Hi All! This screw in the vibrator assembly of my SP-15, a screw which my manual tells me is properly know as the Crescent Holder, is stuck. It has been three days now soaking in alternating baths of WD-40 and PB Blaster, and it still won’t budge. It’s purpose is to insert the Crescent into […]
MoreMoving our SP-15 from a Basement
Hi All! Thanks to great advice obtained here and form the folks on letpress, we successfully moved an SP-15 and a C&P 8×12 this weekend, from a basement location to the shop out back of our house. Key to the process, other than caution and moving slowly and carefully, was the use of a Maasdam […]
MoreVandercook & Company Engravers
Revised. Author and printing historian Stephen O. Saxe sent me this advertisement he found in the June 1890 (and following) issues of The Printers’ Album, the house publication of Schniedewend & Lee, a printing equipment manufacturer in Chicago.* Vandercook & Company was operated by H.R. Vandercook and F.N. Tucker, circa 1880-1910. It was a separate business from […]
MoreWestern “the British” 4c proofing press
Finally- after major refurbishment, which included taking off the plinth bases, de-greasing, de-rusting and painting the underneath-photo of press, yes I know the handle is wrong to the form rollers lifting mechanism I will change it, also photo of the collared bolts that Mick Hopper made for me.
MoreNew Troubleshooting Page
I’ve posted a new troubleshooting page tabulating common presswork problems. Check it out and let me know what needs correcting and what should be added.
More219 OS Sheet Rollers/Fingers
For today’s obscure 219 os question, I’m hoping to have some light shed on the sheet rollers. I’ve never used them and know many people just take them off but I have a project where they may come in handy. You can read about them on page 3 and 4 of this old vandercook sell […]
MoreIn need of accurate Vandercook 3 measurements.
Can someone with a vandercook 3 please send me dimensions of the press WITHOUT the feed board? I need these measurements to determine if the press can fit around an obstacle during an upcoming delivery. The catalog lists the ‘floorspace’ dimension at 6′ 6″ long (not sure if this includes feed board and if not […]
MorePower Inking for SP-15
This past January, we took a three-day letterpress course from Frank Brannon at Bookworks in Asheville, NC. The letterpress bug bit and we bought an SP-15 at auction from Boggs Graphics in Ohio. The press was very clean and in excellent shape, but it had manual inking. After some tries to use the press without […]
MorePrint Quality on SP15 is Terrible!!!! What’s the Matter???
I am frustrated with my print quality on my SP15. I am using photopolymer plates to print personalized note cards with small type. The type is very uncrisp. It looks like the ink is pooling on the edges and bleeding outward, while the inner part of the text has less ink. I just switched to […]
MoreMotor v-belt pulley issue/question
I heard a strange rattling/rumbling noise inside my 219os. Opened it up and added oil to the motor thinking that may just be it but it didn’t help. Then with the base open noticed that the pulley was bumping around. I took it off and the motor spins fine. I’d never had reason to remove […]
MoreSP-15 – Need Large Stainless Inking Roller
Thanks to all who replied to my query about disassembling my SP-15 before moving it. Both those who replied here and those who replied via email have convinced me that I need to leave the press assembled. Today I made progress getting the C&P 8×12 on skids, so I can get it out of the […]
MoreWeight of SP-15 Components?
Hi All! I’m a newbie here, with an SP-15 (and a smaller C&P of as yet undetermined size) ready to be restored, both in a basement. I checked out the logistics thoroughly today, and it appears I will not be able to move either press fully assembled. I’ve done a good bit of searching in […]
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