My letterpress does not press! help

Hi all, I´m new and I will appreciate if you culd help me with a proeblem with my press. It is a national press, but it is very similar to the Boston Lettepress Nº2 (http://www.revenues.ro/mari/Boston-Tiegel.jpg).

I have to print a wedding card, in 1 mmm white cardboard and has to be full printed in one of its sides. I started to print them and suddenly the press stop pressing.
The platen touches the type form, but it does not press, I can’t do any pression.

Does any body know what can be wrong?
Thanks!!

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I would assume it presses, but not print?

If you were trying to print the full area of the card on what looks to be a 5x8 or 6x9 press, you may have broken part of the press from the excess pressure. Check all the parts of the impression linkage, from the connection of the handle to the shaft, to the linkages from the shaft to the bottom end of the platen arm. Check also the base casting where the shaft that the platen arm pivots on passes through the base frame. If everything is intact and not cracked, check all your adjustments. There should be an impression adjustment on the link between the lever shaft and the platen arm, which could have worked loose and changed the impression. I have an American copy of the original Golding Official on which the Boston Tiegel was based and that is what my comment is based on.

Bob

Thank you Bob!, it is broken :(.

Do you think that it can be welded? at least to keep printing but with not doing so much pressure.

amateurs things!

Lule, provide a photo of what part is broken. We can most likely help.

Tom
651-730-0986
tandtpressrestoration.com

Hi Tom, here is a picture. We are going to try to weld it, but we won’t be able to do so much pressure.

image: IMG_0008.jpg

IMG_0008.jpg

(it´s disassembled)

image: IMG_0009.jpg

IMG_0009.jpg

Don’t weld it — braze it — much stronger and if done carefully, heating the whole part evenly to near the working temperature, it can be done safely. As you can see that part takes a lot of stress and stick-welding, though it can be done with cast iron with special rod, applies all the heat at the joint, setting up stresses in the metal. Heat it slowly, braze it, cool it slowly. You’ll have to remove the pivot pin to get the part off and reinstall it — and you’ll probably need to carefully bore/ream the hole after repairing it to get clearance for the pin. A good machine shop should be able to handle it. Done right the repair should be as strong as the original.

Bob

I agree with Bob 100%

Tom

Thank you both!!!!. I will let you know the results!