Cannot insert chase to Kelsey 3x5
My Kelsey 3x5 has two tabs on what I believe is the bottom of the chase. I cannot figure out where these go when I insert the chase into the press. The tab that sits on top to held the chase in place seems to work fine, but tabs on the bottom of the chase don’t seem to have anyplace to go.
Does anyone know? I cannot find any diagrams that include the tabs on the bottom of the chase. The distance between the tabs is not wide enough to straddle the piece of metal where I assume the chase would fit.
I am brand new to this.
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Here is a picture of the chase with the tabs on the bottom.
0DE72C23-4FFE-4A07-B9A4-C26C67A6320B.jpeg
that would be the chase holder with the chase in it.
the 2 tabs I see straddle the body of press. if they are not fitting that most likely is not the orginal chase holder to that press. each one was hand fitted and there was a few design changes over the years. if it is close to fitting you should be able to file the opening a little wider to fit. look for any build up of ink or paint. adjust till it fits solid to the body and hook fits good. or send more photos of what you see.
After bumping up the image (enlarging) Your lower published shot - 175% - ! on the computor, it would seem that the chase is too narrow by a fraction.
2 possible options, it should be quite easy to (even for a Newbie) to attach a spacer = sliver of metal, the length of the side (vertical) of the chase & exactly the height of the wall of the chase with Super Glue, Chemical metal, 2 pack epoxy resin, etc., etc., even 2 minature countersunk grub screws. ?
Re the fitting(s) or lack of at the bottom, there appears to be 2 steel *Pegs* - interference fit, - contained in the side wall(s) of the Bed/Base, the answer would seem to be punch out (inwards from both sides) the 2 existing pegs and replace with appropriate >extended< length replacement(s) to pick up the 2 ramps factored in to the bottom of the Chase, from mild steel rod, will probably be imperial size, 1/4” or thereabouts.
Good Luck. Mick U.K.
can you point to tabs you speak of..
Jserkis, there are a couple of options of what you’re looking at, so this may be off base, but first let’s talk part terminology so everyone is on the same page. The second photo you posted is actually two parts together. The open frame that you can take out of the front of the pictured assembly is the chase. The larger part it mounts into is the chase bed. See the link below for a labeled parts list from an old Kelsey manual, courtesy of Alan Runfelt of ExcelsiorPress.org.
http://www.excelsiorpress.org/forsale/kelseypartsandrepair/parts/kelsey_...
With that out of the way, at the bottom of the chase bed there are two lugs which align the bed with the frame of the press. There are probably two studs on the back of the chase bed as well. I’ve attached a couple of photos of these (taken of one of my 5x8 Excelsiors). The first photo shows the back of the chase bed with the bottom lugs circled in red and the studs circled in blue (one of my lugs is busted but that doesn’t actually hurt anything). The second photo shows the chase bed installed in the press with the lugs and one of the pegs visible. The lugs go inside the cheeks of the frame and the studs go outside. If the bed doesn’t fit the press, then as Todd said the chase bed may not be original to that press and may need some filing to fit properly.
If that isn’t the issue, one other possibility I can see in your second photo are the chase screws. I’ve taken the liberty of borrowing your picture and highlighting what I mean. I’ve circled the screws in green. These are meant to be used instead of traditional printers’ quoins to lock the forme up in the chase. If they’re hitting the crossbar at the bottom of the press (the gripper bar), they just need to be screwed further in, or backed out completely.
Hopefully one or the other of these helps.
—
Michael Hurley
Titivilus Press
Memphis, TN
ChaseScrews.jpg
ChaseBedInstalled.jpg
ChaseBedBack.jpg