Vanderblog

Can anyone provide a picture and approximate dimensions of the bullet catch that holds up the ink distribution rollers for cleaning on a Uni I? Ours has gone a-miss and I have a VERY KIND friend willing to machine us a new one–but I have no idea what it looks like!

Following up on the discussion a few days ago, which I think alarmed many of us into checking on our motors, I’m having some trouble finding my way around the gear box on my SP20. I’ve posted photos on flickr: if anyone can point me in the right direction I’d be thrilled. The problem is the motor is very hard to access and even see, and I don’t want to pull it out unless I have to.

On a related note, we’re having trouble with the chain rubbing the cabinet side very slightly, enough to make an annoying noise. I don’t want to shorten the lifespan of a chain that is undoubtedly already 30 years past its usable lifespan. This might require pulling the motor anyway, but wanted to see if anyone had any ideas.

Thanks,

Duncan Dempster

University of Hawaii

I was just told by one “trailing-edge” mac user that he is experiencing a problem viewing the blog since the latest blog software update (WordPress 2.5.1). My apologies to any and all readers in his position. However, I must to continue to keep pace with WP releases in order to stay ahead of comment spam and to utilitize security fixes to protect the data. I suggested the website Lowendmac.com, which addresses a variety of issues including browsers. Trailing-edge PC users may find useful the companion website for low end pcs. I hope this helps.

WordPress is an amazing and free, community-based, publishing platform. (I pay for bandwidth, data storage, and the domain name—as well as for original equipment catalogs and brochures.) However, The customization that make WP blogs so much better than your average list serve is largely made possible by third party plugins, like WP-table that has allowed me to post the censuses. Plugins are created by independent programmers who rely on donations to support this work. When a programmer abandons their plugin, as it appears the WP-table author has, it may not function with the next WP release. The same problem is now happening with the WP-Print plugin that allows printing of blog pages. Alternatives for either plugin have yet to be released. I apologize for any inconvenience.

Your humble web tinker

Dear members and guests: please note that I sometimes edit post titles and topic categories to more accurately reflect content and to improve the relevance of archive searches.

Also, please continue to send me data for the various press censuses: Vandercooks, Asbern, Challenge, Reprex, etc.

Thank you all for making this a useful resource.

I’m missing a feedboard and metal lip for my 219 OS. Does anyone have a replacement or has anyone rigged a workable system without an original piece? Any help would be much appreciated.

Jordan

This post is in response to a query on Letpress:
Vandercook first issued serial numbers on presses in 1914. Until about 1925 they were located directly on the press bed at the right end midway between the lock up pins. It may be hidden by a removable bed plate and/or rust and oxided ink.

This number appears on a 1932 Single Truss No. 1 owned by John Horn.

Rather suddenly my rollers decided to crap out by not inking the form evenly. I am using photopolymer plates.

The Problem

Form is not being inked evenly. Ink is heaviest at the beginning of the form (the area the form rollers hit first). Based on the image above, it appears that the rollers are not freely rolling across the top of the form, rather pushing/sliding the ink across. The 2nd example is the worst case scenario - many of the bad impressions made the form look as if it were only half inked.



Observations

First, I’ve tried adjusting the roller height and the amount of ink in addition to cleaning all moving parts (nyliners, etc.) - all to no avail. I tried rubber and oil based inks. I even moved the form around on the bed. All with the same result. However, please note that I haven’t tried cleaning the crescent or worm.

I have observed the following behaviors:

[1] The oscillating roller does not appear to move/roll during inking of the smaller form. With the larger form, it rolls inconsistently - it rolls over some areas and slides across others.

[2] I get better results when the oscillating roller is in the up position (ie. not touching the form rollers).

[3] Even with the oscillating roller up, the problem seems to persist with the front form roller.

[4] I get best results when using only the back form roller (ie. without the oscillating roller or the front form roller in use).

On Another Note
Sort of on the same topic but an entirely different issue, when things are working okay, my rollers are not able to ink the entire bed. It does fine on the first 7″-9″ but the form rollers cannot make contact with the form on the rest of the bed. Does this mean my bed is uneven? If so, how do I fix this?

Keith Cross phoned me this morning asking what he should do about oiling the motors on the two Mass Art shop Vandercooks. One has an oil cup (or two?) with spring cap(s); the other, two cap bolts on top of the gear box similar to my late model SP15. What did I do about oiling the motor on my press he wondered.

I had to say that I had never in the 16 years I’ve owned my SP15, ever concerned myself with oiling the motor, or rather, the gearbox. The motor armature turns on sealed bearings does it not?

The SP15 Manual in all its brevity, states: “follow motor manufacturers instructions for lubrication of the motor.” The make and model of the motor are not in plain view. There is no addendum in the manual, nor instructions in any of my paperwork. All other lube points on the press are mentioned under the LUBRICATION heading as well as the schematic and parts diagrams.

My curiosity piqued, i spun the forward most cap bolt off my gearbox and shown a light down in. I could see the box was essentially dry, with the tan patina on steel parts of 44 year old oxidized lubricant.

So, do I top my gearbox up with S.A.E. #20?

Or is there some intermediary level to come up to, e.g. as in an automotive differential, to avoid losing mechanical drive energy to the resistance imposed by fully immersing ring and pinion in a heavy oil bath?

And is this even necessary? It’s run fine for years.

mjb / interrobangletterpress.com

Dear all, apologies if my first post is somewhat ‘how long is a piece of string’.

I am looking to buy a Vandercook (in terms of model I am guided by what becomes available but very possibly a 4), but my interest is printing rather than engineering, whilst I appreciate some maintaince and running repairs will be essential, I’d be very interested in any pointers of what to look out for when assessing a press. I realise rollers may need replacing, rust may need removing etc, but I’m keen to know what things you would check/look out for when looking at a press, particularly problematic missing parts, signs of untreatable wear and tear, generally any major issues to be aware of.

Cheeky extra question: while not ideal, would any of you consider buying a press unseen, via ebay for example, any anecdotes or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for any help you can offer, Alistair

Does anyone have a working forward / backward switches for a Universal III they would be willing to sell?

I also need the microswitch that is on the lower backside of the press closest to the feedboard, but this doesn’t seem quite as critical.

Any help would be appreciated.

Ray Nichols / Lead Graffiti

Hi, folks. I am writing about a damaged Uni I that I have been working on intermittently over the past 10 months. When the press was shipped to me, it was struck and dragged along the right-hand side of the carrriage. Obviously I’ve learned my lesson where crating is concerned but I cannot for the life of me get the cylinder balanced. Recently I had faked, so to speak, an even impresssion by dramatically altering the bearing settings but the press felt awful to print on and I imagine I was creating more problems for my self down the road. At present, I have removed all bearings, eccentrics, etc. and the cylinder is tilted high on the right-hand side and low on the left-hand side. My frame of reference is the smooth inner rail running closest to the press bed. In trip, the left-hand side is making contact with this rail. On my other presses, the proper distance seems to be roughly 1/8″ distance from cylinder to rail when in trip and drops down to make contact when in print. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
all best,

Patrick Masterson

I’m having a problem with my steel roller (the large one that oscillates) binding against the inner form roller when the carriage returns. After returning one or two inches it binds regardless of location, i.e.: If I lift and lower the oscillating roll, it still binds at any point on the return trip. One side of the oscillating steel roll (the side opposite the operator) rises higher than the operator side (the rectangular bar at the end of the roll rises in its slot) and the carriage stops. Any suggestions on how I might resolve this problem? As a work around I’m lifting the oscillating roll each time on the return trip. Sorry I don’t have the terminology correct. Thank you.