Fine lines begin to close up

Probable Cause	Possible Solution
Pad
Too hard	Use a softer pad
Roughened porous surface	Use a new pad
Cliché
Etch depth is too deep	Make a new cliché with lower etching depth or use pause to allow ink drying in the cliché
First exposure of plate-making process too long-lasting	Make new cliché with lower exposure time
Wrong type of etch	Use a different type of cliché with screened image area
Ink
Ink too thin	Reduce the amount of thinner
Too fluid; ink smears out	Use a fast dying thinner, or pause above cliché
Material
Too smooth (e.g. glass)	Clean thoroughly, to aid the ink cohesion
Other
Pad stroke is too fast. Causes ink to be forced out of etched areas	Reduce the speed of the pad stroke