Best place to get new rollers?

i always buy rubber rollers, they might cost a little more but they are well worth it. cheap rollers will cause more headaches and you won’t be happy with the results. that is if you can find inexpensive rollers. i use roller craft in rhode island for my rollers, have had no problems with them. good luck.

I got my rollers from NA Graphics in Colorado. They cost a little money, but they are top quality. Good rollers are key to good printing.

Try www.excelsiorpress.org under Kelsey Press parts and restoration. Amazing quality and service and will answer any question.

There is an eBay seller in the UK that makes rollers for the Kelsey. I’ve set up presses with his rollers before and they are very nice, include matching trucks, and are inexpensive too. He is currently only listing Adana rollers, but I’d bet he still has Kelsey ones if you ask him.

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/rexweaver_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_...

Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY

We have purchased rollers on e-bay from the UK. We have been very happy with the rollers. One must be a little patient. The shipping time can be a couple of weeks. The rollers are no longer being sold on e-bay for that very same reason…too many complaints on the shipping time. You can however buy them direct. The web site is:
www.ellievans.myshopify.com.

Has anyone ever had a problem with excelsiorpress.org such as a purchased item not delivered? I purchased an ink table and have not heard from anyone there since the check cleared the bank. I am a little concerned.

Vharvey -

My name is Alan Runfeldt. I am the owner of Excelsior Press, the Letterpress Museum Print Shop in Frenchtown, New Jersey and the web site ExcelsiorPress.org.

I think you may have me confused with someone else.

We are primarily printers and have been for nearly 50 years. We also teach letterpress printing, repair and restore presses and sell parts and supplies.

But we do not accept pre-payment, prefer Paypal and rarely accept checks. And we have not sold an ink table to anyone in the past few months and most definitely have not received a check from you.

However - as a service to the letterpress community, our website lists many other resources besides our selves. It is possible that you contacted someone else to order your ink table.

We do get many inquiries for parts and supplies and fill those requests when we can. But after a particularly painful experience a few years ago - a large press we were unable to ship to Australia - we no longer accept payment before an order is packed up and ready to ship.

Please contact me so that I can help you find an ink table and find out who has your check.

Alan Runfeldt
http://ExcelsiorPress.org

And, now - about rollers -

Our web site has links to suppliers of rollers for small presses at http://excelsiorpress.org/kelsey.html#rollers

NA Graphics offers rollers with locking trucks, which most others do not. Locking trucks are used on all larger presses and help your rollers roll smoothly - without slurring.

Our Roller Bearers (http://excelsiorpress.org/forsale/fundraising.html#ROLLERBEARERS) can also help prevent slurring with rollers whose trucks do not lock to the shaft.

Tarheel Roller are the only folks I know of who cast old-style composition rollers for small presses and sell them commercially. They now also sell longer-lasting rubber rollers as well.

You can search Briar Press for “gummy bear rollers” if you want to try casting your own. Besides, it’s a great story…

In the old days, printers often cast their own rollers. The Old Style C&Ps came with roller casting tubes as an option.

Baker’s Row is the UK outfit that Dan refers to above. We have stocked and resold their rollers in the past - specifically to cut down on shipping time. We have used them and have sold them and have received no complaints.

We currently sell rollers cast by Excelsior Co of Rhode Island and have cast our own rollers for less common sized presses like the old Victor 4x6.

But, as DickG says, it does not pay to skimp on rollers. Good rollers are the key to good printing. He should know; I think he set type for some guy named Gutenberg….

- Alan

Hi Nicole

I have the same press and had the same issue. I got rollers from rollercraft in RI, the next day after ordering as a matter of fact (I’m in NY). I had to get locking trucks for them which were about $6 from NA Graphics. I think the rollers themselves were about $150, but it was so worth it to be printing within a week of buying my press! I’m going to have them do the rollers for my 8x12 old style gordon when I need them, which will be soon.

Also don’t hesitate to give Alan at Excelsior a call, I’m pretty sure he will blow your mind with his knowledge of our little presses.

Best of luck
Mike

Hi all,

Do anyone knows where to buy Windmill rollers in Europe ? Heidelberg is asking 947€ for 2 form rollers. I find very excessive when compared to NA Graphics prices…