Roller/inking issue
Calling all letterpress friends, I need your Help! I am having a roller inking issue and I’m trying to figure how to troubleshoot it. As u can see from the photo I have rotated the polymer plate to rule out a plate issue. The plate is not inking evenly (horizontal unlinked areas on the plate) Impression seems to be hitting ok. Rails are taped with strapping tape. I have added a piece of strapping tape to the trucks incase the rollers were sliding but that didn’t help the issue. Line gauge shows 1/16” line on all 4 corners, but doesn’t hit at all in the center.
I have a 12x18 new style c&p. I am using new rollers with plastic trucks that came with them.
If anyone is in the Austin area I’d even be willing to pay someone to come help me. Thanks for any advice :)
I would be suspicious of the taped rails and trucks. It is virtually impossible to apply any kind of tape so the thickness is uniform, as the rails and bed should be. You would probably be better served by carefully checking the bed-to-rails height all over the bed up and down the rails, using a precise straightedge and a type-high gauge or a roller-setting gauge. Some 12x18 C&Ps have adjustable rails, and that could cause your problem. Or if the press was formerly used for diecutting or embossing or other heavy-impression work the bed could be dished and that will be hard to correct.