Transfer ink to plastic container and cover with water. Alternatively, have palette knife handy and pull out those goobers by their ears before they get on your block. Inks Burnt plate oil is nothing but linseed oil boiled to various consistencies. It is available in as many thicknesses as you possibly want to experiment with. If I use transparent medium, I also use Miracle Gel to reduce the tack.
Inks also retain their fast dryness, which can become annoying.
However, when a thicker ink is desired, as when printing an engraving, this is the way to go. It will be very runny and transparent, so I usually have to print twice to achieve coverage. Use the thicker oil to achieve a guilded effect or when doing rainbow rolls to mix the ink well on the slab. Dale Vuelta was printed with all three metallic inks. The effect varies depending on the proportion of metallic to standard ink is used.