A Few Restoration Questions about my C&P NS 10x15
I’m in the process of restoring a Chandler and Price 10x15 New Series that I rescued from the scrap yard at the end of last month. It came with a Kluge Automatic Feeder assembly attached that my husband and I will be carefully removing while we clean and finish inspecting the press.
The press came with plenty of chases, but no delivery/feed boards. Is there somewhere I can purchase these, find some already made, or are there plans somewhere so that my handy father-in-law can craft them for me? If so, resources are appreciated!
Also, I’ve kind of read that presses that were once used for die cutting instead of printing need some special attention before they can be “repurposed” for printing again. A brief search here hasn’t really landed me any specific threads, so now that I have gone to the trouble of purchasing and hauling my lovely press home, I’m afraid that all the sudden I made a terrible mistake by the way some things sounded on the forum here …
What do I need to look out for? The press may have been used to print at one time, but up until last year (for however many years before that), it had been used for mostly die cutting. What does that mean for me who wishes to use the press for printing? Please fill me in without mincing words if possible.
Thanks!
as long as the platen isn’t cut to pieces your press should be fine, i die cut and print on most of my presses and never had ploblems. Dick G.
Thanks for the encouragement—from some of what I’d been reading here, it was beginning to sound like I did a bad thing.
The platen looks fantastic, actually, given the age of the thing. The press had been used up until a year ago and it’s really in great shape; there won’t be much work other than removing the Kluge parts and getting new rollers (maybe trucks, too) and the delivery/feed boards.
You did a very good thing - and you may want to hold on to the Kluge feeder - there may be some value in the parts.
If you will say where are you located, someone close by may have a working 10x15 NS to compare it to. This is a very nice sized press. If the drive shaft has a “U” in it, you can even set it up for treadle operation.
Thanks! :)
I’m not going to scrap the Kluge parts, though I don’t think I’ll ever use them. I’ll probably list them here if everything goes smoothly for someone who will use them.
I’m located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Our drive shaft does have a U in it, so I’m very excited in either ordering a treadle from Hern Ironworks or getting one made out of wood. Either way works for me. I actually have the original receipt of purchase along with the Kluge parts booklet and the original parts list from Chandler & Price. It’s really a nice piece of history I’m excited to have.
Are there any plans/tutorials out there on how to make feed boards or treadles?
I designed a simple welded steel treadle for a 12x18 C&P OS that’s at VCU in Richmond. I could send you the simple sketch and a photo of part of the treadle installed if you’re interested.
I’m not certain, but I don’t think Hern Ironworks treadles are made for NS C&P presses — they’re different from OS and while I’m not clear about what the differences are there has been discussion before about this incompatibility.
Bob
Hern lists both OS and NS models as being available on their website (http://www.hernironworks.com/treadles.html), so they’re definitely an option for a treadle. It looks like the OS has a kind of hook (that you can purchase from Hern when ordering), but since I have an NS, it doesn’t look like it will be an issue.
I’d happily see a sketch, though I don’t have any real access to welding equipment. I’ll have to look around for that sort of stuff.
I’ve got family in Richmond, so I think we’ll have to stop by and visit VCU to check out the presses sometime! That would be fun.
Hello nifty,
Sounds like you picked up a great press. I apologize I don have any answers to your questions but I noticed you were taking off your kluge feeder. I also have a C&P with a kluge feeder that I just restored and got up and running. During moving the press home a small handle on the feeder broke and I was wondering if you ever decide to sell your kluge parts if i could see if you still have the handle I am looking for. Thanks I appreciate your help.
Joey
Do you have the parts book that came originally with your Kluge? I do. Just let me know which part number it is and when we take it apart, I’ll let you know. It should all be there.
Yes I actually do have the parts book, it looks like it is part 445 - Elevator Crank. In my book it is on page 11. I have also attached a picture for reference. Again this is only if you are wanting to sell your feeder as parts, if you would rather sell as a whole no big deal at all, I totally understand. This is more of a cosmetic issue than functionality, so it’s not of extreme importance. I just thought it might be easier to find someone parting out their feeder as oppose to finding someone to weld it back together. Thanks again!
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Nice. I’ll keep you in mind while I’m taking it all apart. We haven’t decided what we’ll do with the Kluge parts … if it all comes apart without any other issues (or anything breaking), that is.
So, no one has any measurements/tutorials on making feed boards?
Kluge presses can be hand fed with the feeder still connected, i feed my kluge all the time for short runs, the feeder is designed to swing out of the way so you can hand feed. I use the delivery as my feeder and have a bench on wheels that i roll up to the press then place a box cover on it to put the finished sheets in. The only problem with hand feeding a kluge is the grippers do not release the sheet as quickly as a c&p, so you have less time to get the sheet out and the next one in, most of my work does not have any solid areas that would hold the stock to the form so i remove the grippers and run without them. Dick G.
So, I’m kind of coming back to this thread instead of starting a new one.
Does anyone have feed/delivery board dimensions for the C&P NS 10x15? Or is there anywhere I can order/purchase them? I figured here was a good place to look and ask …
i agree with dickg, on short runs i lock my feeder off and hand feed it. after you’ve used the kluge feeder you’ll never want to go back to hand feeding. i also use mine for diecutting all the time, u shouldn’t have any trouble making yours print.
When I got my 10x15 OS the original feed tables were more or less intact, much less in the case of the lower feed table, so I made new ones from 3/4” oak from the dimensions of the originals - the upper feed table being 15” x 12” and the lower being 21.5” x 13.5” not including the the thickness of the perpendicular board at the front of that table. Mine is an OS, not a NS and don’t know if the tables sizes are different between the two - can’t imagine that they are though.
Hope this helps
Matt
Thanks! Now to scour teh internets for some reference photos. I’ve been told elsewhere that the only issue I may have is making something to swivel the upper from the lower since I no longer have the original boards/connections. I’m sure that can be rigged up just fine, however.
I’ll just admit that since this is my first letterpress machine, in all honesty the Kluge feeder intimidates me. I’m sure that it’s fantastic and awesome but I balk at it just a little even when I think about cleaning the thing. I know it’s hard to “start small” with a 10x15 press, but I think I’ll be happy with a foot treadle and hand feeding until I get the hang of things. Then, well, I’ll just have to buy a few more presses …
Ssssshhh. Don’t tell my husband. ;)
Hi Hello Nifty,
How are you managing finding some reference images? I’m happy to take some photos for you if you’d like. I doubt our feed tray is completely “original” but looks like its based on an original as it looks like all the others i’ve seen on C&P NS presses. Let me know if you are keen and i’ll take some shots for you.
Good luck with the restoring of it too. So glad you could salvage it before it was scrapped, its like a dagger in the heart when you hear of them getting scrapped!
Oh oh. I’d love some photos!
I’m mostly just looking at photos online, and I do have the original parts list from 1930-something that came with my press when it was first purchased. I actually even have the original receipt. :)
Is there a particular kind of wood that’s good for the boards?
Ours is heavily varnished chipboard/particle board but have thought about replacing it with marine plywood (excuse me if these names differ to what you use in the US, I’m in Australia). The chipboard is starting to chip away around the mounting screws and the nail holes so hence the consideration to replace them at some stage soon. As soon as I get home i’ll take some detailed shots for you, give me a few hours.
Here’s a shot of our press (below) which we rescued from a demolition site. Luckily one of the demolition guys thought to pop it on ebay so saved it ending up on the scrap heap too.
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