Adjustable trucks?
I went to see the press that I’m 90% sure I’m going to buy and it looks pretty great. It needs a few things done to it, such as getting a Boxcar Base, replacing the tympan paper and fixing the tape rails(is that what they’re called?). The guy selling it to me suggested that since the rail was a little uneven from years of use that I look for adjustable roller trucks to make it a little easier to deal with. He showed me a set that he had for another press he was selling, but I have no idea where I would get something like that. Can somebody tell me what they are for and where to get them? Thanks!
I have a set of adjustable trucks that just need new tires.
Anyways… they are basically just trucks (what the rollers ride on down the rails) that you can tighten or loosen to make them bigger or smaller. This raises or lowers the rollers, which affects your inking.
NA Graphics sells Morgan Expansion Trucks and the replacement rubbers for old ones. I like the METs. They are adjustable, of course, but they also make the press run much more quietly and they stop wear to the rails.
Thanks Kevin. I’ve been to their site before, but wasn’t looking for them, so I didn’t see anything like it.
i will sell you my set of expansion trucks if you would like… you just need new tires
I can’t imagine how adjustable trucks can cure the problem of uneven rails. I guess whether rubber, steel, or adjustable trucks, they’d still sound like they’re running over a washboard when the rails are worn unevenly.
Uneven rails mean a useless press for printing with impression, will never ink right regardless of what type of wheels you use. If you print where you just kiss the paper, it will matter less.
This press is most likely only good for diecutting, would not buy it!
I’m confused as to how the depth of impression relates to acceptable inking for “kiss” work and not for deep impression. Even inking is important no matter what, but more critical based on what’s being inked. Metal type is relatively forgiving, and photopolymer is much more critical. I don’t recommend the Morgan trucks for photopolymer work, and I’m the one who makes them.
Fritz
You are definately right Fritz, uneven inking is uneven inkng. What I was saying is that when it is kissed you usually use much more ink so it matters a little less. If you are printing with impression the amount of ink is much more specific (if you are printing where the ink does not go up the bevel, and just sits in the letter). Maybe it is a moot point. Still I would not buy a press with uneven rails. Now that I see that this post started back in October, i am guessing that KateNW already bought it.