C&P in bad shape after moving
Hey letterpress friends. We recently moved from Houston, TX to Nashville, TN and made the decision to pack up everything, including our Chandler & Price 10x15 press into a shipping container, which I now regret…
When we unloaded it, the press appeared to be fine, but after closer inspection a couple screws on the back connection to throw were loose and the press was opening wayyyy too wide when turning the flywheel. I had to do a double take because it looked like the whole back half of the press was about to fall off!
I’ve given it a cursory once over, and the problem seems to be around the back shaft cylinder. It no longer lines up with the side arms as it should. I checked the screws on the side arms, but those don’t hold the cylinder in place. I’m at a loss as to what actually went wrong and how to go about fixing the press. Any thoughts?
The good news is everything runs smoothly and isn’t visibly damaged, the press bed just opens way too wide!
Crossing my fingers that the press isn’t done for.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Edit: press is fine! Thanks
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That offset on the arm is supposed to be there. It is machined like an eccentric bearing, that is how the bed moves closer/further away with the movement of the throwoff arm.
The one thing I notice, is the rod for the bed of the press appears way out of position. Its down by the feet of the press on the back. On my press it is about flush on both sides, it appears yours is sticking several inches out on the bottom right side.
Otherwise it looks ok to me. Check that nothing is loose and it all looks ok visually. Cycle the press slowly and look for issues. Keep in mind as well, that your throwoff arm is pushed back, putting it off impression. That will shift the bed further away.
BC
BC,
I’m so glad to know those bearings are meant to be offset, makes sense!
I think I was just spooked by the move.
The rod length is strange- it’s flush on the other side but there’s that extra bit sticking out. Not sure why it’s there but I believe it was that way since we’ve had it.
I really appreciate your quick response and expertise!
As long as the rod isn’t pushed too far through, you’re all good there. Id say your next test would be to put the press on impression and slowly move it through the places and see if the bed and platen are at about the correct distance. If this were my press, I’d tape paper and carbon paper to the platen, and cycle the press slowly with a plate or cut in place and see if you’re getting an impression.
BC
The press appears normal to me. After moving a press or any piece of equipment you generally inspect it. Sometimes you may see things that may have been there but didn’t notice before.
Anyhow, welcome to Nashville. We moved here in 2019 from Cleveland, Ohio. We did a partial dis-assembly. We took off the inking assembly, the arms and other pieces to make it less top-heavy and bolted and strapped it to re-enforced pallets 2 10 x 15 C & P’s, cutter many cases of type. My son’s and I rented a truck with a lift gate ( be extra careful with a lift gate). I didn’t trust anyone else to move my equipment.