Need help with Golding Pearl

I inherited a Golding Pearl (1888) several years ago. It had survived a barn fire years before I acquired it and it had been refurbished to some degree. The treadle crank (I think that’s what the part is called) is broken and has been held together with bailing wire. I think that was intended to be a temporary fix but it’s held up well enough. Now the wires are loosening up and the “wiggle” is getting worse. Are replacement parts available? Could a machinist weld it back? (Assuming I can find one that knew what he was about). In the meantime I have have tightened a couple of pipe clamps over the bailing wires but, again, that just feels like putting a bandaid on a problem. I love this old press and want to keep it going. Please advise.

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I was able to buy a replacement treadle for my Pearl #11 after I bought the press without one. The treadle I got has been welded in three or four places and seems to be fine. If you find a skilled welder it should be no real problem. Hopefully you have all the pieces.

Bob

Hi mboye. Not sure what you mean by treadle “crank”… Are you referring to the treadle itself (the part that you power with your foot)?… or the flywheel shaft…? or the treadle rod connector (which connects the treadle to the flywheel shaft)? A pic would help folks answer your questions - there are several Golding experts that can respond to you here.
What model Jobber do you have?

TO TREADLE OR NOT TO TREADLE. I posted before not too long ago, but appreciate that posts soon get lost in the mists of time and the archives!!!… . Acquired an Adana T.P. 48 some time ago, just to repro Monotype Caster product… . It was equipped with treadle mechanism which I removed and retained , along with other Adana odds and ends for sale later… . The Treadle was so simple and yet so efficient (after reading posts herein) I will offer the following, as follows:- the actual foot pedal, (incorporating the obligatory foot sole sized **A**) was carried on 2 parallel arms merely swinging from an anchor shaft at the rear of the machine, between the arms was/is an ordinary pedal cycle *driven* sprocket, free to rotate in either direction, ordinary cycle chain wrapping around the sprocket wrapping over a plain eccentric pulley on the shaft the plain pulley, at 4” diameter slid onto 1” shaft, IN ESSENCE end of story, obviously, pulley grub screwed to the shaft, the chase on the T.P. 48 is close to 9 1/2” X 7” inside measurement, without inking I loaded it almost full out by locking up in the centre of the forme, and treadled a few for fun ON IMPRESSION, the problem if there was to be one was not overcoming the friction of starting, the problem with only the minutest of foot pedal pressure would have been stopping it!!!! … Even at the chase size as above, it made a bang on impression as any platen would when pushed that far? … Adana,s publicity from a long time ago seemed to imply as much, which probably explains why, the arms from the platen to the crank pins, appear out of all proportion, and also probably explains why the flywheel weighs almost 30 kilos, 60 lbs. plus… . . Possibly helps to explain Why? The Adana treadle system is so simple and so efficient… . Apologies for no pictures YET.

It’s actually the part that connects the treadle rod to the gears. Here’s a picture after I bound with the pipe clamps. It’s a Golding Pearl #3 with 1888 on the side.

image: treadlecrankwclamps.jpg

treadlecrankwclamps.jpg

This is not difficult to repair properly. Remove the flywheel and the whole rod with this broken crank slides out. You can take it to someone who knows how to braze or weld cast iron. The crank itself which is the part that is broken is cast iron, the rod is steel and will not be hurt if the welding is performed with the crank still on the rod. The gear shouldn’t be hurt either. The crank was originally pressed onto the rod and locked to it with a square key. I would not worry about keeping it removable, meaning you could have them weld the crank right to the rod while they are welding it back together.

A quick word about welding vs brazing. I have had both done. Welding with nickel rod, and brazing. I think I prefer brazing but don’t have any real reason to badmouth welding. Others may weigh in on this.

John

John -Thanks for your suggestion - now I need to find someone who can weld or braze and has a clue about what you are talking about. BTW, would you happen to have an ink disk or drawers for my press? The drawers were burned in the fire, I suppose, so it’s never had any as long as I’ve had it, and the ridges on the back of the ink disk are uneven and so it doesn’t go around smoothly. I’ve thought about replacing it.

No, I am sorry I do not have either, but, someone on our Pearl restoration forum on Yahoo may. It requires an invitation to join and I would be happy to invite you if you send me your email privately.

John