Category: Troubleshooting the press
Later topic: Scoring Issues on Heavy Cover
Earlier topic: 10 x 15 C & P

Attaching Treadle

  • sagedawson1
  • on 3 Feb 15 (23:31)
  • Updated 11 Feb 15 (10:59)

I just finished restoring my first letterpress, a 10 x 15 C&P New Series.

I’m converting it to a treadle, and when I put the treadle onto my press, it doesn’t seem to fit. The person I bought the press from wasn’t positive that the treadle they gave me was the correct one for the press.

When I try to attach the treadle to the shaft at the back of the press, the shaft doesn’t slide all the way down into the treadle, allowing me to secure it with the pins. Can anyone confirm if this treadle is correct or incorrect? Or if I’m missing a part to fasten it on correctly? Or if I’m doing something incorrect? Thanks!

Sage

image: photo1.JPG

photo1.JPG

image: photo2.JPG

photo2.JPG

Log in to reply   6 replies so far

Hi Sage,

Congratulations on restoring your press, that’s exciting.

I have the same press, but OS. I can’t speak to the treadle in your photos, except to suggest that you’ll probably feel whether it’s incorrect or not if you cycle slowly through your press (but I wouldn’t force it if something feels off; cast iron is pretty unforgiving). I find that if you listen, your press will tell when it’s working smoothly.

If you don’t want to take chances I’d suggest getting another treadle. I highly recommend these guys:

Hern Iron Works http://www.hernironworks.com/treadles.html

I worked with Joel, who made a treadle for my press in 2009. It’s worked beautifully since then.

Good luck and happy printing!

Hi Sage,

Congratulations on restoring your press, that’s exciting.

I have the same press, but OS. I can’t speak to the treadle in your photos, except to suggest that you’ll probably feel whether it’s incorrect or not if you cycle slowly through your press (but I wouldn’t force it if something feels off; cast iron is pretty unforgiving). I find that if you listen, your press will tell when it’s working smoothly.

If you don’t want to take chances I’d suggest getting another treadle. I highly recommend these guys:

Hern Iron Works http://www.hernironworks.com/treadles.html

I worked with Joel, who made a treadle for my press in 2009. It’s worked beautifully since then.

Good luck and happy printing!

Aside from the fact that the treadle you have has the attachment to the rod upside down (which means that if you install it that way the pins could wear the rod badly, though the way the pressure on the treadle works, most of the foot pressure on it would not cause that kind of wear) you would be able to use the treadle by filing the inside of the channel through which the rod passes, using a medium-size half-round mill file, until it fits — just don’t take off too much metal, so the fit is snug. So you could use that treadle even though it doesn’t look like the correct one.

Bob

Some C&P original treadles were designed to underhang as this one does. (Mine did. )

My guess is the treadle is from an 8x12, which may have a smaller shaft.

There are options to make this work… Even leather straps around the shaft and treadle T would probably be fine.

  • sagedawson1
  • on 7 Feb 15 (18:27)
  • Updated 8 Feb 15 (13:02)

Thanks, guys!

Sage

  • sagedawson1
  • on 8 Feb 15 (13:01)
  • Updated 8 Feb 15 (13:24)

Hi Guys,

If I keep the wrong treadle and come up with a safe way to make it work, the next question for me is if the wrong treadle is comparable in length to the one intended for the press.

Anyone know what the length of the 10 x 15 treadle is?

Thanks,
Sage