10x15 C&P OS re-assembly PHOTOS & needed PARTS

A big Thanks to everyone who replied with support to my last post! The C&P re-assembly is almost complete. This is the list of parts I am missing:

-Shaft Key for the wheel (gib key?)
-Shaft Key for the Drive gear (gib key?)
-3 bolts for crankshaft spacer on left side of press.
-Treadle arm that hooks crankshaft to treadle (have bolt)
-semi circle clamps that hold back of treadle around shaft.

I am still needing photos of the back of the press, so I can see how treadle hooks up- if anyone can email me one. Thanks.

Below are photos of the parts as they laid out on the floor. I now see I didnt include the wheel in the parts photo- sorry. I plan on gathering all the photos and placing them on my website for reference. I will be sure to post that when I am done.

Also below is how the press sits now without wheel (need that key, or specific size so i can get one) and treadle.

image: Parts2.jpg

Parts2.jpg

image: CP.jpg

CP.jpg

image: CPParts.jpg

CPParts.jpg

Log in to reply   6 replies so far

Looks like the treadle hook will be the hardest to get. I think the bolts for the shaft plate and the keys are standard sizes.
Most of the keys I’ve run across are straight tapered ones. if necessary they can be made from square steel stock.

The treadle hooks onto the rear bottom shaft that the bed hinges on. It should be free to rotate slightly on that shaft. You should be able to improvise something to keep the treadle in place. I once used a wrapped cable lashed around both treadle ends and shaft to do this. Not ideal, but it worked until I could do something better.

A few ideas for parts: if you can’t find the gib keys, you can get a standard square key (measure the slot width carefully) at a decent hardware store. I’d get one about 3 inches long and drill and tap a hole at one end for a set screw a bit longer than the thickness of the key. Once the key is installed tighten the set screw to keep it in place — if you need to remove it loosening the set screw is easier than trying to pull the wedged gib key!

For the treadle spacing you can get set screw collars in standard diameters at the same decent hardware store; when you’re reinstalling the bed pivot shaft slide a collar onto each side inside the bed legs, and when the treadle is installed you can place the collars where they will hold the treadle centered on the shaft and tighten the set screws.

For the treadle hook, you can block the treadle up off the floor a couple of inches and then measure carefully from the center of the bolt to the center of the crank in its lowest position. With the diameter of the bolt, the width of the gap it passes through on the treadle, and the diameter of the crank, you can have a blacksmith make you a hook that, if she’s skilled enough, will be exactly like the missing one. I think the only critical dimension here is the pedal’s distance off the floor when the hook is installed — it should clear the top of the foot you’re standing on when you’re treadling!

Bob

-Love the set screw idea! Thats what I will do as I already found 2 perfect square keys for the gear & wheel.
-Good tip on the treadle distance, didnt think about the smashing of the standing foot if rod were too long.
-I found a bolt that will start into the shaft plate and turns about 3 times into the threads on the press body, but stops.
Are the threads on these old presses different than today?

You should be able to get the treadle hook from Hern Iron Works.
http://www.hernironworks.com/treadles.html

Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY

Threads could be slightly different, though my experience with an 1860s-vintage Liberty was that modern threads worked. Check the bolt carefully for any dings on the threads — that can cause it to bind. There could also be dirt in the hole — if you have a spare bolt that size saw a slot in the threads parallel to the bolt shaft and try cleaning the threads out with that. If that isn’t the problem you could also try either tapping the threads to standard or lapping them with valve-grinding compound. I’m not clear just what you are calling the “shaft plate”, but if the bolt doesn’t get heavily loaded when the press is operating you may only need three or four threads engaged to be plenty strong enough.

Bob

Thanks Bob,
I forgot to mention that the press did not come with the original bolts, just shiney new ones. so while in town, I bought bolts slightly smaller. As a back up plane, I can just bolt the plate to the body without using the available threads.
But I am in the hopes that it is just dirt and I will get that cleaned out this afternoon.
:) Thanks