leveling a Craftsmen 9x12 Monarch platen

I am having the hardest time getting my platen leveled. I haven’t even inked it yet!

Background: as the press was being loaded into my vehicle, it fell. 2 pieces broke (Ink Disc Bearing Frame (the support underneath the ink disc and the Bed (the portion of the press where the chase gets inserted into). I was able to get the frame directly from Craftsmen and the bed was repaired. Now, I’m wondering if something else got a skewed.

I’m using the Falstrom Letterpress Platen Adjusting Gauge and can not get it to level. I’ve replaced all 4 bolts that hold the platen in place as one of them was slightly bent preventing any adjustment of the platen. I have 3 different width “X’s” in all 4 corners of the chase.

But since I am having little luck getting the platen level, I’m wondering if something else was jarred as a result of the fall.

I’ve attached some photos.

PHOTO 1
if this bar was bent, would it affect leveling the platen?

PHOTO 2
Does adjusting these springs, also adjust the platen? When the platen is closed the right side spring is softer (less tight) than the left. You can see in the photo that the left (the back-most one) is also tighter.

in the bottom right of the photo, when the platen is closed this portion is higher on the front part

PHOTO 3
another photo of when the platen is closed the part that connects the platen bed to the bar that rotates it when opening/closing is more forward vs on the left side which is more back. Could this whole portion be skewed, and thus preventing the platen being leveled?

PHOTO 4
this is the left side of the press. when the press is closed, this portion is more back than the right.

any help would be very much appreciated!!

image: CraftsmenMonarch_1.jpeg

CraftsmenMonarch_1.jpeg

image: CraftsmenMonarch_2.jpg

CraftsmenMonarch_2.jpg

image: CraftsmenMonarch_3.jpg

CraftsmenMonarch_3.jpg

image: CraftsmenMonarch_4.jpg

CraftsmenMonarch_4.jpg

Log in to reply   3 replies so far

What kind of problems are you having getting the platen parallel to the bed? How are you checking that it is parallel?

I’m using the Falstrom Letterpress Platen Adjusting Gauge to adjust it. I got this to be as close as possible to being level and then switched to using the “X’s” in the 4 corners and blind printing to further tweak it. I’m not able to get all for 4 corner to print at once nor can I get even 1 corner to fully print.

In each of the 4 corners I have 3 different widths “X’s”. The area of the 3 “X’s” is roughly 2 in W x .5 in H — so not a huge area, and certainly an area a 9x12 chase can support.

That’s why I’m wondering if something else is preventing the platen to level.

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