As a companion to the Glossary, I’ve created a new Maintenance page, which suggests routine maintenance for common Vandercook models. Check it out and let me know what needs correcting and what should be added.
Maintenance page added
Posted August 30, 2010 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 30 views No Comments
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Categories: Instruction
Glossary page added
Posted August 29, 2010 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 70 views No Comments Print
Categories: Terminology
I’ve created a new Glossary page defining mechanical terms for newbies. It doesn’t include common terms covered in operator manuals or letterpress instruction books. Check it out and let me know what needs correcting and what should be added.
Origin of the modern proof press reconsidered
Posted August 27, 2010 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 103 views 7 Comments Print
Categories: Advertising, Harrild, History
While looking for information on proof presses built by Harrild & Sons, better known for its iron hand presses, I asked Stephen O. Saxe, author of American Iron Hand Presses, what he knew about this British firm. In reply he scanned this page from a 1906 Harrild catalog, shown at left. This press features a rigid bed and rolling carriage with cylinder grippers and an inking assembly. This is surprising because it is far more advanced than Vandercook’s first model, the Rocker, built in 1909, and that they didn’t make a comparable machine until the Composing Room Cylinder series in about 1918. Based on this image, it appears that Harrild was the originator of the modern proof press, despite Vandercook’s repeated claim in its advertising.
Having said this, it seems likely that R.O. Vandercook developed his press independently for two reasons. First, because his intent was to make production cylinder presses until a potential customer, after seeing the prototype, suggested he sell it as a proof press. Secondly, there were enough American printing equipment manufacturers in the first decade of the 20th century that foreign firms had little incentive to enter the U.S. market. Therefore it’s doubtful that Vandercook saw a Harrild catalog, let alone this press. Saxe concurs adding that he is unaware of any Harrild advertisements in the Inland Printer.
Continue reading Origin of the modern proof press reconsidered »
Reprex Wiring
Posted August 25, 2010 by Patricia Moran 74 views 3 Comments Print
Categories: Reprex, Wiring
I have a Reprex proof press with old, burned out wiring that needs to be replaced. Can any old electrician do this, or does it need to be someone familiar with presses? Thanks for any input or insight you may have.
New Rollers Slightly Different Diameters
Posted by Martha Chiplis 97 views 4 Comments Print
Categories: No. 4, Rollers/Gears
Hi All,
I just received two newly recovered rubber rollers for a #4, done by Rotadyne. I measured the rollers and one is bigger than the other in diameter by 1/32″. One roller is 2 1/2″ and one is 2 1/2 plus 1/32. I asked the roller company to make them 2.515″ in diameter. Should I send the rollers back to be remade? The difference in diameter- between the two rollers- if I did the math right is .03125. I think that is probably too much. What do you think?
Thanks,
Martha
Universal I AB – Power Carriage Fuse Problem
Posted August 21, 2010 by Kevin Rudynski 133 views 5 Comments Print
Categories: Power Carriage, Universal series
I’ve been working on a thorough clean-up of my Uni I which was very grimy and dirty. I’ve already tore down and cleaned the adjustable bed which was frozen. That went smoothly thanks to the fine documentation from previous posts. Currently, I am dealing with a problem of immediately blowing a fuse when I put the power carriage into forward. At this point I don’t really know how to begin to trouble shoot this problem, and I am looking for direction. The rails and bearers are clean and lubricated. I have not cleaned the cylinder/gears at this point, but they aren’t too dirty. I realize that I may need to provide more information (and please let me know), but I appreciate any direction that can be given at this point. Thank you. Serial No. 23002.
Flickr set – Installing new form rollers on a Vandercook No. 4
Posted August 18, 2010 by Barbara Hauser 105 views 1 Comment Print
Categories: Inking System, No. 4, Rollers/Gears
Continued thanks to everyone who has the patience and takes the time to answer the many questions that we relatively new printers come up with. I recently asked for step-by-step instructions for installing new form rollers on my No. 4, and the replies I got were extremely helpful.
