Repairing a press

pickthing
on 14 Mar 09 (05:16)

Is there any point in repairing a press? I mean I bought a C&P Pilot which I was wanting to restore. But I think that it must have been dropped. I was trying to pull the handle and couldn’t understand why I couldnt move it. Until I noticed that the press had split apart under where the platen sits in two places. So what is possible?

dicharry
on 14 Mar 09 (07:56)

Do you have photos of where the press is broken. From your description it sounds like a nasty break. Depending on what you paid it may be best to sell the press off for parts and look for another. Upload a photo to Flickr or here and we can give you more detailed advice.

Hope this helps.
Brad.

The Arm NYC
on 14 Mar 09 (10:14)

Get us photos. I might have the part you need.

Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY

pickthing
on 27 Mar 09 (23:27)

Updated 27 Mar 09 (23:36)

Thanks for your interest. I have attached a few pics that hopefully show the break. I also now see that it is a Craftsmen Press not a C&P as mentioned before. Interested in your thoughts!

break 3.JPG

break 2.JPG

break 1.JPG

gillyfish
on 31 Mar 09 (06:24)

When I got my big (8x12) C&P home I noticed that a crossbar support on the bottom of the platen was broken. I took the whole giant platen to my local machine shop (who serendipitously happened to specialize in cast iron) and they fixed it right up for $70. Cheaper than a whole new pilot, anyway…

fixed.jpg

crack.jpg

pickthing
on 31 Mar 09 (16:16)

Thanks Gillyfish, There is a steelworks near where I live that have said that they also specialize in cast iron so I thought I may give it a go rather than pass it on to scarp metal merchants.