C+P Roller trucks Advice Requested

Hi there, wonderful people of the Briarpress community,

A couple of months ago a C+P 10x15 Press came into my possession. As you can see it has been neglected for many years and is in need of some TLC.

I’ve used INOX machine oil in as many oil holes I could find (using the diagrams on Letterpress Commons). I’m using a scotch green pad to get the grime off and generally giving her a clean up.

Next step is to get the rollers recovered. Brissett Rollers here in Sydney tell me it’ll be no problem just as long as I have the trucks/or diameter required.

As you can see in the picture one of the shafts is shorter than the others. I suspect that this is the roller for the long fountain. It is the only one with a remaining truck.

Are all the tucks on a C+P 10x15 the same size? Should the rollers and the tucks be exactly the same diameter? (I am hearing some conflicting opinions, some say the rollers and trucks should match, some say the rollers should be 1/4 inch smaller, some say the rollers will shrink smaller no matter what)

What are your thoughts in Steel vs Plastic trucks?

Should I take the truck to be reverse engineered by a metalworks company?

Should I consider buying plastic trucks from American Ebay?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DELRIN-ROLLER-TRUCKS-QTY-2-FOR-C-P-CHANDLER-PRICE-10-X-15-LETTERPRESS-NEW-/121363941262?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c41dac78e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/C-P-letterpress-trucks-6-for-10x15-chase-size-Ch...

I do have CAD skills and access to a 3D printer. Should I attempt to manufacture them myself from plastic? Does anyone have CAD files for trucks already available and willing to share?

Finally, I’m missing a treadle hook, any advice on what to do about this would be appreciated!

Many thanks for any and all help from Sydney Australia.

image: CP.jpg

CP.jpg

image: rollers.jpg

rollers.jpg

Log in to reply   12 replies so far

Does the press have 3 sets of roller hooks or 4? My experience has been that ink fountain rollers are metal. Delrin trucks are nice. Much quieter than steel and seemingly just as durable. I’d buy them from NA Graphics rather than eBay. I don’t think the plastics used in 3D printing are dense enough to last long in a printing press. They’re not that expensive from NA Graphics and the quality is great.

Rubber rollers should be the same diameter as the trucks. Composition ones slightly larger.

A new treadle hook can be fabricated fairly easily by a machine shop (it’s really just a j hook with a hole in the right place on the long end), or you can buy one from Hern Iron Works in Idaho. Shipping to Australia might be pricey, though. I’ve seen all sorts of temporary lashups for a substitute hook, including three loops of braided wire clamped tightly at the ends that I used for a couple of years until I could afford a Hern treadle and hook.

Thank you for your advice you’re an absolute gem!

I’m not sure but I believe the Hern treadle hooks are cast, not forged or wrought iron as were the originals. There have been problems with the uneven casting of the hook wearing the journal of the flywheel shaft crank. I’d suggest having a blacksmith or other metalworker fabricate one. It’s pretty simple.

Bob

thanks Bob!

It can also be something very simple, like a leather strap and a chain leading to the treadle. DIY would not be difficult.

image: CrankStrap.jpg

CrankStrap.jpg

Looking at a close up of your roller cores obviously the short one is for a different press, two of the other three look to be original and one maybe home made. I would say they are all at the end of there useful life. with cost of shipping in and paying to clean them up there is not a lot of saving compared to buying all new. My trucks are Dupont Delrin.

Thanks for the advice!

Hi guys,

My platen and chase bed are a bit rusted up. I’ve put oil on both to prevent any further rusting but I’m hesitant to buff it away with steel wool lest I disrupt the all important 0.918” height of the chase bed or create future make-ready headaches with the platen.

Any advice in proceeding?

The photos are misleading, they’re worse than they appear.

image: Press2.jpg

Press2.jpg

image: Press1.jpg

Press1.jpg

It’s probably surface rust only, which is sort of fluffy and is padding the bed and platen a little. Unless you really bear down on it steel wool won’t remove a measurable amount of metal, but it will take care of the rust pretty well. You could wet the surfaces with kerosene, then steel wool them — the kerosene will keep the rust dust under control — then wipe again with a kerosene-soaked rag to remove the loosened rust. When you’re done the kerosene will evaporate, leaving a slight oily film which should help keep the rust at bay as well.

Besides, the platen is adjustable for type height, so if you did remove a little metal you can compensate for it, but a sheet of bond paper would do the same thing.

Bob

Do not use steel wool around a press. Little bits of metal will get into the works and cause problems. You would be much better off using 1000 grit wet or dry sandpaper, or the equivalent crocus-cloth wrapped around a flat block, and a light-weight oil (if you can find it a machinist’s cutting oil is better). The sandpaper will do the cutting, and the oil will float the rust away from the surface. You will probably have to repeat it a number of times before you get the surface to your satisfaction. As long as you don’t bear-down too much you shouldn’t cause a problem with the overall surface.

I’ve brought back many machines that were rusted, some didn’t move at all, I always use the AdLibPress method, fine steel wool and keroscene seems to work great, Devil Tails way works well also, everyone has there own way of doing things, I would not use power tools, do it by hand especially on the platen, bed and ink disc.

Thanks so much for the advice. You’re very kind.