Avoid at all times to lay the roller directly on the rubber. The weight of the roller may cause, in time, deformation of the surface. Some possibilities to store the roll away:

storing of rolls vertically

storing of rolls horizontally

How to use the roll

This synthetic roller is seldom used in black-and-white printing. It is different in construction from the leather roller, and so must be manipulated differently. Its surface, unlike that of the leather roller, is smooth and without nap or absorbant reservoirs with which to pick up and deposit ink or water during the distribution process. Because synthetic rollersd are heavier than leather rollers, there is danger of ouverloading of the image or scumming; so excessive pressure during inking should be avoided. Since color ink is softer and less tacky than black ink, it has a tendency to release rapidly from the roller surface, thus further complicating the problem of distribution. The larger and more solid the area, the more difficult will be the distribution problem.	A work table with at the left an inking stone for black ink (with roll) and at the right the stone for colored ink.
For example, if the area to be inked is wider than the length of the roller and longer than the span of one of its revolutions, most of the ink charge is dispelled from the roller surface in its first revolution. Meanwhile a certain amount of water has collected on its face. The following revolution deposits a much weaker film of ink from the depleted surface and at the same time leaves a light bar between the end of the first revolution and the beginning of the second. The amount of water that the roller has collected is doubled. Rolling back and forth will somewhat improve ink distribution, but never to the extent possible with a leather roller. The water accumulated on the surface of the synthetic roller prevents the gathering and release of ink during the course of many revolutions, whereas the reservoirs of the leather roller permit an extended control of ink and water accumulation and distribution. At this point, after two or more revolutions, only one band as wide as the roller has been inked. Repositioning the roller to complete the passage will result in a dark lap mark where the edge of the second pass lies over the first. Overcoming the light bars and lap marks will test the ability of even the best of printers and will require considerable patience and experience.
One should calculate a pattern of rolling that will equalize the light bars and lap marks: the ink on the roller should be replenished more often than ordinarily; the ink consistency may even have to be changed to permit slower release. Some printers prefer to ink images of this sort with very short passes that are not complete revolutions of the roller. A great number of these are crisscrossed over one another, producing a sort of herringbone pattern that equalizes the distribution of ink. This is called a feathered type of inking. It is worth noting that broken-toned images are relatively easy to ink with a synthetic roller, since their separated patterns disguise light bars and lap marks. Good control of ink distribution is always difficult for very large images, whatever the roller; it can be accomplished only through practice and perseverance. Another problem, somewhat less troublesome, arises from the lack of natural porosity in the synthetic roller. Because this roller cannot absorb water like the leather roller, moisture is collected on its surface from the dampened stone. The excess water mixes with the ink and changes its consistency, thus affecting its working properties. The ink becomes emulsified and rubbery, losing its snap and refusing to distribute on either the roller or the printed image. It then becomes necessary to freshen the ink on the slab frequently. In aggravated cases, both roller and slab become stripped. When this happens, both must be washed and dried before fresh ink is set out.
In view of the basic problems of synthetic rollers, the following handling techniques are recommended: Use little pressure. Let the weight of the roller accomplish the distribution of ink. Roll moderately fast or very fast in order to even the ink film. Use a minimum amount of dampness on the stone so as not to collect excess water on the roller. Freshen ink on the slab often. This may mean after every two or three impressions or as often as after each impression. One to three ribbons of ink drawn across the slag should be suffucient. If the ink becomes rubery and emulsified, scrape it from the slab before applying fresh ink. Determine the rolling patterns for a particular image beforehand in order to minimize lapping problems. These problems should be solved and the lapping overcome during the proofing operation, before the edition is printed. Adjust the ink consistency to suit the existing conditions. In general this will mean shortening the ink body and perhaps reducing its tack.
Lithoroll with ink knife on inking stone	Inking the stone