I have had a continuous problem with the Vandercook 215 form rollers dropping down too low due to the hex bolts working themselves loose. We tighten these by hand because with a wrench, they get too tight and the rollers won’t turn freely. Is this an indication that there is something wrong with the bearing blocks? We have nyliners in place, too. For years I have just accepted this as press aging, something to be watched from time to time, but I’m hoping there might just be a cure. Any help appreciated. I have photos if that would be helpful.

Hello, I recently bought a Vandercook 4 from the Hick’s Bros.

Everything seems like it’s in working order except the cylinder needs to be adjusted – the rail on the operating side is bearing down hard and there’s a gap on the non-operator side where you can see daylight between the rails. I think as a by-product of this issue the press is printing heavier on the operator side and lighter on the non-operator side. Also, the teeth are starting to have tiny specks of metal get shaved away. I’ve stopped printing as soon as I noticed this, but am in a deadline to finish my first job with this press and feeling the crunch…

Can anyone give me a lead-through on how to fix this? I know that it’s something to do with the ball bearings in the printing/impression cylinder, but I haven’t got a clue where to start.

Help? Friedrich Kerksieck

Goudy said: “The old fellows stole all our best ideas.” Proving it again is this No.4 with a custom-made hand activated gripper bar, similar to the idea for a No.3  discussed on this forum Summer ‘08 (archive links here and here). The pedal and chain linkage are still intact, but don’t work, I was curious to see it I could fix it, but this modification suits the new owner. Besides, I had more urgent issues to address: adjusting carriage bearings, installing new clutch pins, and freeing up the cylinder eccentric that shifted with difficulty at each each of the bed. My thought, confirmed by a call to Fritz, was that with lubrication it would work itself out after a couple hundred strokes. The owner reports today that it indeed shifting easier each time.

See also that the crank handle is at 10 o’clock instead of at 4 o’clock. It may have been installed this way because of a crude repair weld near the collar and the hole for the taper pin was drilled out off-center. When correcting the position I was not able to pass the bolt substituting for the taper pin all the way through.

Dear Vandekin

I am in Memphis cleaning & repairing two Vandercooks, a 4 and a Uni III. The operator of the III tells me the motor jumps (or rather jolts) itself randomly during a press run and there appears to be a little bit of slack in the chain. I tested it out and sure enough it happened for me while I had the press on cycle & run modes. Having experience this problem myself while similar presses power Universals I always lessened the problem (if not got rid of it entirely) by adjusting the carriage speed and/or making sure my ink wasn’t drying out on press.

Since there’s a wee bit of slack in the chain this Uni’s operator is suggesting that I shorten the chain. My feeling is it has something to do with the clutch and that shorten the chain will be a headache and a waste of time, or worse . . . it’ll do some damage to the press. Anyhow . . . is there anyone out there with some experience with these Universal clutch adjustments and/or jumpy, jolty motors? I’d appreciate any input as I have a couple more days of work here cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.

Also, while I have your attention . . . the 4 is in need of a few parts. I’ve identified all the parts this school will need, but I am without a good reference to the small parts inside the inking rollers (the thin tubes in front and behind the oscillating cylinder). These are small collars (wood? plastic? I’ve never been sure. I had two pair made a local machine shop for m old 4 years ago.) that fit around the inking system roller frame and keep the inking rollers from slopping around and hurting themselves. Anyone have a good reference for these parts?

Terry Chouinard

reporting live from the Bluff City of W.C. Handy, Gus Cannon, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Prince Mongo.

I recently bought a Vandercook 4 with an engine that doesn’t run. I plan to bring it to a local motor shop for repair early in the new year. Does anyone have any tips for successfully removing the motor and / or any essential information that should be passed on to the mechanic?

Thanks,

Kyle Schlesinger

Greetings everyone. I’m wondering if anyone has advice, pictures, and/or reference to the desired positions of the cylinder trip rack and the gripper trip lever assembly.

