Type high guage is shorter than the bed

Hello,

Backgroud Info:
The press I have is a C&P Model N. I ordered the type high gauge from Boxcar Press along with the base and followed their video (http://www.boxcarpress.com/community/letterpress-training-video.html) on how to adjust roller height. I purchased delrin trucks from NA Graphics and the rollers are still in good condition.

Problem:
The type high gauge (.918) is shorter than the rail. The problems I’ve read is the opposite with the gauge being taller than the rails, then you add tape to the rails to even them out.

However, when placing the rollers/trucks into the press and turning the flywheel, the rollers are very close to the base. I can add tape to the rails to lift the trucks and use the gauge to measure the ink stripe.

If I add tape to the rails, the rail will get even taller than the type high gauge.

Here is to show the height of the type high gauge in comparison to the rails.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeylesliecreative/5701063260/in/photostrea...

I may need to put tape on the rails to raise the trucks slightly:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeylesliecreative/5701058644/in/photostrea...

Thanks for any input! :)

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.918” is across the diameter of the circle. Turn it 90 degrees to use.

The type high gauge .918 is measured across the diameter of the lollypop. Your photos show you using the thickness to measure.

Your new delrin trucks may not match your old rollers.

The Series N has adjustable rails. They can be moved higher or lower.

parallel_imp, is that all I should worry about? If so, then it’s fine… but the video told me to use the flat side (circle) to determine if I need to add tape.

Platenpress, thanks for the clarification :)

I believe what you are using is actually a “lollypop” roller-setting gauge, which may or may not be type high — it could actually be a few thousandths over or under, but it is intended to be used with the round surface in contact with the bed. The type high gauge shown in Boxcar’s video is different from the “lollypop”. If you can get a piece of foundry type it will substitute for a true type-high gauge for measuring the rails. I would also use a long straightedge across from one rail to the other with the type-high gauge under the straightedge for the most accurate measure of the rails. If you use a straightedge you can check the height with your “lollypop” but I would not assume it is actually type high.

Bob

which may or may not be type high

Why would this be? Isn’t the whole point of the roller-setting gauge for it to be type-high?

Yes, the WIDTH of the flat side is type high, not the depth of it.
I’ve seen older Vandercook gauges that are worn to slightly less than .918 (or .968 for a galley press), but not enough to really matter. With a new gauge from Boxcar we can assume it is accurately .918”. That is the size they are supposed to be, and you will note it is so marked.
If you don’t have a micrometer to check which dimension is type-high, a rough equivalent of .918” is a hair less than 15/16”, or a hair more than 5-1/2 picas.

Bob, thanks for the input. I realized that the lollipop might not be the proper height to check the rails with. We did use a lollipop in the class I took so I just assumed to use the lollipop that I purchased from Boxcar to check the height of the rails. I did not know they come in different heights :-)

By any chance does anyone have the lollipop from Boxcar and is successful with checking the rails? Just wondering.

Is a type high gauge and a roller gauge 2 different things? I just want to make sure I address them correctly in the future.

Thanks!

If your class used it flat side to the bed they were not using it correctly The whole point of the round roller-setting gauge is that the lower the roller is, the wider the stripe on the gauge. They are made intentionally less than .918 from flat to flat so you can turn it and pull the gauge out from under the rollers without touching. The stripe shows roller height relative to type height, and allows you to set according to circumstances; different setting may be needed with different forms and different roller types and diameters. Every one of these I’ve seen has been marked either .918 (or .968) and all have been just what they were marked.

Eric’s instructions are correct. If you have a ruler, caliper or even a divider, you can check your gauge. It is possible that Boxcar made the height the same for flat-to-flat and round-to-round. Most others are lower flat-to-flat. Boxcar has a description of how to use their gauge here:
http://www.boxcarpress.com/photopolymer-supplies/roller-gauge.html

I have never seen anyone except in their video measure the rails with the flat side.

It appears that the BoxCar video on roller setting is slightly confusing in one regard. It begins with the demonstration of using a type high block to check the height of the rails. The particular block used is the gage block from a Vandercook/HackerType-high gage. It is primarily intended to set the dial indicator on the type-high gage so it is correctly calibrated before taking a measure. The demonstartor is simply using it as something he knows is type-high. It just happens that that block is cylindrical and the flat surfaces are milled to .918”.

Later in the video he uses a roller-setting gage (the lollipop style gage) designed for checking roller height settings. The video perhaps sends a mixed up message using the two different height gages. But since later he demonstrates the use of the lollipop, all should come out well in the end.

Thanks for all the clarifications. I feel more informed… :)