I am selling my Vandercook SP15 proof press. I have had it for about 5 years and purchased it from a man whose family had run a long time print shop in the Atlanta metro area. The serial # is 23805, inspected by H. L. Keller. This is a wonderful press but for the type […]
MorePossible Carriage Problems (Uni I)?
Okay, so it a simple 2 color business cards. A newbie could do this is an hour. But Nooooo. Using polymer plates, we ran the black, then matched up the red plate PERFECTLY on the Boxcar Press base. And guess what? Nothing lines up. So we adjust the plate on the base and run another […]
MoreR.L. Pelland
Raymond Louis Pelland (1893-1977) was a draftsman and design engineer at Vandercook from at least 1935 to 1947. His name appears on many assembly drawings and on four U.S. Patents including the large 4-color 604. (His first was a tie stitching machine for a previous employer). During World War I, Pelland was a private in […]
MoreVandercook #2 HELP
I have a Vandercook #2. It’s a very simple press. No inking and no grippers. The only parts that move as the cylinder goes down the bed are the roller bearings. I can move them with my hands but they are sticky. The press had been in a barn for a long time when I […]
MoreUniversal 1 Motor Questions
Hello all — In the middle of a big job this weekend, my Universal 1 Power started making a persistent new noise –something between a chatter and a squeak. The noise occurs as the carriage is moving, a little more on the return. The noise occurs whether the motor is driving the carriage or whether […]
MoreHelp ID parts from Vandercook No.2
Can anyone help identify these unattached parts that came along with my Vandercook 2 acquisition? #1 appears to be a scraper of some kind. The “blade” looks replaceable & is not sharp. #2 is a thin gauge painted metal plate with a bit of a lip or maybe paper guide along one edge, and a […]
MoreVandy 3 – Inking Roller Question
Our inking roller on our Vandy 3 is a bit worn, so we’re wondering if we should get it replaced before we print an initial run. We tried it out before purchasing the press, just to test it out, and it seemed to distribute the ink pretty well since it is still quite soft. That […]
Morecomparisons for valuing 325g
I’m purchasing and donating a 325g to a artists studio non-profit and need to have some comps on the value for my 2011 taxes. Apparently the IRS likes to see comps and won’t just accept the receipt for what I paid as a full picture of monetary value. The press has new rollers and is […]
MoreReprex Inking System Question
Hello Vanderblog, I went to look at a Reprex proof press today. It hasn’t been used in about 20 years and it’s pretty dirty, there’s an oily goo all over the ink drum and the bed of the press, but it seems in pretty good mechanical condition. I’m considering buying it but have some questions […]
MoreSP-15 Trip still giving fits
Last month, I posted a query about our SP-15 at UA Fort Smith, in which the trip eccentric release mechanism in the cylinder was crashing into the trip release button on the operator’s upon return to home. (see the original post https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/2011/02/sp-15-carriage-problem/#comments). This has begun happening again, despite oiling the press every time we print […]
MoreNo.4 foot activated gripper not working
We have a Vandercook 4 and the foot activated lever that opens the gripper stopped working. The lever is attached to the chain that then goes up through the cabinet and across under the bed to a push rod that pushes out the lever that works the grippers. The problem is in the connection between […]
MoreSP-20 roller bearer
I seem to be having an issue with one of the bearers (is that even the right term?) on the rear form roller on my SP-20. I can’t lower the roller height to type-high on that side. I can on the user side, but not on the opposite end. No problem with the front roller. […]
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