Un-even Impression/Print

I have a 4x6 Craftsman Victory. I’m having a issue with uneven impression on this design. It’s a polymer plate on a boxcar deep relief base.

I have the base, and plate, as close to the center of the Platen as I can, it’s higher up on the platen. I’m printing on a 5x7 card and centering the design, so it’s a tight fit.

As seen on the photo, I can get one side to print and leave a perfect impression, but the side that is spotty is higher up on the platen. I’ve packed the upper part, added press board and everything but couldn’t get it to work.

Any ideas or advice would be awesome.
Thanks

image: IMG_1330.jpeg

IMG_1330.jpeg

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nbretz: I’ve had similar problems with my Kelsey Star and found that my rollers on one side of the form were nt making contact with the form due to the fact that the springs on that side of te roller carrige were not pulling the roller cores tightly against the runners. Slightly stretching the springs cleared the problem up.

G. Jenny @ The Four Dogs Press

nbretz: I’ve had similar problems with my Kelsey Star and found that my rollers on one side of the form were nt making contact with the form due to the fact that the springs on that side of te roller carrige were not pulling the roller cores tightly against the runners. Slightly stretching the springs cleared the problem up.

G. Jenny @ The Four Dogs Press

nbretz: I’ve had similar problems with my Kelsey Star and found that my rollers on one side of the form were nt making contact with the form due to the fact that the springs on that side of te roller carrige were not pulling the roller cores tightly against the runners. Slightly stretching the springs cleared the problem up.

G. Jenny @ The Four Dogs Press

CHECK THE ROLLER SPRING TENSION.

Here is another photo of just the impression. I’ve been messing around with the packing, and it made it slightly better, but it seems like the platen isn’t hitting the bed correctly, so it’s leaving like a gradient effect.

image: IMG_1335.jpeg

IMG_1335.jpeg

Very occasionally, usually when operating at the limits of the presses available pressure, or inking system, I have been driven to splitting the job into two runs, i.e in your case that would be one forme with
‘Happy oween’, and the second separate run with ’ Hall.’

It depends on how many you want. but it does work. providing you get the register right.

The bane of all these small presses is totally inadequate inking systems. Can you get a rider roller?

@harrildplaten I will try and cut it into 2 halves and see if I get a desired result. Thanks for the recommendation.

And i’m not entirely sure what a rider roller is, and how I would go about buying one.

Two things - a clamshell-type press tends to act that way. You are pushing beyond the limits that press was designed for by asking it to print bold type with deep impression. I suggest adjusting the platen to print evenly without deep impression on thinner paper, then get yourself a cold-mist vaporizer and hold your thicker paper over it for several seconds, one sheet at a time, then put that sheet in the press and print it. Dampening the paper softens it so it takes the deep impression more readily, with less stress on the little press.

One other thought: you can bend a couple of brass thin spaces to about a 100 degree angle (more open than 90) and stick them in the bottom bale for gauge pins — that’s about as low as you can get the paper and maintain register.

Bob