I put together a Flickr set on what I did, for the benefit of other newbies. If you see anything that needs to be corrected, please leave a comment. Thanks!
Barbara
Vandercook 22
Posted by billmuller 53 views No Comments Print
Categories: No. 22
I picked up a 1960′s Vandercook 22 from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. It had be sitting in storage for a very long time, but it is in excellent condition.
It is a very strange machine, but will be useful for large jobs. The ink rollers (3) and the impression roller move in a continuous loop on a chain drive. When you engage the inking drum the press turns on and then you control the speed with a foot pedal.
The speed is the amazing part. You can go at an impossible speed, or super slow. After the inking rollers pass your set up you drop a sheet on bed, then the impression roller zooms by, you lift off the sheet with one hand and drop down another with the other hand.
If theory in front of the impression roller and the inking rollers is a bar that will stop the machine if you didn’t get out of the way fast enough … haven’t tried this idea yet.
I will be posting a video soon on the 22 in action.
SP15 grippers and trip lever issue
Posted August 13, 2010 by Karen Dufour 190 views 10 Comments Print
Categories: Grippers, SP series
Hello. I have a lovely little SP15 and this is my first mechanical issue I’ve experienced thus far. I hope someone can help me solve it…
Yesterday, my grippers stopped working. In looking at the manual and the press, I see the gripper cams are not lined up with the gripper screws. I am not sure if they are supposed to be, but seems logical those cams push the screws and open the grippers. I also noticed the gripper trip lever looks different than the manual. Perhaps it has fallen? And I’m sure the scrapes next to the trip roller isn’t a good thing. I’ve noticed them before but wasn’t sure how long they’ve been there. I’ve attached some photos.
D.D. Vandercook
Posted August 6, 2010 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 125 views 1 Comment Print
Categories: People
Revised. David Dodge Vandercook (1901-1975) was the company’s longtime Chief Engineer and the second son of founder R.O. Vandercook. His name appears on 16 U.S. patents, sometimes with his father and brothers or key employees. D.D. Vandercook’s knowledge of engineering was self taught. Too young to serve in WWI, he had to work to help support the family. Granddaughter Joann Moulton-Saunders says “Great grandfather was the dreamer and thought of the ideas, where as grandpa was the worker. There was never a book he did not like and most of his collection were text books that he read like novels.” She also says that during WWII, when the company was engaged in war materials production, Vandercook would come home from the plant with a brief case: “Poppy as we called him sat down in his chair after work and when dinner was ready he went to the table with the brief case. When he went to bed it was always with him. Later we were told that the FBI was outside every time Poppy brought his brief case home. … He was very proud to have served his country.” D.D. Vandercook retired from the company in 1955 after suffering a brain aneurysm. He and his family moved to Fort Myers, Florida where he later died, two days shy of his 74th birthday. See profiles on R.O. Vandercook, E.O. Vandercook and F.R. Vandercook.
F.R. Vandercook
Posted August 4, 2010 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 121 views No Comments Print
Categories: People
This day in 1903 saw the birth of Frederick Robert Vandercook. The youngest son of company founder R.O. Vandercook, he was CFO when it was sold to Illinois Tool Works in 1968. Little is known about F.R. Vandercook, his name appears on nine U.S. patents, but he seems to have not written for publication. Longtime employee Stanley Metza, who reported to him during WWII and later on the construction of the 1954 plant, said Fred was the most reserved of the brothers. The last to survive, he died in 1987 at age 83. See profiles of R.O. Vandercook, E.O. Vandercook, and D.D. Vandercook.
No. 4 Trip Issue
Posted August 3, 2010 by Sara Parr 167 views 2 Comments Print
Categories: No. 4, Print/Trip Lever
Our Vandercook No. 4 does not stay in trip. When printing, the operator has to hold down the trip to keep it in place. In comparing it to our other No. 4, the trip mechanism is still in place, but the trip bar connected to the handle has a lot of play; there is no tension to keep the lever raised to rotate the shaft connected to the rear trip wedge and I can’t get a good vantage point to see what, if anything, is missing or broken. Any insight?
Thanks!
Sara P.
