New poster, long time lurker.
So, we run a silkscreen shop in Columbia, SC call The Half and Half. I learned how to use C&P clamshells at school, and later traveled to Hatch Show Print to learn their Vandercooks. We want to expand our abilities to letterpress, and I have a lead on a few vandercooks, but I’m worried about getting it up stairs. We don’t have a freight elevator, and the stairs turn at the top. (pictures below).
Is there anyway to break down the press into a few large pieces to have movers get it up the stairs? We had our 1200lbs silkscreen press moved up there in 4 parts, and it has a footprint of about twice the size of the sp20. I’m fairly good at understanding mechanics, so I wouldn’t be completely lost in reassembling it after I’ve taken it apart, and I document thoroughly with pictures and notes along the way.
That being said, I was unable to find the weight of a sp20, but I’m guessing between 1200 and 1500 lbs.


Thank you!

I have had a lot of slurring today that I have not been able to get rid of no matter what I try. The ink looks really uneven too. I have brand new rollers and printed 2 jobs last weekend that were perfect. Nothing is different today except that my print looks horrible. After a few hours I realized that when in print the bearings that roll over the bed bearers were not rolling in certain areas. They always rolled back or when in trip. Right where they stopped rolling it became harder to roll the cylinder out. (I’m not using too thick of paper either or trying to punch too hard)I don’t think this is suppose to happen and have no idea how to fix the problem. I’m pretty sure that this is the issue with the slurring because my image is more slurred at the top of the print which is where the bearings stop rolling.Does anyone know what’s wrong, how it happened and how I can fix it? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!Amanda ThomasÂ