<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1141" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>Bob = and others, </DIV> <DIV>    Thanks for your = ideas.  I haven't had a chance to try the various products on the plate yet, but I did = take denatured alcohol to my tools and they cleaned up nicely.  I'll = probably try the TSP/water first as the least "hot" on the plate, but the alcohol = seems to work well and is not as bad IMHO as lacquer thinner or = naphtha.  Thanks again.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> Jeff Stickney, = RPT University of Montana jpstickney@montanadsl.net = </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px = solid"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left>-----Original Message----- From: = caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of BobDavis88@aol.com Sent: Monday, March 31, 2003 9:18 AM To: caut@ptg.org Subject: Re: Pin block dope mess </DIV>Jeff Stickney writes: <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" TYPE="CITE">My problem is this:  What can I use to clean = this [pinblock dope] off the plate for = refinishing?</BLOCKQUOTE> I'd say don't use any hotter solvent than necessary. It depends upon the plate = finish, and which pin dope. Start with soapy water. We wash plates with TSP = and water (tri-sodium phosphate). If you're lucky, it's the glycerin-based dope, = and TSP will get it. Alcohol would too, but some plates are shellac and = alcohol is also the solvent for shellac. Lacquer thinner is the next hotter = solvent, and will get the dope but soften even more plate finishes. You can = get TSP at most professional paint stores and most hardware stores. If you use = it, be sure that it is truly tri-sodium phosphate and not "TSP brand" = cleaner, which is not TSP. Rinse very thoroughly. You've indicated that it is = slow to come off tools with "Goof-off," so it's possible that either it's some = mystery compound, or it might have combined with the plate finish. In that = case you're on your own!  Even lacquer thinner probably won't cut the = japanning. Shellac makes a good barrier coat. Please let us know what you find. Bob Davis </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>