Vibration Isolators - Specifics

Hi all! I’m living the dream–next week I’m moving my beautiful C&P 12x18 New Style, Fernie, and a new C&P 12x18 Old Style, into my 1920s historic home! I’ve reinforced the crawlspace below the pressroom with almost $4,000 of jacks and have a forklift team on standby for next Wednesday.

Today, though, I realized that I don’t have vibration pads. I’m moving from a space with concrete flooring into what is essentially a giant wooden and plaster drum! I’ve read a bunch of posts and clicked a bunch of links looking at vibration isolators…but I guess I was under the impression that vibration mats sit under the whole press, and not just under the feet?

Both of my presses are on 2x4s, so I’m just not sure what the best route to take is as far as dampening some of the sound and vibration from the presses. I don’t want to vibrate my plaster walls into dust!! I don’t understand anything as far as the math goes–do I need to get 4 pads that each support 600+ lbs, or do they need to support more than that since there is vibration? I’m just totally lost, and want to make sure I order some vibration pads ASAP so I can rush ship them here by move day.

Something to note—Fernie’s front left foot is broken halfway through the hole for the bolt, so while the 2x4 is technically bolted there, it’s kind of just held in place and not really threaded in…something to worry about if I was looking at the type of pads that have bolts to secure them to the press? Will my press vibrate itself off the vibration pad? It shouldn’t, right, considering that I’ll likely keep the 2x4s there for moving in the future…?

Thanks!

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Unless something is bent, broken, warped, or badly misaligned; I don’t believe vibration is any problem. Sound is the product of vibration and we know the press makes sounds. They are not large vibrations and are not a concern.
I would not bother with vibration pads for starters. See how the presses work. Your plaster will be safe.

As Inky has already implied, (generally) with the C. & P. either series Vibration is virtually non existant. - Gleaned from
studying the C. & P. in our Museum Print shop. So smooth and so well balanced, that (apparently) a good motion sensor would be hard pressed, to pick up just the normal sound from the point of impression (proper) and that with a well loaded form.!!
One suggestion would be thus :- Keep the Machines on 4 x 2 timbers, in the fore and aft, and left and right manner, respectively,
BUT
Specifically have 4 (four) timbers made from 4 x 2 & constructed/planed up, as 2 pairs of continuous rake wedges, 12” longer than the fore and aft footprint of the Press(s) feet. In essence exactly as in *HEMPEL* quoin manner.
THE Reason being, that with that much control on hand, for levelling, fore and aft and side to side, virtually 100% support and contact over the 4 feet is possible.
Which ties in well with the concern (Above) of distributing the weigh over a bigger area, overall, than just the 4 feet.! (footprints)?
Regarding the >wounded front foot< when the press is in its final level, and operating position, via the wedges as suggested above,
- - - - - - -
and we have had to, in our Museum Print Shop, because it is housed in the Stable Block from previous, with floors that slope seriously,every which way.
- - - - - - -
[PILOT/Drill] the timbers, through the existing holes in the feet, acquire 4 STUBBY Coach Bolts just long enough to accomodate the thickness of the Feet, + the thickness of the timber wedges, but include 3 substantial steel washers, for the 3 unharmed feet, and one Softer BRASS or NYLON or both, washers, for the >Wounded< foot, pinch that coach bolt down gently, with a little blob of, 2 pack Epoxy Resin or 2 pack Chemical Metal, a little over engineering maybe, but *Belt and Braces* in the old fashioned way.
THEN if it is possible, (Appreciated that Not always so) position the Press(s) to straddle the joists ACROSS 2-3-4, rather than parallel WITH. Should make sense.
Good Luck. Mick.

Thanks, Inky and Mick!

Mick— can you elaborate on the wedges? so, essentially, just creating 4 wedges from 2x4s, removing the current 2x4s that are bolted to the press and replacing them with the wedges, letting the press settle itself down, and then drilling the holes in the wedges once the press is settled?

The 2x4s on the press have been on it since I bought it…any tips for replacing them with the wedges?

never used vibration pads, I usually just leave the press on the 2x4s, its worked for me for 55 years, it should work for you also.