Restored Cropper Charlton & Co Peerless No.1 (8” x 5”) Problems
I posted a few months ago about a Cropper Charlton & Co Peerless No.1 (8” x 5”) I purchased that needed a lot of TLC. Original post here: http://www.briarpress.org/48179
I cleaned, stripped and repainted the press, bought new rollers and I’m currently remaking the feed board and drawers.
Unfortunately after reassembling it, it is still having some teething problems.
Here are a few of the problem areas, these were also present before I started restoring the press:
– The pedal is hitting the floor/the press needed to be raised for clearance. (Still to acquire planks for raising)
– The rollers trucks are rolling off a section of the rails then sticking out/not springing back on to the rails
– There is a thud halfway through the cycle that comes from one of the back pistons (for a lack of a better description)
The previous owner seemed to have been trying to sort the roller issues by adding wooden blocks in front of the springs and screwing a strip of metal into the back of the arms between the two end rods of the roller hooks, I’m guessing to keep them on a more straight path as currently sometimes the hooks turn/slip off.
I’ve uploaded a few images/videos here for a look over:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskCuQc9J
Appreciate any advice that may help resolve these issues.
Thanks,
Kris
Before and After
First - very nice job so far on the restoration. Looking pretty nice!!!
The treadle hitting the floor should not happen. Your rod going from the treadle to the crank is just a wee bit to long, which lets your treadle hit the floor, shorten it just a little and problem fixed. Now….when every moving a press I highly recommend putting a piece of wood under the press and screwing the legs to that piece of wood. Legs on most presses and very easy to break, and when the leg is by itself it’s easy to must push the press and snap goes a leg!!!! Having a piece of wood under the press distrubutes the stress around all legs and not all stress on one leg!!!
I watched the video of your “thud” and thinking your bearing/bushing is shot in that piece. Which can be repaired some what easily…..some what. If you remove that arm that is making the thud a new bushing can be installed in the piece to match the crank size.
Your other issue with the rollers going up and not coming back down and wooden block as spring helpers: There might be two issues here. First your springs might not be strong enough and have weaken over the years, which is why the helper wooden blocks are there. Also your roller arms need to slide in and out with ease too. If you pull them out and they don’t slide in oil them up….if they still don’t work something is bent.
Hope that helps - looking good!!! Steve - Liberty Press