Kelsey Restoration… where to start

The best product I have found for rust removal is called Evaporust. The stuff is slow working, will not affect paint, is non toxic, is not an acid or base and can be flushed down the sink without violating EPA regs. I have used it on several different projects and it is the best thing I have found to date. It can be reused until it stops working. The stuff isn’t cheap but you can get a pretty good deal on ebay.

I just purchased a press as well and it was in a similar state. All I used was some 3in1 oil and a rubber sanding block with a super fine grit, which you can find at any hardware store. I put a small amount of oil on the press and then lightly sanded away the rust. It did two things. It got rid of the rust and oiled all the moving parts. For the tougher bits of rust I just either soaked or rubbed on some white vinegar and let it sit for a while then did the same thing with the oil and sander. Now my press looks like new and I did not have to use any nasty chemicals! Just be careful not to use too much pressure when sanding.

Dismantling the press to affect cleaning is not advised. Cast iron is very brittle and even the smallest of misplaced tappings to remove a recalcitrant pin could easily result in disaster. Besides, once the ink table, bed, roller hook arms and the platen are removed you are right down to the main frame. It’s the platen removal that might present problem; the center bolt/spring is usually stuck tight and you must remember to count the number of turns required to remove it. Here is a suggested method for cleaning up your press:
Take it to a car wash. Spend the dollar and hose it completely free of accumulated grease and grime (be careful - the hose has lots of pressure). Then take it to a source of compressed air (a tire shop as example) and blow every nook and cranny completely dry paying particular attention to the bearing surfaces. Now, on your way home, stop at the store and purchase 1 gallon of vinegar, 1 quart of lemon juice, one quart of oil, 1 can of laquer thinner, and a pump-type oil can, and, if you don’t already have a large, square container, buy some heavy plastic garbage bags as well.
Once home proceed as follows: Take every piece of sandpaper, emery cloth, steel wool, wire brush or any other abrasive and lock them away. Never - repeat - NEVER - use any abrasive on any press. If you do, you will drive grit into the bearing surfaces, upset the trueness of ink table and roller truck rails, and could easily gouge the bed surface. The press is easily cleaned with the supplies brought from the store as follows:
Take the oil can and force oil into the bearing joints. Continue forcing oil through the joint until it runs clear. Wipe up the excess. If there is dried ink on the press, use the lacquer thinner and a piece of brass rule - do not use a screwdriver or any other steel object. The ink will lift easily.Now, mix the vinegar and lemon juice in a plastic container; one large enough to hold the platen, bed, screws, roller arms. Or, if you don’t have a container of suitable size, simply construct a cardboord frame then use the plastic garbage bag as liner. One that is completed, immerse the rusty object in the solution. Then wait. Wait until the rust is easily wiped away with your finger (c’mon - it’s vinegar for pete’s sake!). Do not - do not give in to the urge to use steel wool to hasten removal. (If you want to do things quickly, use a computer, not a cast iron press). Once clean, oil everything immediately. If you don’t, your now bright, rust-free surface will begin to rust. Now, assemble the press. Or, if you want to paint it at this stage, well, William Kelsey and Henry Ford shared similar philosophy in that area: both provided their product in any colour - as long as that colour was black. (An apocryphal tale on Henry’s part, but true for Bill.) Anway the black finish is somewhere between flat and shiny - satin? Do not use any primer else it will show when the press wears. Assembly is straight-forward. There is information available to adust the bed/platen relationship on this site and others. Have fun.
Laurence

Updated. Cleaning
I was cleaning a 5x8 earlier this evening myself. My choice of weapons was some mineral spirits, WD-40 and a scotch brite pad. It won’t harm the paint or leave sand or grit behind if you keep it wet. When I got to the embossed area on top of the handle, I hit it first with some Mineral spirits and a rough brush, then got rid of the dried ink stains using acetone (it’s strong, but effective), then switched to some Fantasic spray cleaner and a 3” fingernail brush to make it sparkle and wiped it all down with my clean shop rag when I was done.
http://excelsiorpress.org/photos/kelseypressnametag.5x8.jpg

I like the idea of the vinegar and lemon juice for surface rust - and in fact just bought some - but have not tried it yet.

Do anything you want with the ink table and the bed - just remove them first. That vinegar/lemon juice concoction might work well for the rust on the platen.. otherwise, just wiping the whole thing down with WD-40 and a wet scotch brite pad should do the trick.

Roller Hooks & Springs
I took off the roller hooks and polished them up on my wire wheel. It is important that they are fresh and clean and unpainted, since they do have to travel back and forth in their slots and if they are rusty - or painted - that could cause a problem. You may also want to see if you can pick up some replacement springs at the local hardware. The orginals get pretty beat up over the years.

http://excelsiorpress.org/photos/kelseypressparts.5x8.jpg

Paint
The older Kelseys came in black with gold pinstriping. Newer models were painted battleship gray.

I stand corrected on the paint colour statement. In fact, sitting next to me is a GRAY 6x10, and next to that a BLACK 3x5. The former bears serial number C54C; the latter A83D sans pinstriping. Perhaps colouration of the various sized presses throughout the years was not that ridgidly observed by Kelsey; goodness knows their standards of fit and finish weren’t.
And, yes, acetone will remove paint, ink, et al, but in my experiences, lacquer thinner is the better choice. Acetone is a remarkable liquid for removing glue though, although it does have a very disagreeable odour. Flash points on both materials are quite low and must be used in well-ventilated areas.
Good point about the roller hooks on the smaller presses. The rods are easily bent, the springs do lose tension, and they must slide easily if they are to perform well. I maintain however, that using a wire brush, while expedient, can do damage to both fit and surface.
The vinegar/lemon solution works very effectively. Just give it time to work. In my opinion.
Laurence

I received an inquiry on the serial numbers posted above by forme and have answered the question in a new topic at http://www.briarpress.org/5829.

I recently come in to possession of two press a 5x8 Model P and a 3x5 Model C. I want to clean them up but don’t don’t want to paint them will the vinegar lemon stuff change/hurt the paint?

The vinegar/lemon solution will not affect any substance other than iron oxide (rust). However, if rust has penetrated under the paint then, yes, the paint, having no tooth, will lift from the surface. That is a good thing. It will reveal rusted areas which might well remain hidden until failure occurs. Should you simply want a good overall cleansing away of grease, oil, ink, et al, refer to my earlier suggestions about refurbishing the press appearance. And please keep the abrasive cleaners locked away. As with cooking oil to clean rollers - they might do the job, but will present problems later. In my opinion.
Laurence

Updated. I soaked the springs, roller arms and the platen, of the 5x9, in the lemon and vinegar solution and it worked great. For the rest of it I wiped it down with WD-40 and the whole thing looks pretty good.

Thanks for all the help.