I have a friend with a Universal III. It had the power drive, but he had a handcrank put on instead.He is a knowledgeable printer with solid skills. He was printing something this past week (two colums of text) and every other one would bounce back and forth about 5 points.Nothing looked odd to me […]
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 […]
MoreUni I Drive Gear and Roller Height Adjustment
I have a Uni 1 manufactured in the 60s, still being cleaned but also being used to print. I have two observations/questions which I welcome help on… 1. The drive gear (if that is the correct term) oscillates when the press runs and the rollers are engaged. A woodruff key was missing and replaced but […]
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.
Moreautomatic gripper Uni I
I’m struggling with the automatic gripper on my Vandercook Universal I. I took it off, cleaned it, oiled it etc. but it still doesn’t jump back in position to open the grippers automatically. I wonder if the spring that sits between the side of the bed and the lever is not the cause. Can you […]
MoreCall for Entries – 918 Letterpress Ephemera Show
Please consider entering your work in the 918 Letterpress Ephemera Show. Why not share your wonderful work with the world? It’s free to enter. It’s prestigious to be in a juried show. Most importantly, you’ll get free advertising for you and your press. Everyone in the show will published on this website and in the […]
MoreUniversal III Janette Motor – Lubrication
PHOTO CORRECTED BY MODERATOR. I received my new-to-me Universal III AB this week and have been dutifully cleaning and oiling this magnificent press. In the process I’ve run into a snag owing to my lack of experience with small motors. I cannot figure out where to oil the motor. Hoping someone may have experience with […]
MorePotter Restoration
I have a Potter-Challenge that needs attention. I need photos that will help me to understand how the paper gripper mechanism connects with the pedal. The grippers are missing and at the moment the pedal lifts the cylinder and thats about it. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Bernard in South Africa
MoreInk Drum Bearing Replacement
Somehow the wooden ink drum bearing on the operator side of my Universal III managed to work itself loose and ended up inside the drum, leaving the drum loose on that end of the shaft. I managed to remove the wood composition bearing from another spare ink drum I had and pressed it onto the […]
More232P Transmission Box
Hello, On this 232P, there’s this T thread piping leading out from the Transmission Box. Is that just a hole to pour oil into the unit?? If so, why a T shape? Right now, according to the gauge (photos at the end) appears empty. The manual says it should be filled 1/2 up the gauge […]
MoreSetting Impresion Bearings
Hello All, I’m having a grand old time trying to set the bearings on my Challenge 15mp and it’s been over two weeks of adjusting, proofing and re-adjusting. The main issue I’m finding is that my carriage shifts once the rear impression bearing comes in contact with the rail, causing the rollers to rise and […]
MoreCHALLENGE 21MP
Hi All, I am helping to restore her Challenge 21MP. It seems the inking rollers and assembly are missing. Maybe dutifully taken off the press after printing and forgotten about. The cores and rubber are not as much of a problem to replace as the gear and other metal parts that attach to the rollers. […]
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