I’m printing a very large plate of a linear illustration. The poster size is 18×24 and the plate is almost that size. I’m using my SP-20. The problem I’m having is, right in the middle of the form, I’m not getting solid ink coverage. It’s almost exactly in the center. My rollers are only 4 […]
MoreAuthor: Jonathan Selikoff
No power cleanup of SP-20
My shop power has gone out and likely won’t be back on until tomorrow. I was in the middle of a job, of course. So now I’m trying to clean up. 1. How can I clean the main ink drum? It won’t move by hand. If I just let the ink dry overnight, can I […]
MoreSP-20 drive chain issue
The chain on my SP-20 seems to be getting hung up or caught on something. In the 15-second video above, you can see it catch in the beginning and then towards the end. Is one of the gears failing? I need to run several jobs this week but don’t want to risk snapping the chain. […]
MoreSP-20 clicking
My press has it out for me lately. I’ve been hearing this clicking associated with the ink drum. It started a couple days ago, just a couple clicks here and there, but has sounded more and more frequently the more I print. I took a short video and you can hear some of the clicking. […]
MoreBroken SP-20 rail piece
I don’t have my Vandercook book handy so I don’t know the name of the part, but it helps feed the inking roller gear onto the rack down the left (non-operator) side of the bed. It sheared off mid-run. I seem to be able to continue to print (fortunately because I’m in the middle of […]
MoreImpression variation
To go along with my previous post about plate movement, I noticed the leading and trailing edges of my prints have a noticeably deeper impression than the middle. I ran off a blind print of a small leaf plate so you can see it here. My packing is 4 sheets of tympan and 1 sheet […]
MorePlate movement
For those of you that use Patmag bases, what do you do to keep your steel-backed plates from moving? I have a pretty large solid – about 15″ x 4″ – that I’m running and I discovered, upon running the second color, that the plate had continually moved throughout the run. Makes registration a damn […]
MoreInk/impression issue on SP-20
I’m having some issues with a print I’m working on today. It’s a long form (photopolymer) – approx 17” – that I’m running vertically. I’m using photopolymer on a solid wood base that’s shimmed with chipboard up to type high. Printing on Lettra 110 with black ink. The initial couple of lines are very heavy, […]
MoreSP-20 roller height problem
I’m having trouble with inconsistent roller height on my SP-20. I’ve set them to type high using my gauge. When I move the cylinder a few more inches down the bed, the rollers are now above height and no longer contact the gauge. When I roll it back towards the dead bar, the return to […]
MoreSP20 Slurring
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 […]
MoreSP-20 roller bearer
I seem to be having an issue with one of the bearers (is that even the right term?) on the rear form roller on my SP-20. I can’t lower the roller height to type-high on that side. I can on the user side, but not on the opposite end. No problem with the front roller. […]
MorePotter Proof Presses
Howdy Vandercookers! I was directed here by Daniel Morris of The Arm Letterpress. I’ve found a Potter Proof press locally in NJ and am considering purchasing it. Most of my work is small-run and wood-type based, so having a printing bed larger than my 8×12 platen is a big plus. But, I know really nothing […]
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