Hello I’m the new owner of a Universal III P which arrived less the carriage drive motor/gearbox/clutch assembly. I have a very good machinist/electrician who has suggested he could adapt a small variable speed motor gearbox combination to fit. Trouble is he has no idea about motor hp, gear ratios, whether the motor would have the torque to start up without a clutch, etc. I was wondering if anyone has experience or suggestions regarding this issue?
Thanks much
Byron
Universal III Power carriage drive motor/gearbox
Posted May 24, 2013 by Byron Brauchli 16 views No Comments
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Tags: Categories: Motors, Power Carriage, Universal series
A Nice Bit of Provenance
Posted May 16, 2013 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 63 views 1 Comment Print
Tags: Categories: Provenance
Last weekend I did three workshops for Slugfest Printmaking Workshop in Austin, Texas (a great book arts town). This came about because I facilitated their recent purchase of the SP20 for sale by Henry Morris of Bird & Bull Press. One of the principals, Tom Druecker, showed me Henry’s wonderful note about the press that is shown here. I encourage other press owners to make an effort to record the history of their presses.
Vandercook manual
Posted May 2, 2013 by unitas 278 views 14 Comments Print
Tags: Categories: Universal series
Good morning, I am binder in France and last week I bought this vandercook press. I do not find informations on this model so I therefore need of your help a lot.
Thank you
Motors for SP-15s and maybe others
Posted April 30, 2013 by Ladboyle 127 views 5 Comments Print
Tags: Categories: Motors, SP series
Before I begin, let me say: I do not need a motor and do not anticipate that I will need one anytime soon (or hope that I don’t).
I am posting in hopes of inspiring some knowledgeable comments about replacement motors.
In recent weeks, Katie Harper successfully replaced Sp15 motor. There was another post by someone else who replaced a motor on another Vandercook model. I thought that both solutions were expensive and more complicated than necessary, but . . . I am not an expert at any of this.
I have searched the web looking for 110-120v AC gear reduction motors. This avoids having to convert a DC motor to AC power or buy an AC motor and separately buy a gear reduction box. Both are expensive routes
I found several possibilities, altho none are perfect match.
The baldor 24316 is 1/8th HP with 148 RPM; the 24318 is a 1/8th HP with a 71 RPM. I also found Bodine Electric AC models 0623 and 0624 with RPMs of 170 and 85. (Some Challenge MP15′s use Bodine motors turning at 170 RPMs).
None of these cost more than $400, and some were less.
The difference is RPMs might be handled with a change in the size of the pulley. Alternatively, the slower PM would seem to be ok. It means a little more time to spread the ink, but also means that the ink won’t dry out as fast.
The installation will likely require drilling holes to mount the motor, but that’s likely with any solution.
I am sure I am missing something. But, I hope this will get others thinking. In time we will all need motors. Its just a matter of time.
Lad
PS – Fritz/Paul : thoughts?
looking for a universal 1 in san francisco (not to buy)
Posted April 29, 2013 by blair 107 views 3 Comments Print
Tags: san francisco, universal 1 Categories: Universal series
hello! i am visiting san francisco this week, and want to take a gander at a universal 1. i have one in mexico, and it has several very strange quirks that i can’t seem to get figured out. i’m hoping that seeing one in good condition (and meeting with a fellow printer) will help illuminate the problems with mine. if you are in the area and know someone, i’d appreciate any contacts! many thanks.
L.W. Claybourn
Posted April 26, 2013 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 54 views 2 Comments Print
Tags: Categories: Claybourn, People
Leslie William “Lex” Claybourn (1883–1956) was a printing process pioneer who was issued over 200 U.S. patents. Like Horace Hacker and R.O. Vandercook, Claybourn worked to improve photoengraving and process plates and to reduce makeready. In 1921, he established Claybourn Process Corp. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which made, among other machines, a multicolor press that printed from curved electrotype plates.
Relevant to our interests, his company also built proof presses with reciprocating beds and stationary carriages, comparable to Hacker presses, and also the first power carriage proof press in the U.S. circa 1926. (Vandercook introduced its first power carriage the 325A P in 1931.) CPC was bought by C.B. Cottrell & Sons in 1937*, which continued to used the Claybourn name but stopped the production of proof presses.
In 1932, Claybourn published the informative booklet, The Printer and the Future: All industry faced with demand for greater efficiency … New Standards of Printing Practice Inevitable. He also contributed to the 1933 Penrose Annual with the article “Operating Modern Machinery: Its Future and Advantages to Employer and Employee.” He was the 1952 Recipient of the Lewis Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, which is still presented by the Printing Industries of America. Though born into a prominent family, Claybourn died in poverty.
See this previous post about a hand-cranked Claybourn at the Museum of Printing History in Houston, Texas.
*The same year Hacker Mfg. was acquired by Vandercook. Likely, both fell victim to the recession that erased the economic gains ushered in by the New Deal.
Moderator’s News
Posted April 19, 2013 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 164 views 4 Comments Print
Tags: Categories: General
I want to share two recent developments in my professional life that may be of interest to Vanderblog readers.
First, I’m pleased to share that I have been awarded a short-term fellowship at the Newberry Library in Chicago. I will study its collection of printing trade journals as one of my efforts to expand a second edition of my book, develop new content for this website and support my itinerant teaching.
