Hello everyone~ Earlier this year I acquired a Vandercook No. 4 from my dear printing mentor. I recently discovered that the 2 front wheels on the bottom of my No. 4’s carriage have some inconsistent behavior, especially when compared to other No. 4’s. Apologies as I’ve not been able to determine, from the manual, the […]
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No. 4 grinding chatter
We have a No. 4 who is the work-horse of our print shop (at MCBA). In recent weeks, it has started an awful chattering noise, that continues to get worse. At first I thought it was the gear and the clutch on the form rollers that were rubbing together. But on closer inspection the gear […]
MoreVandercook No 4 gripper foot pedal problem
We have a No. 4 (S/N 8655) and have a problem with the foot pedal mechanism that interacts with the gripper trip assembly. The foot pedal is connected to the pivot mechanism on the non-operator side of the press by way of the bicycle chain on the outside of the press cabinet. I had the […]
MoreInk drum on the No. 4
Hi guys, you might remember that last year I posted about this problem I was having with my ink drum not getting fully inked. https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/2013/08/ink-drum-oscillator-rider-rollers/ I finally got around to changing the wooden bushings on the Ink drum and on the rider rollers. Very nice oilite brass bushings for the ink drum and some nylon bushings for […]
MoreRag disappeared into my No. 4 — help!
One my my worst nightmares just happened. I was cleaning the ink drum of my No. 4 and carelessly let the rag slip with the drum rotating. I immediately switched off the power and hoped to see the rag on the shelf below the drum. But it is nowhere visible. I fear it may be […]
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Vandercook No.4 for Sale
Hello, I have a Vandercook No.4 that I have had for over 25 years, it is very clean & well cared for. I am an artist & print maker. I removed the inking roller & paper-grabber mechanism fro easier use when doing my prints, I have all the parts & all the nut’s & bolts […]
MoreNew metal wear creating a burr
Hi – I am noticing new wear on my Vandy #4. A burr is being created at the top and bottom of the metal shown in the picture. You can see the shiny new metal that has been exposed. This is the operator side of the press. I don’t see anything on the other side. […]
MorePositive lock up bar vs. fixed dead bar
My 215 Positive Lockup Bar has suddenly taken to shifting easily during printing. Since this is a new trend, I’m thinking the bar needs attention, cleaning, adjustment, etc. Any advice on this? I would also like to have a fixed “dead bar” and I have a machine shop at UAFS (next door to our print […]
MoreMoving a Vandercook 4
Hello folks, Alright, I’ve hired a rigger to move my press out of its current location in Memphis & we’re trucking it down to New Orleans. Can anyone advise me on something I can build to move the press from the truck, down the ramp, into the door, and into the front room? If I […]
MoreNo. 4 MR-111 gear
Greetings all, I’m in the process of getting my No. 4 up and running, and have a question about the gears on the form roller assembly. My understanding is that the MR-111 gears are not supposed to rotate when at the feedboard, but the back one on my press does (and the one on the […]
MoreInk Drum, oscillator and rider rollers
Hello everyone. Could someone please tell me what could be causing this uneven spread of ink on the ink drum? Could it be the press leveling? I’m not sure it is 100% level. I’m also attaching some photos of my refinished oscillator and rider rollers. I think they definitely improved the inking, I didn’t refinish […]
MoreVandercook No. 4 Trip Lever
All of a sudden, the trip lever on our Vandercook 4 will not stay engaged. I didn’t hear anything break, and I can’t see the mechanisms well enough to determine if a spring snapped. Unfortunately, we don’t have a diagram of the trip/print assembly or another model No. 4 to reference.
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