Printmaster FP-P Manual

How to Keep your Printmaster® Inker Operating Properly

Do not let your Printmaster Inker® run out of ink.

Periodically check the ink reservoir. Only fill the reservoir to the top of the rollers. Never fill the reservoir completely. If the machine runs out of ink, the pillow may stick to the ink dispenser roller and be drawn into the dispenser and torn.

Be sure the pillow is not too close to the ink dispenser.

For proper positioning of the pillow in relation to the ink dispenser, refer to diagram B and the instructions in the Routine Servicing section. If the pillow is too close to the ink dispenser and rubs against the case or other portions of the machine, it will cause the pillow to wear out prematurely.

Do not let the ink become too tacky.

Tackiness is evidenced by a darkening of the prints and a tendency of the pillow to stick to the finger when prints are made. To correct this condition, first stir the ink with a pencil or stick. If tackiness persists, add 2 or 3 drops of Printmaster® Ink Thinner to the reservoir and rotate the pillow several times. If the pillow continues to feel tacky, it should be wiped clean using either the ink thinner or alcohol.

Do not let dirt or lint accumulate on the pillow.

Clean the pillow with the edge of a card, i.e., business card or 3x5 index card. If the pillow is dirty, it will result in small uninked spots on the finger or palm, resulting in small holes or blanks in prints.

Do not store the Printmaster® Inker in temperatures over 100° F.

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures will cause the elastic cover of the pillow to deteriorate and stick to the machine. If such storage is unavoidable, remove the pillow, and store it separately (at a lower temperature if possible). Do not store your Printmaster® Inker for more than 3 months without use.

Only use U.S. brand fingerprint ink.

Only use U.S. brand fingerprint ink on your machine. This is the ink that comes with the Printmaster® Inker. Other brands of ink may lack the proper viscosity or be too tacky. To order additional tubes of ink, use catalog number 2-0012 or 2-0010.

Operating Instructions

Putting the Printmaster® Inker into operation

1. Place the Printmaster® Inker on a table or countertop to the side of the fingerprint card holders and fold back the cover. Ideally, the counter or tabletop should be 36 to 40 inches high.
2. Plug power supply into a 120v 60 hertz receptacle.

3. Swing back the plate on top of the ink dispenser and check the ink dispenser to be sure that it contains ink. Add ink if necessary. Use only U.S. brand fingerprint inks. Only a small quantity of ink is required for the inker to operate properly over many hundreds of prints. Add just enough ink to reach to the top of the rollers (approximately 1/2 oz.). Never fill the ink reservoir completely.

   Caution — do not let machine run out of ink.

4. Press the Rocker Switch and hold it down until the pillow has made 3 or 4 revolutions (15 to 20 seconds). This should be done whenever the Printmaster® Inker has not been used for several hours as it will insure an evenly inked surface.
5. Make a test print on a piece of paper.
   1. Press the pad of the finger straight down into the pillow and lift it straight up, off of the pillow.
   2. Roll the print on the paper.
   3. The Adjustment Screw was set before shipping and should not need any adjustment. However, if the print is too light, rotate the Adjustment Screw on the dispenser 1/8 turn toward Darker. If the print is too dark, rotate the adjustment screw 1/8 turn toward Lighter.
   4. Press and hold the Rocker Switch until the pillow has rotated 3 or 4 revolutions. This will take approximately 15 to 20 seconds and will distribute the ink uniformly over the surface of the pillow.
   5. Repeat making test prints until the print has the proper contrast.

Note: If Adjustment Screw is turned too far toward Lighter, it may stall the machine. If this occurs, and the machine stops operating, turn the Adjustment Screw toward Darker until the pillow will rotate again when the Rocker Switch is pressed. This will then be the lightest setting you can reach on this machine.

If prints cannot be made light enough within the adjustment range, add 2 or 3 drops of Printmaster® Ink Thinner to ink reservoir. Once the Printmaster® Inker is properly adjusted it should remain in adjustment indefinitely.

Taking Fingerprints

1. Place a fingerprint card in the fingerprint cardholder.

   NOTE: Fingerprinting can be done by rolling one finger at a time after each finger is inked, or by inking all five fingers of one hand prior to rolling the prints.

2. Stand to the left of the applicant and, with your right hand, grasp the applicant's right hand with the thumb extended, and hold the thumb over the pillow.
3. Press the thumb deeply into the pillow, guiding it by pressing on the thumb nail with your left index finger. Press deeply enough into the pillow so that ink is applied well around the sides of the thumb.
4. The fingers can be inked in one of two ways:
   1. Extend the fingers one at a time and press them into the pillow, or

   2. Hold the applicant's hand horizontally, palm down, over the pillow with the four fingers extended and separated. Press the fingers, one at a time, deeply into the pillow, applying a gentle pressure on the applicant's fingernail with your left index finger.

