Seeking roller specs for C&P 14.5x22

I received a few private replies to this discussion. Thank You.

For the next person looking for this information, the answer is:
1.961” diameter x 24” length

NA Graphics sells them for $153.50 each with new cores.

Chirp.

Chirp’s posting caught my eye—I’ve been selling rollers for 17 years so I just got off the phone with Denny at Advanced Roller and asked him about the price for C&P 14 1/2 x 22 rollers with new cores. He said that he has made only one set of these and the price, with new cores, is $189.00 per roller. The company that made roller cores for all the roller makers (including Advanced), Douglass Machine, in Chicago, closed shop about 3 years ago sending the roller makers scrambling for core sources, especially for letterpress. Where a typical C&P core, in bulk, sold to roller makers for $8 from Douglass, the price has escalated to 2 and 3 times that for the common cores. I used to buy 30 and 40 cores at a time to supply our roller maker that we used in Indiana, and all the C&P cores, from Pilot up to the 12x18 were a flat $8 each. Buy them at retail and double that price. The 14 1/2 x 22 is a heavy duty core and runs more to the $45 per core price at the wholesale level. That’s why the price that Chirp posted caught my eye as being way off the mark as to what is actually being charged.

Fritz

Fritz, if a large part of the cost is now the cores does that mean it’s now cheaper to recover existing ones? Or do you still feel it’s cheaper to buy cores with the new rollers? Thanks!
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Michael Hurley
Titivilus Press
Memphis, TN

Fritz, if a large part of the cost is now the cores does that mean it’s now cheaper to recover existing ones? Or do you still feel it’s cheaper to buy cores with the new rollers? Thanks!
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Michael Hurley
Titivilus Press
Memphis, TN

Probably a dumb question, but what is a core made of? steel, plastic, wood,…..
I am in awe of all the knowledge on this forum and am trying to understand the art of printing.

Thanks

Marshall

Contact Rubber Right Roller Co. Everett MA they recovered my Kluge rollers and did a great job
Ted Lavin
Artificer Press

Re roller cores, here in U.K. roller cores would normally/traditionally be just a reasonable quality mild steel rod, standard max/min diameter, (no need to pay for steel stock larger in diameter, than needed for turning down, to accommodate the trucks, which normally is synonymous with the Roller Hooks.) .
Too hard steel, rod/shaft/core, would not be beneficial to the hooks???
Having examined several redundant Rollers, and observed that often the steel stocks/cores were turned from comparatively large diameter steel rod, and having recently been advised by our Graphic Suppliers, that in this day and age, large diameter stock is unnecessary, for the following reason, I.E The new compound is, Hi-Tech, chemically bonded to the core, obviating the need for knurling and cord winding for adhesion!!
***See Footnote***
I can and am making cores to send of for recovering, (in the absence of any original(s) by using/utilising the centre columns from, Car/Auto, McPhearson strut suspension units, it is excellent precision quality steel in many diameters, turns up beautifully, with ordinary tool steel cutters, and obviously I only have to turn the ends beyond the compound length!!!
Some cores require a small flat or a small concave recess on the shaft, to accomodate the securing screw in the truck Normally by hand or hand held Electric drill, when I know the track of the trucks, on the rails!!??
Mephits, Sir, re, recovering original cores, one would suspect that the chances of having cores that are still standard bore, for the location of the trucks is probably a little suspect, wobbly even, if you are refitting original trucks, therefore, re manufactured cores a few thou oversize, would seem to be desirable, no problem to turn down, subsequently, if new standard bore trucks turn up???

***FOOTNOTE, redundant rollers not fit for recovering because the shafts are out of truth, but still with 40/50% more or less usable compound, NOT to go to waste, the simplest operation to modify down, to make, Hand Held Brayers, Hand Inkers, ***

Mr. Henderson, as Mick said, cores are solid steel rod. They are required to be extremely stiff, straight and true throughout their operative lifetimes. Flex or wobble would keep the rollers from inking the forme properly.
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Michael Hurley
Titivilus Press
Memphis, TN

Mick, if the cores were original to the press, I’d agree. But many times you have cores that are only as old as the rubber on them so maybe 3-5 years or so. Wear on these would be quite negligible. Theoretically, they’re perfectly capable of being recovered. Of course external costs like shipping may make it uneconomical.

As a related question. Fritz, would you consider taking cores in trade (Assuming they pass quality muster, of course) to refund a certain portion of the cost of new rollers with new cores? That is to say, I buy new rollers with new cores from you, then ship my old rollers to you. You refund of a certain percentage of the original purchase cost if the cores are still in useable shape. Does anyone do this still or is the shipping too prohibitive?
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Michael Hurley
Titivilus Press
Memphis, TN

Cores are steel for letterpress. The 14 1/2 x 22 C&P are not the typical core of the smaller sizes and have the ends turned down from larger stock in the middle, thus additional cost. Kluge cores cost more for the retaining ball bearing in the end of the core. Except for the smaller C&Ps, recovering cores is cost effective. But cores have to be in good condition and not beat to hell. Often the core has developed a flex in it that means it is no longer concentric and those can’t be recovered.

All Vandercook cores can be recovered—some, like the #4 core are complex and have become quite expensive to have made. The specifications for Vandercook cores require special accuracy bar stock, or like the 219 cores, are pipe steel with special turned ends that are press fit into the ends. We normally stock the more common cores, and make up the others on order, but that enatils extra time.

The cores that are throw away are the Kelsey cores as they are inexpensive, except for the 9x13 which because of their rarity, we have custom made.

Fritz

On my 8x12 C&P NS, two of the three rollers have one end only turned down to a slightly narrower diameter than the rest of the core. The third is consistent diameter across. These came with the press and (I was told by the previous owner) came from American Printing Equipment a couple of years before I bought the press. Would anybody know of any reason this would be? They seem to fit the same no matter whether I put the turned-down end to the left or the right or whether they go in the double hook together or one in the double hook and the other in the single hook. It’s kind of an oddity.
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Michael Hurley
Titivilus Press
Memphis, TN

Hi everyone, great discussion!

As Fritz mentioned in his first post, NA Graphics sells these rollers with new steel cores for $153.50 each.

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I now have the rollers with cores, and the trucks that they fit into. What am I missing?

rollers.jpg

Perhaps you are missing the bearings that go on C&P cores used on the Craftsman version of the 14 1/2 x 22? Bearings are not required for the New Series but they are for the Craftsman. We stock them.

Fritz

I’ve got a 14.5” x 22” C&P, looks like the same one from what I can see in the picture there. If you’ve got the trucks for those new rollers then your not missing anything, slide the trucks on and put the rollers in and you should be good to go.

- Luke

Thanks @lukespress. The steel cores seem to stick out far too widely when they are sitting in the trucks. I hope I didn’t order the incorrect size! Are your pretty flush with your trucks, or do they stick out a lot?

I’m meeting with a local letterpress guru soon, will report back!

LadyBird Letterpress
San Diego, CA

Now that is smart. Learn from someone with experience. That is a huge press for a starter. Be nice to the guru so you will be welcome to return for more lessons.
Re-think the size of your base. Start from the back and work forward. What is it that you wish to print BIG. You may do better by getting three smaller pieces of base. They can be fitted together if you need the large base. You can use a smaller piece when the big one is not required. The BIG base can cause complications for the placement of grippers and gauge pins. Make haste slowly.

Thanks inky. After lots of research, discussion and thought i think we will be starting with a smaller base. Cheers