Platen 1/8” too far away

Hi there-
We are newbies to the press world. We recently bought a used C&P 10x15 and have started restoring it. We have all the parts and pieces and it’s all cleaned up. We wanted to try a quick print tonight, set up the packing, but noticed the platen was almost 1/8” away from the type when it was closed. Is there something we are missing? We know the press was previously used for die cutting and thought maybe this was why. Is there a good way to adjust this? Do we have to adjust the platen?
Thanks in advance!

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does it have a plate attached to the platen with screws at each corner? if not you are probably missing a this plate. it can be up to 1/8 inch thick.

Thanks for the reply- there aren’t any screw holes in the platen, so we didn’t think we were missing anything there.

stupid question but,,,,, you are putting it on impression right?

That’s what I thought ericm. I’ve been caught out a few times having the press in throw-off.
Alternatively do you have any room to move the four platen screws up that 1/8th?

there should be plenty of adjustment there. about 10 faces of the hex on each bolt should get you close. you may have to re-level the platen after this much adjustment. bring it up evenly, say 2-3 faces at a time on each bolt. if you were to use a plate, that you would tape on, that would take up some of the gap.

image: plate2.jpg

plate2.jpg

Great- thanks to both of you. We are going to try to move the platen tonight (we double checked we didn’t have the throw off lever on). I’ll post an update once we try.

If you didn’t have the impression on then that is why the press didn’t close, i would recheck with the impression on before moving the impression screws. Dick G.

Thanks Dick- I think my last comment was confusing.
We checked the lever. It is still 1/8” off.

If that press was used for diecutting there was probably some kind of jacket on that press, taped to the platen similar to ericm’s picture, which would account for the 1/8 inch gap. Put a piece of tympan paper on and 2-3 pieces of red press board under the tympan. Lock up some type, put the press on impression and roll it over by hand for the first print. Add packing as needed. What does your platen look like? Is it marred from the diecutting that was done in the past? I am guessing that they used .937 cut rule to have the platen set so low, or they were printing a thick booklet. You can raise the platen if needed. Here is a site that will help you with that
http://www.apa-letterpress.com/T%20&%20P%20ARTICLES/Press%20&%20Presswor...

thanks all!
we moved and leveled the platen and it seems to be working.
the platen isn’t all that marred so i think we we got lucky with that one as well.