      It is not necessary to wait for the pillow to stop rotating before inking each finger as the pillow will stop automatically when the finger contacts it.

   3. Repeat the procedure with the applicant's left hand.
   4. When fingerprinting is complete, close the cover of the Printmaster® Inker to protect the pillow.

Elimination of Hair Lines

Eliminating Hair Lines in the Fingerprints

A hair line occasionally occurs in the print of the third or fourth finger when inking rapidly. This hair line is due to a mark left on the pillow by the dispenser roller when the machine stops. When you press the Rocker Switch you will see the mark move across the top of the pillow after it has rotated 1/4 of a turn. If the finger is pressed into this mark it will leave a hair line on the print.

It has been found that if the machine stops for less than one second this mark is usually insignificant, or not visible at all. Therefore, two methods to eliminate the hair line from the prints can be followed:

First Method

Watch the pillow as you ink the applicant's fingers. When you see the mark on the pillow stop inking the fingers until it passes. Then continue to ink the remaining fingers.

A simple rhythm can be developed when are inking two fingers. Wait until the mark passes, ink two fingers, wait for the mark to pass again, then ink the other two fingers. Soon this timing will become automatic and it will not be necessary to watch for the mark.

Second Method

1. Ready the applicant's hand over the pillow.
2. Press the Rocker Switch and watch the pillow rotate.
3. As soon as the mark has passed the top of the pillow, rapidly press the applicant's fingers, one at a time, into the pillow, without pausing.

Routine Servicing

Your Printmaster® Inker should be examined weekly and serviced when necessary.

1. Examine the dispenser to be sure it contains ink. The ink level should never be higher than the top of the rollers. Add ink if required (approximately 1/2 oz). Only use U.S. brand fingerprint ink. This is the type of ink that came with your Printmaster® inker.
2. Observe the contact between the dispenser and the roller. The roller should contact only the center 3/4 of the pillow. If the pillow edges are being compressed by the dispenser, turn the Pillow Positioning Screw until the correct contact is achieved. The Pillow Positioning Screw can be reached through a hole on the left side of the Printmaster Inker.
3. Observe the quality of ink on the surface of the pillow. Do not let the ink become too tacky. Tackiness is evidenced by a darkening of the prints and a tendency of the pillow to stick to the finger when prints are made. To correct this condition first stir ink with a clean pencil or stick. If tackiness persists, add 2 or 3 drops of Printmaster® Ink Thinner to the reservoir and rotate the pillow several times. If the pillow continues to feel tacky, it should be wiped clean using the technique found in Step 4 below.
4. Examine the inked surface of the pillow for dirt and particles. To remove dirt or particles, hold the edge of a business card or 3x5 card against the pillow while it is rotating. The scraping action of the card will eliminate dirt and dust particles from the surface. If it is necessary to clean the ink from the pillow the following procedure is advised:
   1. Rotate the pillow so the area to be cleaned is facing upward.
   2. Remove the power cord from the wall receptacle.
   3. Gently swab the surface of the pillow with a lint-free cloth moistened with Printmaster Ink Thinner or alcohol until the dirt and dust particles are removed.
   4. Plug in the power cord, rotate pillow to the next position to be cleaned, and repeat Steps 2 and 3.
   5. After the pillow is clean, rotate it 3 or 4 times to coat it with ink. This will take approximately 15 to 20 seconds.
5. Clean the external surface of the case with alcohol or the waterless hand cleaner normally used for cleaning ink from the fingers.

Pillow Replacement

Troubleshooting Hints

Factory Refurbishing

Your Printmaster® Inker should be refurbished every 1-2 years.

After a period of time, it may be necessary to have your Printmaster® Inker refurbished. For high-use agencies, it may be necessary to have the unit refurbished every year. For low-use machines, it may only be necessary to refurbish the unit every other year. The time-frame is dependent upon the amount of usage and the care the machine receives. If it is not properly cleaned and adjusted, it may be necessary to have the unit refurbished sooner than expected.

To have your Printmaster® Inker refurbished, please call 1-800-852-0300 and speak to customer service for return authorization number. Then mail to:

Lightning Powder Co., Inc.
ATTN: Printmaster Refurbish
13386 International Parkway
Jacksonville, FL 32218

You may wish to call first to receive the most up-to-date pricing and turnaround time. Please include a cover letter with your machine, stating whether you need a new pillow with refurbish or not, and any significant problems that were noticed.