Rollers for my press

Hi from Australia
Recently I bought a “Morfitt’s Empress” Letterpress circa 1890. It came with three rollers all the same diameter but all with different roller lengths, shaft lengths and slightly different roller shaft diameters. It also came with a varity of different trucks and washers for “bulking” the the trucks up.
Having said that……
I would like to purchase a set of 3 brand new matching rollers and new trucks for her and I am wondering if there is a press with the same/similar rollers “off the shelf” or if I have to get them custom made ?
I was wondering if say another 12 X 8 or 13 X 9 press had the same spec rollers ?
I have provided a drawings below of the dimensions.
Apparently the Empress is a copy of a…
Minerva Cropper and/or
American Franklin/Gordon and/or
Franklin Jobber….
The internal chase size is 12.75” (W) X 8.85” (H) so I am not sure if she is an 13 X 9 or a 12 X 8 !
The external chase width is exactly 14.5” so I am guesing that is also the maximum roller length.
There is then clearance of 0.92” for a truck either side of the roller. Next the saddles measure exactly 0.78” wide and then (based on the best roller I have here) the roller shaft extends past the saddle by 0.66”.
The diameter of the roller shaft is 0.43”
The diameter of the roller is 1.5”
I have provided pictures with the roller I took the dimensions from. It seems a perfect fit for the trucks and print area.
The press had leather strips on the rails with I have removed and will replace with metal strips to the same height or just below.
I trained as an Etcher, Stone Lithographer and Screenprinter and I have been practicing for 25 years now. However I am a total newbie to Letterpress.
Could somebody please give me some advice ?
I need some rollers & trucks ASAP so I can start working.
All the best from Oz
Franck

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