Applying Phenolic Counterplates

Written By Mark Batson Baril

Phenolic CounterPlates On-Press Application for Spray-on Glued Plates
Get the Press ready:

1.Get the press ready with a cleaned cutting plate locked in place with the spot sheet and any other make-ready in place. Make sure the cutting plate is locked in and in ready for the entire run position. No movement is allowed in this location.

2.Set up the steel rule die ready for the run, locked into the chase, spot sheets, etc..., all in place.

3.The counterplates must be applied to the cutting plate before any bringing up of impression or patch-up has started.

Get the Counter Plates Ready:

4.Put the registration pins on the plates with the rubber seaters on the pins. Pins and rubber go on the side with the channel cuts. Make sure you know how the orientation works and where the plates attach to the die.

5.Set-up a spraying area (paper sheet) so that all the plates can be sprayed at one time. This area needs to be close to the die when it has been slid out of the press. Place the counterplates pin side toward the sheet, flat side up ready to be sprayed with 3M #77 glue. Make sure the plates are oil and debris free.

6.Spray all the plates at one time with the glue. Be careful to get enough glue on but not too much. Too much glue will allow the plates to move and shift after they have been stuck to the cutting plate. The glue will stay tacky for quite a while so don't panic that they will dry too soon.

Apply the Counterplates to the Die:

7.Touch the edges of the plates only and locate the plates to the die using the pins to start the line-up. Use a small ball peen hammer to tap the counterplates into the die as evenly as possible. Tap only on the locating pins as damage to the plates is possible if they are hit directly. A very small amount of water or saliva on the tip of the hammer will stop the glue from becoming a problem when hammering.

8.The plates need to be tapped down as close to the die as possible in order to clear the press when the die is slid back into the press. The plates should not be tapped down to the point where they start to buckle or bend due to contact with parts of the die. If they do curl up not only will they hit the press upon sliding the tool back in but they are likely to pop away from the locating pins causing a non-accurate line up.

Apply the Counterplates to the Cutting Plate:

9.Slide the die back into the press. Lock the die in place where it will sit every time it is slid back in. No movement in this registration is allowed.

10.Bring the impression up and leave it on for approx. one minute. Bring the impression off.

11.Slide out the cutting plate and using a block of wood or plastic and a hammer, gently tap all the plates in place to make sure the glue has set and there are no parts of any plates that are curling away from the cutting surface. Applying Tape to the lead edge is an option but should not be needed if the counterplates have been made with a skived lead edge.

12.Return the cutting plate to its original position and start the make ready process.

13.As an option, the die and plate can be dusted with a small amount of printers powder in order to stop any excess glue from adhering to the sheet.

Depending on the size of the tool and the number on, the entire process above can be broken down into sections or parts of the image to be applied. This may allow better control over the drying of the glue.

For those press operators familiar with make ready using matrix with common plastic locators, the general application of phenolic counterplates is nearly identical in every way but the gluing stage.

Phenolic counterplates are now available with self adhesive tape already in place in order to save a bit of time and to make the process more convenient. The disadvantage of this type of plate is that they are a bit harder to make and using the plates a second time around is harder due to hard to remove adhesives.