Dowel Mount Blocks

Pixie G. Way back traditional Plates Blocks etc, inc. 4 colour Copper process plates, Zinc halftones, process plated Stereo,s and virtually everything similar, was always with chamfered (about 9 point) edge, normally UN drilled for pins.
Normally every comp had his/her own mounting kit.
I.E. tin box of pins, (box turned in from ex Snuff box Or Throat Pastille box) pins actually 1/2” Panel pins, by another name.!
The comps kit also included (upholsterers type) Tack Hammer and most importantly Tiny hand drill with several special purpose drill bits, special purpose, in that they (the bits) would drill a 1/16” hole through the flange, the same bit would countersink the hole, to accept the pin(s). + a Plate Lifter, basically a *vipers* tongue steel blade. Crude and dangerous to ones hands AND the plates.?
Virtually ever image medium was mounted in that fashion, on either Dowel mount, conventional hardwood Base, or 6 em x 6 em *Monotype* Wooden cored, mounting quads.!

On the odd occassion when plates came in with no flange or bleed, they would have been mounted on either Monotype 3em x 3em “high” mounting quads, Monotype or Elrod “high” mounting base, or aluminium Cornerstone “high” mounting base.
All stuck down with conventional D.S.A, Double sided adhesive,! All compatible/universal, but for dismounting had to be warmed up, Hot plate or the Radiator.?
P/P plates on dowel mount with D.S.A. quite acceptable, BUT as dowel mount is less than 100% good all over contact, absolutely clean should be aimed at.
Apologies for stating the obvious but I have a small amount in front of me at time of posting, although new and unused, dry stored for a long time the “inserts” are at least .002” too low, by implication, in use, less than perfect adhesion.
It was also fairly common practice where there was no flange or Bleed/Bevel, to utilise D.S.A. on whatever was available for mounting base, + conventional Pins in any low area(s) in the image area, especially to stop creep, more so on a Cylinder than a Platen. Good Luck. Mick

I know them as brads and they are smaller both in length and diameter than a 1/2” panel pin.
I use double side carpet tape to fix old metal plates on the dowel base and print on a flat bed, not tried it on a platen.

Mick thank you, once again you have come to the rescue! one more question is how would a comp know how to line up the drill holes to fit the mounts exact? do they have a jig as I believe the dowels are all set apart by the same amount?

Platenprinter thanks I will try the carpet tape soon. I was concerned that the plates would just slide around. Lots to experiment with.

Here is where I saw the P/P plate on dowel mounts, Ive only seen them on ‘chase-bases’ before that: http://www.bookprinters.co.uk/western4c30/image-html/western6450.html

Pixie G, no problem and thank you, I post on open forum because you will get a much better cross section, as my Dad said many moons since, Assimilate everything, Reject nothing, and then plot the course that fits.
Recap> most older Plates, Copper, Zinc, Electro,s etc virtually always, had flanges on all sides, hence the chances of NOT picking up several of many dowels, would have been/would be remote, there is in fact, from the supply in front of me, one of,! horizontally, vertically or diagonally, less than 12 point gap (within the Grid pattern) from dowel to dowel.
If you are Re-mounting original plates with pre-drilled holes it would be difficult to, Not, pick up dowels at approximately 10/12 ems/pica apart.
If you are envisaging using multiple dowel mounts for a larger plate/image the usual procedure was, to lock up the dowel mount(s) first, and then position and pin down after.
Generally U.K. origin Dowel mount was equipped with 3em x 3em grid/cross hatching, certainly a long long time before the modern equivalent.???
Using Dowel mount as adhesive/stuck down plates, as the Good Buddy implies, Carpet tape O.K. but if you talk to “Lawrence” in glorious downtown Hove, U.K. they may say they can supply D.S.A. in known thickness, to eliminate as much guesswork as possible, for type high, or W.H.Y..
A real asset would be the acquisition of an Imperial reading 1” micrometer, it is not too difficult to learn how to use it.
You just “Mike Up” the thickness of, for example, the thickness of the dowel mount, + (if you are pinning down) the thickness of the plate, add the 2 and you have the exact height, for more or less, packing/make ready.
If you are using dowel mount with D.S.A, the system is (a) dowel mount, + (b) D.S.A. + (c) plate thickness, the Micrometer reading(s) tell you exactly, before you even impose your work piece. It really does make life easier & quicker.
Of course you may have a precision Printers bench mounted “Type High” guage, in which case Apologies.

Perhaps key in Google,>Lathes.co.uk.<. Tony Griffiths @ Wardlow in Cheshire, the most amazing Archives and Machine Tool Sales & Wants, Including Micrometers,? in the Northern Hemisphere.
And just 2 spits and a F***, (as in flatulence) over the Peak district National Park.
2 or 3 Shots, En Route, with Good camera, on the high part of “The Park” reproduced in Your Gallery might be eye catching.
Dont bother about the *Cheque in the Post* just upgrade the Red Mountain Coffee, to Douwe Egberts, instead.?
Good Luck. Mick.

Thanks Mick, we have the tassimo on standby.