Alternatives to gauge pins

Hi everyone,

I am about to start printing on a 10 x 15 C & P and I am hoping that someone can inform me about an alternative to using gauge pins as I don’t have any and I would like to get printing before I have the chance to order some…

I have used photo corners on my Kelsey 5 x 8, but that press don’t have the finger crushing scare factor that the C & P does…

Any help or advice you have to offer is very welcome.

Cheers,

Michelle

Log in to reply   8 replies so far

Michelle,

I’ve seen people make up gauges out of a few pieces of stacked card stock, pasted together and in place.

A piece of chipboard attached to the tympan sheet with rubber cement will allow you a little wiggle room to make the adjustment if not placed exactly correct the first time.
A brass space taped to the chipboard pin will serve as a tongue.

i’ve glued a 12 pt. em quad or a 12 point slug on the top sheet, you can stick a piece of chipboard on top for a tougue.

Thanks for the help… I am assuming it would be something like the photo I’ve attached?

Cheers,

Michelle

image: gauge-pins-11.jpg

gauge-pins-11.jpg

Yes, except the convention is two gauge pins at the bottom and one at the side. The bottom pins about 25% in from each end and the side pin about 33% up from the bottom.
You will never be able to print with conventional gauge pins with that huge base and small plates unless you always have large margins. Conventional pins will be smashed if touched by the base.
If that is a Boxcar base, you should consider having Boxcar cut it into three pieces. You use the smallest base piece you can and gang them back together only for printing a large piece. Boxcar knows the sizes you want and doesn’t charge much. Of course you have to pay the shipping both ways.

I have used a Scotch glue stick (the blue one) where the adhesive is temporary so the position of slugs or reglets can be adjusted. Works well.

I use paper clips most of the time, but that is on a Windmill and they sit in the holes on the bottom and side guides. I don’t know if there’s some way you could use them on your press. Just be sure if you’re using any hard pins and a boxcar plate that they clear the plate. Ron

try measuring the thickness of your zinco (the printing die or polymer) find a lead that is half the thickness and stick it horizontally on the platen ,make yourself two pins out of the carton you microwave dinner comes in , stick them to the lead with an overlap , and use the same principle for yous lay stop .
Watch out for , the stock will slide to the register points ,the lead must be thick enough to allow the stock to sit properly . check the lead carefully to be sure it is not thicker than the print die , you may not ge away with this set up on a beer mat , however it all hinges on you die thickness .