Reassembly of a C&P 10x15 NS
About a year ago, I purchased a disassembled C&P 10x15 NS and have been restoring and cleaning it up. Well, it’s time to reassemble, and the instructions I have are not totally clear. Infact, they totally skip all information on the platen rocker.
Looking at the instructions, manuals and parts list, I’m able to figure out how most of the press goes together but I’m at a loss for this part. The manuals aren’t very helpful for the inner section of the press.
Could anyone explain how the rocker, rocker lock, and the spring are connected and how they work in the press? Does anyone have any pictures or video of how the inners of the press fit together?
We’re going to attempt reassembly tomorrow afternoon, so any help or guidance is greatly appreciated. I found some close up videos of presses running on youtube, but they’re still pretty vague.
Thanks!
I don’t have any photos of this, but have reassembled a number of these quite a few times. I’m assuming you already have the rocker in place and firmly held on with the rocker boxes. Best to not have the platen on the rocker yet, and the bed swung down toward the floor so you have room to work from the inside of the press.
The rocker lock has its own shaft. It’s fairly easy to put on…no need to keep it up into position for this step. Just get the shaft for the rocker lock into place.
The final step is the hardest…getting the spring into place. It goes on shaft with a mushroom like cap on one end and a hole for a cotter pin on the other. The spring goes on the shaft and the cotter pin end is pushed through a hole in the frame and then through another in the rocker lock. Once the cotter pin hole is exposed on the other side of the rocker lock, slip in the cotter pin and you are done.
I wish it were that easy. It takes a LOT of pressure to make this happen. I haven’t figured it out how to do it alone; help has always been needed. One person applies pressure to the mushroom end of the spring shaft and the other holds the rocker lock in position and slips in the cotter pin. I’m usually the one applying the pressure..It is a fairly dangerous job that can only be done from inside the press; straddling the frame. I’ve seen the spring shaft turn into a high speed missile and shoot out 20 feet…hitting a wall 4 feet up from the floor. I usually employ a 2 foot section of 2x4 to apply the pressure to the head of the haft. It’s a good idea to have a bit of a depression on the end of the 2x4 to keep it from slipping and thus releasing the missile.
The rocker should be in the position of impression and the rocker cam follower in the flat spot of the cam. This minimizes the amount of compression needed.
Thank you so much for the info!
And holy crap..the spring/pin part sounds crazy scary. Hopefully that goes alright..and thanks for the warning!
It would be helpful to know your geographical location just in case there is someone in the vacinity that might be able to help/advise you as well. Or, if nothing else, to find a nearby assembled press that you can study and refer to.
Rick
I’m located in Pittsburgh, PA if that helps! Thanks.
rather than do the spring and cotter pin thing,,, go to a good hardware store, or, Mc Master Carr, a company in USA called “Fastenal is good too) and get a Grade 8 bolt.(long one that will work) then take to some one who can cut threads much farther down the bolt than is original. might as well make 2-3 of these as cut threads are weaker than “drawn” threads.you can then just put a washer on the bolt and with a lock nut turn it down to desired tension… this part of the press does not need to be “Period correct”
@ericm Do you have some kind of diagram or a picture of how that works? It sounds like a better option to me..that spring is terrifying..but I can’t visualize it.
i will get one to you. i will be in the shop monday. the pics will be off of a 12 x 18 but you will be able to get the idea.