Second, I have been named Editor in Chief of the (soon to be relaunched) American Printing History Association website. This is a consolidation of my positions as webmaster and newsletter editor. The newsletter (pdf only since 2009) will be subsumed by the new site becoming a weekly feature of the front page. In the interim, I am building a bull pen of original, short articles (200-400 plus images) on printing history, and so invite you, the Vanderblog community, to write me at website@printinghistory.org.
Universal I – Replacement Motor
Posted April 16, 2013 by Erin Maurelli 146 views 2 Comments Print
Tags: Grainger, Replacement, universal 1 Categories: Motors, Universal series
This press resides at Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis
In response to the recent post regarding an SP- 15 needing a replacement motor, I thought I’d add my experience this week with our Universal I.
This press had been hesitating at start-up for some time. On start-up, the drive roller would need a little nudge to get it going. (I believe the capacitor was bad). One day it just would not go at all. Upon opening it up, I found the motor Bar-B-Q’d on the inside; extra crispy!
The original motor was a 1/12th HP motor, with 1725 RPM, and a 15:1 ratio right-angled gearbox built in. This motor was last built by Baldor in 1962. Needless to say, it was no longer available. So, I’d have to find a replacement. In order to get the correct RPM for this machine, I considered the DC motor and SRC box like our friends in Arkansas, finally opted for. However, with a little digging, and a patient service person at Grainger, I was able to come up with this beauty.
The Universal I requires 112 – 115 RPM to operate within specifications (according to Fritz Klinke). Here is what I ultimately ended up with:
a 1/4 HP motor, with 1725 RPM and 56C fitting. (Grainger part # 6XJ21)
a 56C fitted Gearbox / reducer with a ratio of 15:1 (Grainger part # 4RN76)
and a mounting plate (Grainger # 6X499)
Overall, we ended up with 117 RPM – I am thrilled by this because all the other options we looked at were giving us 160 RPM or something closer to 85 RPM.
A few modifications needed to be made. I drilled two new holes in the existing mounting bracket to match the holes on the new mounting plate. This was done with a graduated (or stepped) drill bit rated for metal. The new motor sits slightly proud of the metal plate that keeps junk from falling in behind the drive roller. I simply used an angle grinder to cut away the corner, and filed down the rough edges. Everything is beautiful.
Good luck to anyone going through this themselves. I found it really helps to know what specifications you need to meet before sitting down with the Grainger catalog.
Tympan Sources
Posted March 27, 2013 by The Arm NYC 338 views 13 Comments Print
Tags: Categories: General
I’m looking for a source for tympan to use on my Vandercooks. I don’t mind having to cut it down. Are there any suppliers that still stock or produce .006 oiled tympan like the old Cromwell material?
Thanks,
Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY
SP-20 roller height problem
Posted March 15, 2013 by Jonathan Selikoff 230 views 4 Comments Print
Tags: Categories: Cylinder Eccentric, SP series
I’m having trouble with inconsistent roller height on my SP-20. I’ve set them to type high using my gauge. When I move the cylinder a few more inches down the bed, the rollers are now above height and no longer contact the gauge. When I roll it back towards the dead bar, the return to type high. Do I need my carriage bearings adjusted? What’s causing this and how can I fix it? I’m mid-job, of course…
Vandercook #3 hand inking roller assembly
Posted March 9, 2013 by A Revolutionary Press 211 views 1 Comment Print
Tags: Categories: Inking System, No. 3
I recently acquired a # 3, circa 1939, missing the feed roller frame assembly, part M-134. This is the roller to which ink is applied to and then hand cranked to distribute the ink to the vibrator and the form rollers. Has any one come up with a substitute method for inking the #3, or built their own frame and roller assembly? Fritz at NA Graphics informs me that he does not have the mechanical drawings for manufacturing a new part. Any thoughts, ideas and solutions gratefully accepted !
Thanks. John Vincent A Revolutionary Press Harborside, Maine
Vanderpurge circa 1965
Posted March 6, 2013 by Paul Moxon, Moderator 124 views No Comments Print
Tags: Categories: 320/325, Parts
When folks lament that there are no replacement parts for their ancient press, there’s a reason. Fritz Klinke, owner of NA Graphics and the Vandercook archives, sent me this jpeg showing a Vandercook Engineering Change Order for the 325 series. ”This particular change order is about nine pages long, and includes other models. I just grabbed that one and should go back and see what other models were affected. 1965 was not a good year for spare parts for any of the older machines. Vandercook firmly believed in planned obsolescence.”
The 325AH (auto grippers only, no pedal; hand cranked) was in production from 1929-62. The 325AP (auto grippers only, no pedal; power carriage ) was in production from 1931-59. Less than ten combined 325A are listed in the Vandercook census.
The 325GH (grippers pedal; hand cranked) was in production from 1936-62. The 325GP (grippers pedal; power carriage ) was in production from 1934-60. There are over twenty combined 325G listed in the Vandercook census.
Another page of this change order is likely to call out the similar 320G, in production from 1929-58. There are two dozen 320G presses listed in the Vandercook census. Out of the 90 models Vandercook built, only about 40 are represented in the census and some by only a single example.
320 and 325 owners can find solace that parts in common with other models, are still available such as form roller bearing bars, nyliners, roller height screws, worm gear/crescent, paper guides and bumper springs.
