Comments on: Vandercook No. 3 Carriage Help

By: Fritz Klinke

Fritz Klinke — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 08:09:44 +0000

This has been pretty well covered, more than once, but make sure the press is level in both directions. For Chris, there should be a cylinder catch on your press, and missing, there will be 2 holes, one in the bed for the spring and the other in the side rail for the screw. These are not inexpensive parts, hardened steel, special screw, but the spring’s not too bad.

Alex has probably been breathing too many lead fumes lately.

By: Chris Jackson

Chris Jackson — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 13:30:11 +0000

Sorry to keep this going, but I was soon to ask the same question. I appreciate the wealth of info, but unless I am having a difficult time seeing, my press does not have a cylinder check, or at least it is housed in a different spot. Is it possible that the old style No. 3s were without this feature. I found that the previous owner (though he never used the press) was given a piece of leather to stop the carriage from advancing when not in use.

Thanks again.

Chris

By: Eric Holub

Eric Holub — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:42:03 +0000

Yeah, that “cam”–cylinder check on the parts list–is pushed down by the lower cross rod of the cylinder carriage, and then rises to hold the carriage in place. It ’s just light spring pressure that does it. Some Vandercooks have a nylon collar on the cross-rod at that point, but I’m not sure if the 3 is one of them.
But there are things that should have been left unpainted–bumper springs, bolt-heads in the gripper trip wedge–and the paint will interfere with adjustment and movement. I hope no oil-holes were filled.
To start, I’d work the press back and forth and look for signs of contact or rubbing, then carefully scrape them with a razor blade if flat, or a wire brush if not. Emery cloth can be torn into strips and used to clean off round surfaces. And there’s always paint remover.

By: The Arm NYC

The Arm NYC — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:31:12 +0000

Ha!
At least she isn’t going to have to ask for a second opinion…

Daniel

By: Alex Brooks

Alex Brooks — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:26:36 +0000

we are dorks

By: Alex Brooks

Alex Brooks — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:25:32 +0000

I can’t tell because of the size of your picture, but it’s probably the flipper in your first picture. There’s a spring underneath which pushes the flipper up and holds the carriage at the feed board. It doesn’t look like this part was painted, so it’s probably the spring underneath, which often breaks. Sometimes the spring breaks in two and the halves still work marginally. Fritz at NA Graphics has replacements.

Hope this helps
Alex
press817

By: The Arm NYC

The Arm NYC — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:24:18 +0000

Easy! See that cam at the end of the gear rack in the first photo? Take out the screw and check to see if the spring is broken. If it is call Fritz and order a new one. If it isn’t then you probably just need to clean up the assembly, add a little 3 in 1 oil and you will be good to go.

Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY