Used C&P treadles - hard to come by?

Treadles tend to stay with their presses, even if an owner has motorized a machine. You would probably be better off fitting a new Hern treadle to your press rather than running the risk of getting a used treadle that is for the wrong style or size of press.

If I were to seek a treadle for my 10 x 15 Old Style C&P, I’d probably go this route.

I’ve had a couple of c&ps that had home made treadles made out of wood, they work fine and aren’t too hard to make.

But before you order a Hearn treadle or any other be sure the press can operate with a treadle — many NS C&Ps have a straight flywheel shaft as they were intended for use with a motor exclusively. If the shaft has a crank in the middle you’re good.

Bob

At the risk of upsetting Hearn Iron Works, (They probably wont send the *Heavy Mob* after me from this distance!!!), l I dont know *HOW MUCH* a remanufactured treadle would be from them, but take a little look at the “ADANA T.P. 48 (T.P.) Adana,s designation for Treadle Platen,” still showing on this site at the moment, first picture, Full frontal, showing perfectly complete treadle assembly, I.E. Parallel bars carrying the obligatory *Adana* foot pedal, with 2 1/2 inch freewheel cycle sprocket, carrying ordinary cycle chain, (endless) running over a plain, eccentric pulley on the straight shaft, (pulley exactly the same size as a normal C. D. in diameter. Complete, end of story.!!! Almost certainly made for a comparative song, Does H. I. W. ever publish on open forum approximate cost/price, >>P.O.A.<< guaranteed.?? even if several have beeen made already.??

The author talking from the wrong orifice, *Catergorically Not* just in the process of converting T.P. 48 from treadle to power, before conversion, did in depth examination of, and operated the treadle just to study, once the flywheel was swung to start, the pedal pressure, was virtually effortless, the only problem, if there be one, was stopping the flywheel and the machine, scan the shot herein, the flywheel is out of proportion to the size of the machine, but makes it very powerful.!! So the sellars stated offer price, Australian, or U.S. Dollars would seem to be a gift.!!!
The mainshaft is imperial 1” and although, would have to be partially removed/withdrawn to introduce or remove the plain/eccentric pulley, even this could be, circumnavigated, in the event, that removing the shaft were a problem, I.E. line shafting with a length of many many, feet, was/is still fitted with additional aftermarket pulleys, by merely slitting, (the pulley,) in 2 and bolting around the shaf(ing), not exactly rocket science.

It is so simple & efficient, that scaling up to fit the Biggest Platen, would be A cynch.???***Opinion and not Fact, but based on personal observations, not second hand or heresay.!!!

Just a note that the Hern treadle and hooks are new castings, not remanufactured in any way. They also require the buyer to do any filing/fussing/fitting to have the parts work smoothly after installation.

@AdLibPress - yes, it will accept a treadle. The shaft has a crank “U” shape. Thank you!

If you are a decent woodworker, or you know one, you could probably build a treadle out of hardwood (oak and maple are the easiest to get). The treadle force needed to run a press is not that great. A lot of people don’t even think of wood for building machine parts, but for parts which don’t take extreme force, they can work well. In the 19th century, a lot of machine parts were wood.

And I guess Hern Iron Works has more business than they can handle, so the home-made approach makes a lot of sense. Not only keeping money at home, and testing one’s mechanical and woodworking skills, this will help bring letterpress right back to the 15th Century, when printers were real blacksmiths as well as ink makers, type casters, and real “masters” of the printing skills. There’s always a work around that involves chewing gum and baling wire that will help keep the craft alive.

The fat cat manufacturers and suppliers out there can finally relax and find some other use for their time and effort now spent in supporting an avocation that appears it is working to the lowest common denominator.

Oh, I guess I should have read the whole thread before making my post above, because another experienced printer already brought up the same thing I did.