Earlier today I adjusted the bearings on my #4, following the great advice of other Vanderblog members. In order to reach the eccentrics on the non-operator side, I had to remove the steel plate that covers the trip rack. Once I had the bearings adjusted properly, I reinstalled the trip rack, but can’t for the life of me find the proper setting.

Possibly connected to this is the position of the gripper trip lever. I’m wondering how far out the fulcrum and the set screw should be for proper press operation.

The Book Arts Program needs to replace the motor on our No. 4. I’ve written down all the specs from the maker’s nameplate – the current motor was manufactured by Westinghouse (no longer in business) – and contacted a few local companys about replacement. I was told I would need to bring the motor in. The current motor hasn’t completely died and the press is still being used by a class, so I would prefer to purchase a new motor to switch out and minimize downtime. Anyone replaced with another (contemporary) manufacturer? If so, would you be willing to discuss specs? Should we just wait until the class is over and have the motor rebuilt? Thanks.

I purchased a Vandercook #4 about 2 years ago, which had been working beautifully until about a month ago. The roller gears have been grinding against each other when sitting idle. Here’s a link to a video showing the problem.

Vandercook #4 gears grinding

I would appreciate any help I can get. Thank you!

After much successful use, I had to move my Vandercook 4 proof press. In putting everything back where it is supposed to be, I have encountered a problem (actually several problems, but I fixed the sheared drift pin on the gripper foot lever as well as the sticking and bent grippers). After much scouring, I didn’t see a reference to the newest problem. The form roller that makes contact with the ink drum will not move. When the ink drum is rotating, the roller makes contact, but stays stationary. Thus, no ink can be distributed. I am not sure if this is a consequence of my having removed the cylinder to make the press lighter for moving. Is it possible that I did not index the cylinder properly, so that he gear teeth are misaligned? In general, the press does not look out of alignment, but I could be one or even two teeth off without knowing it. The other possible culprit seems to be the clutch assembly. I had problems inserting the bottom frame form rollers, they did not want to seat properly. The roller clutch trip was engaged, and in the way. I cranked the press a bit, the clutch disengaged and the frame dropped into place, but still no movement as it contacted the ink drum.

Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted, I want to get printing again soon.

The Gravity Press census seems like a great idea. I have a Number 0, Serial number 07756, supposedly made in 1953.
But it is my 4T that I need help with. After finally getting all the parts right, new electrical cord and switch, etc., it did not print evenly across the width of the bed. When I checked it with a parallel bar, there was light showing the center section, throughout the bed length. The bed is “dished” to .004 along the centerline. Any ideas on how to remove the cylinder, gripper connection, and so forth so I can have it milled down to flat again? Any ideas are appreciated. Steve S.

Hey everyone,

I co-run a community print shop in Saint Louis, MO. We have facilities for letterpress, intaglio, and screen printing. We were recently given a vandercook no. 4 to add to our lettepress equipment.

When we showed up to pick up the press, it was being moved out of a basement with a backhoe (giant construction machine that looks like a bulldozer). A wall had been knocked out so that it could be removed from the building. Unfortunately, it was not only covered in drywall and brick mortar, but had also been taken apart and was missing the inking drum that sits in the bed of the press and the motor.

I am making good progress on getting the parts replaced, but there is another problem: the carriage is stuck in the middle of the press bed, and will not move. I have cleaned it a little and I can’t see anything stuck in the gears. I have some photos here… any ideas?

if more photos or photos of different parts help please tell me — I know almost nothing about the mechanics of this press, any help would be great.

I am looking for a motor speed reducer for a #4. This press belongs to Gray Zeitz, who is the nicest person you’ll ever meet, has a beard like ZZ top, and has been hand setting & printing books at Larkspur Press for 35 years. He’s charged me with getting this press running, and this is the last piece of the puzzle. Here’s a pic:

We have the motor and the bracket. I need the reducer (part with orange oil cups) and the cover to the right would be nice too, as well as the belt. This is part number x-9464 in the manual.

thanks in advance,

Alex Brooks

press eight seventeen – lexington letterpress