Anyone know this press?

I believe the tag says:

Adams & Wathen
St. Louis, MO

The press is located in my neighbors yard and I would like to restore it. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Noah

image: press.jpg

press.jpg

image: press badge.jpg

press badge.jpg

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It’s a Baltimore Jobber. Sweet little press. Worth the effort to restore. Mine is missing the lower roller hooks and the delivery board brackets. It appears that the brackets are missing on this press too. Adams & Wathen were authorized dealers.

This looks very similar to a press we have on my campus.

“The collection also features a Model 3 Job Press from the J.W. Daughaday & Co. This make of clamshell platen press was manufactured in Philadelphia from 1877 to1885 and was a staple of small-town printshops for producing business cards, stationary and miscellaneous jobbing printing.”

http://library.rit.edu/cary/CCpages/CCVisual.html

Dan

image: platenpress.jpg

platenpress.jpg

Thank you for your responses. I’m debating whether or not to restore this press or look for one in better condition. My biggest concern is getting the ink disk and platen in shape. Would deep pitting in these areas require a professional resurfacing?

If you do not plan to restore it, which I think you should, then maybe I could. I would suggest taking it apart carefully and go from there. As far are restoration, you might want to call a friend that might be good at that stuff.

Dan

I think I am capable of doing the work, I just do not know how pitting on the the ink disk will affect the print. I guess the only way to find out is to give it a shot. I will post photos if I am able to get the press.

I went and had another look at the press and have identified it. It is a Monumental Rotary No. 2. I still have not been able to contact the owners but will keep trying.

It doesn’t look anything like my Monumental Rotary and it positively is not a Model press. I still say it’s a Baltimore Jobber. Where is this press?

You may get by with deep pitting on the ink disk as the rotation of the disk should randomize the position of the holes left in the ink coverage by the pitting.

Depending on the number and size of the pitting on the platen this could be more problematic. At the worst some extra soft packing could overcome this and smooth out the platen surface when using proper impression.

You could always fill the pits with jbweld-a two part steel epoxy that is easy enough to apply with a putty knife. it dryes overnight very hard and it sands smooth won’t rewet or be affected by clean up. It wouldnt be the prettiest solution, but should even everything out so you can start printing with better results.