Hi all,
I’m teaching on a Vandercook 320G that is still relatively new to the school, and working on tuning things up. One of the main issues is that the carriage will not stay in its resting home position unless it’s held in place. After a print is pulled, upon returning to the starting point, the carriage wants to just roll back down the bed. A wooden prop currently keeps it secured when the press isn’t being used, but the whole setup doesn’t seem safe for the students.
I believe I’ve read previously about this being related to a bad spring on SP-series presses. I’m wondering if there’s a similar fix or solution for this 320G, and if (universal) parts may be available?
Any input is greatly appreciated. Many thanks!
Yep, that’s it. You could try adding a shim under the plate as a temporary fix.
Thanks Paul! I discovered a plate that fits your description next to the bumper spring on the operator side, and nothing on the back side. Is the part pictured here the brake wedge? It does feel a bit worn in the middle.
Instead of a spring for a latch as on several other models, the 320 has plates next to the bumper springs called brake wedges. They are likely worn in the middle. They could be copied by a machinist.