Fritz Klinke asks: Can you spot R.O. Vandercook? Oakland Auditorium, home to 57 Grateful Dead concerts, also showed printing stuff. Probably 1920s. (Courtesy of NA Graphics)
MoreVandercook 215 Switch Replacement
The old switch fell back into the box. It was being held in place by a metal clip on the frame, shown here on the wood feed-board of the press. I could not get it to grab the switch, so I figured I would just replace it with a household switch, but am unclear about […]
MoreFlat Bars in Cylinder on a Vandercook No. 2
When I acquired this No. 2 many years ago, an offset printing blanket (the press was being used for perforating/cutting prior to my getting it) was clamped between or under these flat bars. I replaced the blanket way back when and took these bars off and used the square cinching bars to tighten the blanket. […]
MoreSP-20 Taper pins in ink system lever bar
I’m in the process of putting back together a heavily desconstructed SP-20 #29569. I suspect (pictured top) these are taper pins that connect through the rod (picturesed 2nd) that raises and lowers the ink system. The pins are pretty stuck in place, so before I put a ton effort into trying to loose them, I […]
MoreWTB: Vandercook 325G Form and Distribution rollers
Hello Vandercook Party People. I am looking to buy the form roller assembly, form rollers and distribution rollers for a Vandercook 325G. If you have any laying around I’d love to get my hands on them to get this big beast of a press I bought back up and running! On another note. I bought […]
MoreVandercook No 4 Delivery Tray
Hello Vandercookers. I am restoring a No. 4 and need a delivery tray made. I have one to copy. I was wondering if anyone else out there is missing one and would like one made? Between time and materials I’m guessing these will be about $200-250 bucks plus shipping if you want one. Obviously the […]
MoreVandercook Employee Handbook
These pages from the Vandercook [Employee] Handbook No. 2 (ca. 1949) shows that the company provided good benefits. This copy belonged to David D. Vandercook. See also this recruitment flyer.
Morepainting a press
My Vandercook 4 looks scruffy and having moved it to a part of the house where it is visible to everyone, I would like to paint it. I wonder if there are any do-s and don’t-s about this. And although I have seen these presses painted in various colors, I wonder if there is a […]
MoreVandercook Universal II for sale
Vandercook universal II P/AB for sale. $13500. Ground level- can arrange rigging and loading at your cost. Very easy move out with the right tools, but no loading dock. I can supervise rigging so the rigging co does lift the press from the correct points. Features: Frisket tower with tapes Adjustable bed (Very useful) Power […]
MoreSP-20 Restoration: Adding oil to the motor.
I recently acquired a Vandercook SP-20 in great need of restoration. I’ll be tackling this project over the coming months and will be posting progress and questions as I go along. Luckily, I have most of the major parts! I decided to start with some low-hanging fruit: check to see if the motor had any […]
Morevandercook 4 impression cylinder repair
i am working on a vandercook 4 serial nr. 15900 that i bought a couple of weeks ago. when inspectiong the press i realized that there is a strange thing inside the cylinder on the operator side. see pictures. the other other thing was next to rust a broken pin on the […]
MoreSP-15 roller adjustment
We can’t get the back form roller on the SP-15 to lower on the gear side only–it can’t go lower than a narrow sliver (less than 1/16″) on the roller setting gauge, no matter how much you turn the knob. We can adjust this back roller’s height on the operator side, and the front roller […]
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