Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Store in a dry place

Today's lesson is:
KEEP YOUR PLATES DRY.

This means, if your pressroom isn't completely weather-proof, don't store your plates in there, even for a few hours overnight.

It hasn't rained for a few weeks (Aussie droughts, sigh) so this hasn't really been an issue for me until today. It started raining during the night and hasn't stopped since. Most of my plates were tucked away, but the koi and dog plates (which I test printed yesterday afternoon) were left out on my desk. The very moist air got to them, and they curled up. The koi plate actually started breaking apart, so it's now useless.

I'm very disappointed, as I've really been looking forward to printing the koi. I always learn the hard way. Now I have to save up a bit of money to get them remade.

5 comments:

katrina said...

oh no! i'm sorry that happened... i read on boxcar that ziploc baggies do the trick for regulating moisture.

i love the puppy design! did you design it for personal stationery?

Ben Leivian said...

That's terrible news. I can't remember the last time it rained in Arizona.

Ampersand Duck said...

Your films are totally reusable, and I can make part-plates (you don't have to do the full A4), so it shouldn't take you too long?

Poppy Letterpress said...

Katrina - ziplock bags are a good idea. I have a folder that I keep them in usually, and everything that was in there was ok even though the folder was outside as well.

The puppy is my little dog. I designed the plate a few months ago but only just got around to sending it to plate last week. Not sure what I'll use it for yet.

Anonymous said...

We've had a big battle with polymer plates that curl up in humid Baltimore, Md. (USA). The biggest issue appears to be with large solids. We do use ziploc baggies as a matter of course, but were advised to add a dessicant -- like silica packets -- to further protect the plates. We'll know if it works soon enough, I suppose.

By the way, your work is lovely.