Having recently brought to the shop a nearly untouched SP-25, and in the midst of attempting to sort out the electrical nightmare (550V-3-phase), I’ve run into a problem I’m hoping folks around here might be able to help me with. The press was originally bought in the mid-60s, and it sat in a warehouse as a spare, untouched for 40 years, when it was then sold to someone in Vancouver who was never able to get the electrical working (except for 2 brief runs which quickly blew transformers). This is to say that the thing has hardly been turned over.
The problem is that the rollers were set up in the carriage and sat there breaking down for years and years. As a result, they’ve slowly dripped their ooze all over the ink drum and head-bar, pooling into and around the clean-up-tray beneath. It’s a royal mess, and that ooze has now turned into extremely stiff residue that is all but impenetrable to everything I throw at it.
On working my way into the clean-up, I pulled the chain off the ink drum, and found that it was nearly impossible to turn. That goo has not only covered and badly stained the drum, but it’s run down the ends of the drum and completely gummed up the drive shaft.
I’ve pulled the drum and have removed the X-22994/21484 ink drum arms, as well as the gear and spacing collar from the non-op end to clean those parts, but now I’m a bit lost.
The drum, at each end, has what I assume is a red bearing sticking out, with the shaft running through. When I clamp onto the shaft with some vice-grips and turn it (which takes some serious effort), on one end of the drum the red bearing turns with the shaft, and on the other end the shaft turns but not the bearing. And so I’m not sure which of these two is the correct movement.
I’m also wondering about the anatomy inside the drum. How wide are those red bearings? They each stick out about a quarter of an inch, so how much is hidden by the drum? There is still enough roller goo in the works at each end that any sort of easy movement is gummed right up. I’m reluctant to just keep soaking the ends in degreaser, but I’m also reluctant (although very tempted) to knock the shaft out to free up the bearings, soak everything clean, and then put it back together.
Has anyone run into the same issue with roller goo (or other stuff) gumming up rotation of the ink drum?
Has anyone pulled the shaft from the drum? And, if so, can you fill me in on the anatomy so I know what to expect?
Thanks in advance for any help,
Jason
The shaft was so gummed into the bushings that it took a pile of oil and lots of rubber-mallet action to tap it out, and once out I saw what was causing the problem: that brown goo from the rollers had found its way in between the shaft and the bushings, and coated the shaft completely. As the press was immobile for so long, the goo had plenty of chance to get in there and dry solid.
After much degreaser and scrubbing, the shaft came clean, and apart from losing a fair bit of the paint from the two ink-drum arms in the process, the assembly is back together now and ready to be put back into the press.
First, though, I’ll pull the chain out and soak it clean, then grease it back up and put everything back together.
If only I could plug the thing in and test out the action to balance the ink drum, but that will have to wait until the electrical is sorted out.
Thanks for the feedback guys…
The press is temporarily going to live at the college shop, but my plan is to build a new workshop next year and move it home. At the college we have 600V-3phase, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to fire it up, but once I get the thing back home I’ll have to wrestle with using a bunch of boxes & converters to get the right juice to turn the wheels.
I’m sure Paul will chime in soon.
My bearings are more like nylon bushings – though I have an early SP20 (old trip spring system). There’s a decent chance they’re held in by ink alone. Are yours truly bearings?
When you tapped out the shaft, the bearings just stayed in place? I was sure they would come out WITH the shaft. Hmm. Well, next time I’m in the shop I’ll try tapping out the shaft and will see what happens with the bearings.
As for the goo, mechanical degreaser does break it down, but it also strips the paint off the press parts, unless you water it down, in which case it no longer breaks down the goo, of course.
On bare steel, the degreaser works quite well, especially if you can soak the pieces for a while. Not to be used on aluminum, though, as it quickly tarnishes the surface.
I recently took apart the ink-drum on my SP20, and I’m guessing everything is mostly identical.
The shaft can come all the way out. The drum is essentially a metal cylinder with a hole on each end, a couple of plastic bearings, and a shaft. We took ours apart to clean off all the ink dried on the ends. If you’ve already removed the ink drum arms, I would block the cylinder up on some scrap wood and knock the shaft out with a wood mallet. Grease or WD40 or acetone or something would probably be a wise addition to help beat the stickiness. The plastic bearings on ours are white, but I bet they’re the same as yours. The don’t come out as far as I know, so be gentle with them.
As for the roller goo – I’ve cleaned that off of a 325 before – it is generally impossible to cut with solvents (it holds up as well as the rollers did to it.) I seem to recall a nice sharp razor blade being used on the flat surfaces wherever possible. Wear gloves, not as much for the solvents, but more just for the goo.
Good luck.
Did I miss anything? Is the SP25 drastically different from the 20?