can anyone tell me what other parts would be required to make the sheet finger operate – view the parts i have on flickr

thanks again!

john christopher
arcane devices

I was visiting our machine shop we use occasionally in Durango last week and Jim Melcher, co-owner of Melcher Machine Works was turning down the end shaft of a huge steel forging used in a coal mine. He handed me some shavings laying near the lathe and asked me if I knew what it was, and knowing a loaded question when I hear it, I replied “babbit.” And I was right, though more technically it was Linotype metal I had given him some time ago.

It came from a bearing Jim had turned down for a steam engine leading truck that was waiting to go into service in Alamosa, Colorado last week. Jim then took me over to his big lathe, and it is huge, and showed me a special tool he had contrived with a heavy duty bearing on the end, and the bearing looked familiar. He explained that he had to turn down the axle of this wheel set in the two places where the axle rides in the babbit bearings and that the bearing on the lathe was used to polish the turning—the bearing runs hard against the turning and that only the best bearings would work. It turns out this one came off a Universal III that I had in his shop nearly 10 years ago, and he kept the old bearings when he put in new ones. These are double row bearings in a hardened steel core and bearing surface with a felt retainer for the lubrication.

So, I was duly impressed by the quality of the Vandercook part and that it still had a use. The steam engine is a standard gauge 2-6-0 now in operation out of Alamosa. It was on a tourist railroad in New Orleans and sat through the flood with water covering all the wheel axles, yet it is back in action. It is a former Southern Pacific engine, No. 1744. A Vandercook Universal I that was entirely covered by the same flood waters in New Orleans is slowly being restored by the owners and hopefully will come back to life—when that happens I hope to post that story.

Fritz

I am on the lookout for a sheet delivery tray. I am not in a rush, but if one of you comes across a stray or extra, please let me know.

Thank you.

Chris

I noticed a #4 on ebay. If I hadn’t just moved my #3 I would consider getting in on the bidding. I swear I will never move a Vandy 18+ hrs again. I wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the auction. Here it is:

[ Link invalid ]

Chris

Noticed this on the Briar Press website – is this being sold by anyone on here?

[ Link invalid ]

best

john christopher

What do you feel is the most reliable and makes the best impressions between the more popular Vandercook models? Universal I, III, SP15, SP20, or the 219? Reading the many mechanical issues with the SP15, I’m hesistant to stray away from the Universal series presses. How would you rate these presses??? Thanks for your thoughts!

hi all

I’m calling on the fount of collective knowledge here with a technical question. I’m refurbishing an sp-15, and as I was cleaning up the underside of the cylinder carriage I noticed that a rocking lever arm (what is I assume part of the trip mechanism) was sprung with a flat spring on one side – the operator side – but not on the other side. Closer inspection revealed that the spring on the far side had snapped off at some point. My question is – it appears a very complicated operation to replace the spring, is it essential for the press operation?

with thanks and best wishes

john christopher
arcane device press

I have recently taken two Universal I presses out of storage and am getting them going for the first time so  I’ll be making quite a few postings here in the next few weeks. My first question is regarding the gripper assembly. One of my presses is a later model Illinois Tool Works press, serial #29465 dating it to 1972, I believe. The gripper cam on the press is connected internally to the impression cylinder instead of lifting out with the entire assembly as I have seen in the past. The gripper cam was initially stuck so that the grippers were in the up position. I’ve worked the cam loose but the spring that sits at the far end of the cam on the operator’s side of the press is remaining compressed so that there is no tension in the cam to raise the grippers. My manual is not particularly helpful, as the illustration simply cuts off mid cam spring.

The second question is regarding the trip/print flipper (techinical term?), which is stuck in the up, trip, position. I believe the adjustments of the various rods/arms that actually engage the flipper are a little off but that is not really the problem. Nothing is impeding it from going down into the print position in those adjustments. Nevertheless it is stuck. Once again the manual is not particularly illuminating. If any one has any insight I would be extremely grateful. I move on to a Uni I with an automatic carriage next.

All best and hello,

Patrick Masterson

Details:

Vandercook SP-15
Brand new inks from Graphic Chemical and Ink (their own block & letterpress ink)
Photopolymer plates from Boxcar Press
Impression is somewhat deep

The issue is that if I put enough ink on the press to ink in one pass the type is ragged. What I’m having to do is shift to trip, ink the plate, shift back to print, and print.

Generally, this gives me a good print although some at the very start were stunningly sharp.

Thoughts on this?

Do any of the rest of you need to double ink the plates?

. . .

An ink question.

How thick / hard is your ink?

I have some magnesium carbonate that I could use to stiffen it.