Hello. I am a newbie restoring a No. 4. I have cleaned all of the moving parts and am putting everything back in place. When I turned on the motor for the first time and lowered the oscillating and form roller assemblies, I noticed a faint clacking sound that didn’t seem right. I turned off […]
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Lubricating the gear teeth on the Vandercook No. 4 impression cylinder
Hello. I am a newbie in the process of restoring a Vandercook No. 4, SN 18794. My husband, who was in aerospace mechanical engineering for many years, is providing advice and much moral support. He was surprised when I told him that the procedure for lubricating the impression cylinder gear teeth was to apply a […]
More215 form rollers
_Comments are applicable to the No.4_ Need as much specific information on the Vandercook #215 form roller mechanism function. The one I’m trying to troubleshoot is at the Atlanta Printmakers Studio. The roller mechanism that propels the rollers as it traverses the press bed will not disengage when it returns to the feedboard, and as […]
More#4 anyone?
I noticed a #4 on ebay. If I hadn’t just moved my #3 I would consider getting in on the bidding. I swear I will never move a Vandy 18+ hrs again. I wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the auction. Here it is: [ Link invalid ] Chris
MoreNo 4 Grippers not engaging
I’m having some troubles with a Vandercook #4, and I’m more or less completely inexperienced with it. The trip mechanism is not connecting enough when the foot pedal is depressed. There is about a centimeter of space between the trip assembly and the rod when not engaged, so when you hit the pedal, it just […]
MoreHelp ID these Vandercook? mystery inking parts
Dylan Fareed and I went out to visit John Barrett at Letterpress Things today and he asked me to drag some proof press roller assembly parts back to The Arm to attempt to identify them. I think the second one is a 219 rider roller assembly, but I have no clue on the rest. Anyone […]
MoreEnglish-made Hybrid Revisted
Donald Kerr at the University of Otago [New Zeeland], informed me of his institution’s Vandercook made by Pre Press Ltd. of London. His photos show a carriage nameplate stating that it is a No. 4 However, the cabinet and feed board styling (and presumedly the inking system were it present) is that of a 215. […]
More#4 worm gear needs an evaluation
The oscillating metal roller on my recently acquired #4 has been having a little bit of trouble making making its way back and forth when I ink up. It was sticking just as it reached it closest position to the operator, when the worm gear was no longer visible, I guess at the point where […]
Morevice grip and trip
i just bought a lovely vandercook 4, there is a vice grip spring loaded attached to the bar that runs across the width of the press under the bed…when i return the carriage, the vice grip engages and makes a clunking sound. what gives? the previous owner said he thinks there was some problem with […]
MoreTouch up Paint for the Vandercook?
I have a #4 that is in pretty good shape, but there are a number of spots on the press with worn or chipped paint. My feed table is particularly worn, and I am interested in touching it up both for appearance reasons, but aslo to protect the exposed metal form rust and what not. […]
MoreEnglish-made Hybrid
Keith Stubley in Sheffield, UK contacted me about locating a manual for his Vandercook and sent me two interesting photos. The first shows a nameplate on the carriage with the model name left blank and a serial number that does not correspond to existing records. At bottom, it states that the press was made in […]
More4T gripper foot pedal slipping
I am trying to fix up a Vandercook 4T. When I press on the foot pedal, the pedal moves but the grippers don’t. At first I thought that the chain had stretched but when i look at the joint where the bar from the foot pedal connects to the bar that moves the chain, I […]
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