take a lot of fluid to make it work. The dip tanks are very slim so when the screens are inserted they displace just enough fluid to cover the screens. With the overall girth of a trash can you would have to have triple to fluid to make it work. There have been at least 3-4 dip tanks on here in the last week between the price of $60 - $150. It is worth it to purchase one.

SClow303 · February 15th, 2011, 08:05 AM

That did feel good! Put it like this.... I used to hand scrub 20 screens in about 4 hours.... yesterday afternoon I reclaimed 40 screens from last week in less then 1 hour 15 minutes.

SClow303 · February 15th, 2011, 08:44 AM

Good point. Would hate to come in and find 30 gallons of solution on the floor after it eats through the sidewalk of a can!

SkyLinePrints · February 15th, 2011, 09:00 AM

here is the option i went with. not as much as an advertised "dip tank" and it works well.

http://www.tank-depot.com/productdet...?part=R123030A

Ink, you are correct. The chemical compounds of some of these solutions might just eat through a trash can. potentially a lot of money to see flowing across the floor.

PatFinn · February 15th, 2011, 09:39 AM

i just got one made from stainless. granted it was a buddy of mine that di it for me, but some of the larger dip tanks are very $$$ and we got one made for far less... something to check into.

I checked with my solution manufacturer to make sure stainless was ok, so i would check with your company before doing so if you go that route.

SClow303 · February 15th, 2011, 10:36 AM

You actually use way less chemical with a tank. You dip the screens for 2 minutes.... I then pull them out and have a shelf they sit on at an angle and let the fluid that is dripping off drip back into my tank. I then hit them with a pressure washer and take them over to dehaze. I have had my tank for about 1.5 months.... done 100's of screens and I don't think the fluid has dropped at all. I know I have not needed to add to it yet. I used to take about 10-15 minutes per screen by hand. Now I do 4 screens at a time in about 4 minutes. I would never go back to doing it by hand. It was the single best money spent so far this year.

rcfitz86 · February 15th, 2011, 01:10 PM

I went to Kmart and bought one of those storage bins that slides under a bed. I can fit 3 20x24 screens in at a time. I use 1 gallon of solution, the rest water. Been using it for over a year and haven't noticed any corroding. Cost: ~10 bucks.

Something similar to this: Click

tonkatruck · February 15th, 2011, 04:23 PM

Hey skyline prints -- your tank looks like a reasonably priced one. How many 20 x 24 screens can you do at a time in it?

rcfitz86 · February 15th, 2011, 05:26 PM

5, maybe 6 if your lucky. It's 12in deep front to back.