old style vs. new style C&Ps - which is which
I’m looking to get a treadle from Hern so I can print on my 10x15 C&P without a motor and all of a sudden I’m struck with the realization that I don’t know if my press is Old Style or New Style?!?
I’ve googled, searched these forums, etc. Either I’m unable to search properly or this truly hasn’t been documented anywhere. Somehow I think it’s me.
My press has the wavy spokes in the flywheel. Would someone be able to post a picture of both styles so this question is solved for everyone forever? :)
Many thanks!
wavey spokes means its an old style, you must look at the shaft the large flywheel is on and follow it to the center of the press, if the shaft is straight in the center of the press then you can’t use a treadle, if it has a bend in it then you can use a treadle.
Vikki, you have the Old Style C&P. The “new style” has the straight spokes. I have the 8x10 Old Style. Hope you have fun with it! Here’s a photo of mine.
The above comments are true with one possible exception. In the 1911-1914 period when they were changing over from old series to new series presses, I suspect that they may have made presses with both old series and new series parts. The reason I suspect this is that I had an 8X12 press with both old series and new series parts which was made in 1911. (Of course there is the possibility that C&P didn’t do this, but that my press was retrofitted years after it was manufactured).
Here is a link to the C&P serial numbers. You can not only tell what series yours is, but also the year it was made. The serial number of your press is stamped in an upper corner of the bed, which is the flat machined area under the ink disc.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B52tm...
That answers a question I was planning to post… My C&P 8x12 old series serial No. is B6522 and had assumed it was manufactured near the end of 1911… Maybe not?
I have a lovely old new style press that dates to 1911 (B50171). I’m always amused and proud that my new-style is in fact older than many old-styles. It may not have those purty wavy spokes, but it’s got some nice safety orange highlights and reflective fluorescent arrow graphics! Such a delightful stocky little centenarian!
Many thanks! Yes, thanks for the reminder, the flywheel shaft on my press has a bend in it, I’m all set to go! Just to be super-sure, though, there’s no chance that someone along the line could have, say, changed the flywheel on the press? Are there any other identifying features between and New Style and Old Style C&P?
Also, my serial number (C7584) is not on this list. Bizarre?! The closest I see is C7576 from 1913. Almost 100 years!
I guess I wonder then, too: what is the difference between an old-style and new-style treadle?
The number C7576 was the first number from the start of 1913. The Old Style was discontinued in that year but maybe a hundred 10 x 15s were made, including yours, before they switched to the New Style. If you do the math. they made 12 or 13 per month so you press was made in January of 1913. The frame over all and many of the parts of the New Style were much heavier and sturdier. And the flywheel was straight spoke. Both old and new had drive shafts with a curve for accommodating a treadle.
The side arms on the old series presses were machined and round. The side arms on the new series were rough cast and more rectangular in cross section, with rounded edges at the top and bottom (but with machined bearing surfaces of course). I think many (if not all) ink discs on the old series were two part, with inner and outer round parts. Originally, they had gears which caused the two parts to rotate in opposite directions for better ink distribution. The new series ink discs were mostly (if not all) one piece.