So my 219 OS struggles continue and I wanted to give an update and hopefully get some more information. As discussed in this post: https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/2012/05/219-os-carriage-latch-question/ the wooden carriage latch had worn away enough that it wasn’t holding the cylinder carriage back at the feedboard. After some time, I came to the conclusion that it was contributing to registration […]
MoreVandercook Maintenance & Print Finesse Workshop with Paul Moxon – Vancouver, Canada – Jan 18-19
Vancouver, Canada – Porchlight Press (porchlightpress.com), along with the Vancouver Letterpress League (letterpressleague.ca), presents Paul Moxon, Vandercook and letterpress expert, as the workshop lecturer for this 2-day workshop. Whether you use own your own press, use a community studio press, or are thinking of buying one, this workshop will provide excellent direction for your future presswork. […]
MoreReplacing the wooden bushing on a Universal 1 inking drum
Well, now we have had a little practice with replacing a wooden bushing on a Uni 1 inking drum. I last posted on October 2011 when a bushing had gone on our Universal 1. We just had the wooden bushing go on our other Uni 1 (serial number: 28671). So, I thought I would share […]
More32-28 Form Roller housing loosening
I’ve got a 32-28. As I run the press, the screws that hold the form rollers at the correct height become very loose, causing the rollers to drop and strike the type improperly. Viewing the pictures right and below, screws A and C go almost all the way through the carriage [bearing bars] to bring the […]
MoreSeeking Washup tray for universal-II OR measurements/plans to build
Hello- looking for a wash-up tray for my universal II. Would pay good money if you have one; comparably, compensation could be arranged/negotiated even if you have one and do not wish to sell it, perhaps you could take detailed pictures and measurements of the part for my purposes of reproduction. I’m looking into trying […]
MoreVandercook 317 Instructions
I recently rediscovered what appears to be all that Vandercook put out as a manual for the 317 model. There are several still in use so I scanned the sheet and put it on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53177163@N00/sets/72157639415208743/ and as time permits, I’ll add more material on Vandercooks that I scan from the original Vandercook files and […]
MoreVandercooking on the Left Coast
On Monday, January 6, I will do a slide talk and press walk around at the International Printing Museum in Los Angeles. Then, after a workshop for staff and students at Otis College of Art Design, I fly to SF for a pair of workshop at San Francisco Center for the Book, January 9-12. From there […]
MoreHappy New Year
May your bearers be clean, your rollers be true and your packing be tight Detail from a July 1963 British Printer display ad for Dayco Rubber (U.K.) Ltd. Plant: Cooper & Beatty, Ltd., Toronto.
MoreUniversal-III Power issues
Well I have had a reasonably smooth time with my U-III since 2011. After fixing some initial issues I have been using it at least twice a month for printing everything from business cards to large format linocut posters. It came to me with a braking issue which could be managed with increasing the braking […]
MoreSP 15 Rollers Condition
I bought a SP15 a couple of years ago. The rollers were/are clean and seem to work fine, but they are shiny and quite hard. However, after reading a recent post on Briarpress about cleaning rollers I wonder if mine are glazed and need to be deglazed (or possibly recovered). Certainly, the rollers are not […]
MoreInking issue – Universal 1
Hi everyone, I recently acquired a Universal 1 and have a couple questions related to maintenance. I have been keeping the rollers raised by raising the lever for that purpose when the press is not in use, but wasn’t sure if I also needed to raise the oscillator and a single rider fully away from […]
Moreuniversal 1: core on form roller slipping out of bearing socket
hello! i’ve attached a couple of short videos and images of the problem i’m experiencing as printing today on my universal 1. basically, as the vibrator oscillates, it is actually pulling the core of the front form roller out of its bearing block on the right side, so that the roller is coming in contact […]
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