First post! I am looking to purchase a Vandercook and needed some advice. I am basically looking to get one that has at least a 14″ x 20″ if not larger working form. In good condition and wanted to know some modal numbers to consider. Also, what price range would it run for? I will [...]
Archive for July 2011
Oil for #4 speed reducer gear box - Posted July 30, 2011
It was posted a year or so ago that 40 wt oil is recommended for the #4 speed reducer. I presume you are talking about gear oil rather than motor oil. I have not found a source for 40 wt gear oil, but I can get 75/80 wt. Would that present a problem? Alternatively, would [...]
Tour de Lead Graffiti - Posted
As we did this on our Vandercook Universal III, we hoped some of you might be interested. leadgraffiti.com/news/tour-de-lead-graffiti . . . We would love for everyone to take a look at our effort in ‘endurance letterpress’ we called Tour de Lead Graffiti. We wanted to do a series of typographic posters that took the memorable [...]
SP20 Slurring - Posted July 28, 2011
I’m at wits end trying to figure out why I’m getting slurring problems on my SP20. I’m using photopolymer plates from Boxcar on a patmag base. Everything calipers out correctly to .918, including my roller height gauge. I’ve adjusted the rollers and measured them in several places on the bed. I have brand new rollers [...]
Vandercook 320G packing - Posted July 26, 2011
Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone out there may be able to offer me some advice with packing my Vandercook 320G. I’ve got a piece of cold rolled steel, 18 gauge/.050″ to make up for the galley depth. I talked to a few print shops in my area about packing, and one printer I talked to [...]
A.F. Wanner - Posted July 25, 2011
Andrew Franklin Wanner (1855–1935) was a typefounder and the proprietor of A.F. Wanner & Co. a printing supplier and press manufacturer in Chicago. Today the company is remembered as the original maker of Potter and Poco proof presses. It was also one of the earliest selling agents for Vandercook. In 1867, Wanner moved to Chicago [...]
Free Vandercook on the French Riviera - Posted July 22, 2011
Posted for the benefit of our European friends: http://riviera.angloinfo.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=215488
Universal I [end of bed] - Posted July 17, 2011
What are these hinging parts at the end of the bed of the Universal I doing?
Sourcing a steel bed plate - Posted July 15, 2011
Other than a junkyard, does anyone have any idea where to source a .050″ cold-rolled steel bed plate to obtain type height on a galley-height press? Thanks for any assistance.
Machining a metal rider roller for SP-15 - Posted July 14, 2011
I got an SP-15 press with a missing rider roller. I purchased the brass end pieces from NA Graphics, and am about to go to my location machine shop and have the roller made, bringing with me a borrowed roller from another SP-15. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? Is there a national company [...]
Durometer spec for Vandercook 05 impression cylinder? - Posted July 12, 2011
I’m getting the impression cylinder recovered on my 05 proof press and am hoping to find the original Vandercook specification for the durometer on the Vulcanized rubber coating. Mine is probably still sporting the original rubber which is very hard and not very pliable at the moment. I heard durometer 70 somewhere… Can anyone provide [...]
Vandercook 320G issues - Posted July 10, 2011
I’m in the thick of trying to get my Vandercook 320G up and running. This is different than other Vandercooks I’ve printed on for various reasons (it’s completely manual, the metal and rubber rollers are behind the cylinder, etc). I’ve encountered a couple of things so far that I’d love advice with if you have [...]

