Do any of you #4 Vandercook owners have any side play on your ink drum? That is, when wiping from side to side, does the drum move a little, or not at all?
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Post Title: Ink drum side play
Author: Eric Holub
Filed As: Inking System, No. 4 & 215
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3 comments have been posted on “Ink drum side play”.
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I’d call the two washers retainers rather than spacers. Looking at the drawings later, Fritz noticed that the wooden bearings protrude slightly from the end castings. The bearings butt to the washers, and that is what keeps the cylinder from moving sideways. Somehow in our handling of the cylinder, we had pressed the bearings in flush, allowing the new side-play.
This examination started because of a press with the problem of ink always moving over to the far side; it turned out that the cylinder was 15 thousandths higher on the operator side, as measured from the bed by surface gauge and dial indicator. Taking out the cylinder and shaft, we found wear to the shaft and to the bearings, but it was pretty much equal wear on both ends. Cleaned and reassmbled, the same 15-thou difference was apparent, and no obvious cheap fix.
Eric and I looked at the ink drum blueprints earlier today and I didn’t have the prints for the side bolts that screw into the shaft that the drum rotates around with the wood bearings. There are 2 spacer washers, one at each end of the drum, and I was surprised to see that the ink drum specifications on the drawings are something like parallel to the bed within .010″ from one end of the drum to the other. There was a huge racoon guarding the front door of where I’m staying in the wilds of Silicon Valley this evening, so I’m not inclined to deal with that animal again tonight and will take another look at the prints that are out in my car in the morning.
The drum is held in place by a short bolt and a wood bearing on on each end. On the far side is also a sprocket for the drive chain and a washer. It may be that the washer is missing. If the bearings had replaced at some point perhaps the washer was not reinstalled. In my experience the play is only apparent when cleaning the drum with a rag by hand and does not affect inking.