Howdy. I trust you and yours are well. I recently did some electrical work (thank you Fritz, Daniel, Paul, Steve, John, and Max) on my Universal and I am replacing the Control Station panel. Would anyone like one while I am at it? This will be a laser-engraved, silver substrate revealing a black core to […]
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Uni 1 form roller gear run out
Now that the carriage bounce is sorted out thanks to Paul and Ray, the next item is the crazy wobble in the form roller gear. I tried to attach a video to this post but failed somehow. The video here shows how bad it is. The set screw and split sleeve are present in the […]
MoreUni 1 carriage bounce on return trip
Lately the powered carriage on our Uni 1 has a tendency to return fully and then bounce off the stops, rolling forward again about an inch. This is frequently far enough to prevent the inking system from being properly driven by the main ink roller (cylinder?). It’s easy enough (albeit annoying) to manually pull the […]
MoreUniversal 1 with frisket tower, and new rollers with ink fountain, power carriage
Hello, we the Hicks Brothers, just got the nicest Universal 1 that we have ever seen. Oh yeah, it has a power carriage! I can send you as many pictures as you like. I just shipped all 4 roller recovered–they were fair but new is better. Priced at $15,000 which includes straight forward SF Bay Area […]
MoreUniversal III Gripper issue/missing screw or pin?
Hello! I recently moved into a new studio and have been having problems with sticky grippers, which isn’t new to me so I didn’t think it had anything to do with the move. Today as I was printing, the pedal really didn’t do anything to raise the grippers so upon investigating, I went on the […]
MoreUniversal 1 cleanup “doctor blade”
Hello! I love my Uni 1 and want to get it a new cleanup blade (doctor blade) but having trouble navigating any website I have seen posted before. I know I need something 0.03″ or so thick. Any suggestions where to find exactly what I need? Thanks Brooke
MoreUni I motor has trouble starting
My Uni I’s motor for the ink drum has trouble starting. In the past occasionally when I turned it on, it would not turn and would softly hum, but turning it off and on again would restart it. Now it mostly won’t start turning, though if I manually push on the drum it will start. […]
MorePress Part Manufacturing, Gripper Bar Lever, Feedboard and Dead bar
I recently manufactured some press parts: a gripper bar lever for a No. 3 inspired by several posts on this blog, a new feedboard for the No. 3, that gets bolted onto two wooden side posts, and a dead bar for a Uni I. The No. 3 is actually for sale now as well. The […]
MoreUniversal III Motor and oiling
I own a Uni III PC AB with a Reliance motor. I wanted to check the oil in the inking motor as there is a bit or a burning smell after a long day printing, and I assume the oil in this decades old machine has never been changed. Thus, it seemed appropriate to replace […]
MoreVandercook Universal 111 for sale
We have this machine available, plus two other Universal 111’s. Main one was used up to about a year ago, another was for spares and the third was used as a cutting die station. I would like all three to go together to a good home and I am happy to discuss offers and assist […]
MoreLooking for a set of gripper bar extensions for a Uni III
Recently acquired a tape tower for my Uni III but didn’t realize my press doesn’t have the little cylindrical gripper bar extensions that thew tape tower bar clicks into. Anyone happen to have a spare set (I know, needle in a haystack but can’t hurt to ask). Photos showing the extensions on one of my […]
MoreUniversal 1 automatic return tape replacement
Does anyone have experience replacing the tapes on an automatic return tower? One of ours is a bit frayed. What is a reasonable replacement tape? It looks like pretty standard flat twill tape but I’m no expert on materials like that. Thanks for any advice.
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