Questions about my new SP-15
I have a few questions about my recently acquired Vandercook SP-15. I’ve searched through the forums and have had trouble finding all of the info, so I thought I would ask all of my questions in one thread.
1) When cranking the press, there is a jolt or bump that happens before I can start/complete a rotation. The seller told me that this was normal for this press? Is it? Can I make it go away?
2) I am missing the lock up bar. I am using a box car base to print photopolymer plates. Would it be sufficient to just use furniture/quoins to secure the base on the press bed?
3) I ordered tympan paper fit for the SP-15 and a mylar cover. The tympan was backordered, but the seller of the press gave me a roll of much larger sized tympan paper. Can I use the mylar as a template to cut the tympan paper to size and then pack the press?
4) I know that I am supposed to oil the nooks and crannies of the press. What oil should I use and what kind of container do I use?
I appreciate all of your help. I just got my rollers recovered so I haven’t even printed on the press yet, but I am hoping all goes well! If not, you will see me on here again :)
Thanks,
Kimberly
You will feel something slight when the cylinder goes over the ink drum bumpers, that’s normal. And you will also feel and hear something heavier when you advance the cylinder on” trip”; that’s because when the cylinder is at the feedboard, it is in “print” position, and to go forward in “trip” the cylinder strikes the trip pins and rotates into position. You will feel a similar action at the end of the bed when the cylinder goes from “print” to “trip” for the return.
The eccentric bearings for the cylinder are often overlooked when lubricating. Look at the disk that surrounds the cylinder handle, and find the tiny notch on top. That is an important lubrication point, with a matching one on the far side of the cylinder carriage. Any oil will do really, but blue-label 3-in-1 is a good 20 weight, as is the Zoom Spout oil found in many hardware stores, and both containers are also applicators. On most other presses I would say get a trigger oil can, but the SP-15 has very few oil holes, most lubrication spots are just open.
You can use the mylar as a template, but you don’t need a tail on any of the underpacking, just cut to length of cylinder. Nor do you need a hem to go under the clamp on most packing, but I always have one or two hangers with hem under the clamp for attaching overlay makeready. The rest can just go in loose, and when a sheet is worn, it is easily turned end for end for a little extra use.
A fixed lockup bar is easily made. There are two holes in the bed, meant for pins (still available from NA) that you put a straight bar against. But if you have a smaller Boxcar base, a piece of 1/2” or 3/4” plywood the width of the bed, and an inch or so shorter than the distance between pins and base, that would give just enough room for a quoin and a reglet for lockup. Until you do that, you can just lock up from the side, but you may have slippage.
Thank you! This was very helpful information. Please see my most recent post for some more questions…I am so close to printing!