Vandercook Handle Knocked Off During Shipping

That is just a broken screw. The screw will need to be replaced to origoinal specs and the stub removed with a screw extractor. NA Graphics should have the screw.

You can pick up an extractor at your local hardware store, they will be in the drill bit section usually.
Tell them you need an EZ OUT, if they aren’t sure what you mean tell them a screw extractor.

You will also need to put the handle in a vice when drilling and removing the stud.

Thank you for all the advice.
We bought the extractor and attempted to remove the screw but it was no go.
The handle turns freely on the spindle so the vice wouldn’t hold it in place. I don’t want to wreck it; I figured a machinist would know what to do.

You can just remove the handle and work on it off the press.

But if you’re set on hiring a machinist, then I’m sure they will know what to do.

Hi Daniel,
We tried knocking the pins in the handle out and they wouldn’t budge either. My brother was afraid too much force might bend them.
We at least realize we’re not mechanically gifted and quite happy to leave this job to the talented!

The stem the handle rotates on is part RR-21, the screw in the end of the handle is LR-73. The LR-73 screw has to be removed to remove what’s left of the stem. The handle itself is Bakelite, and is somewhat brittle and may break if the stem is forced, The end of RR-21 that fits in the handle casting is not threaded at all, but is swedged into the handle casting from the back side. It is necessary to remove the main handle from the press or it could be broken if not properly worked on. I have a new RR-21 sitting here on my desk, and it with the handle should be taken to a machinist to have this work done properly. So all the advice about a screw is not correct and this is not a home solution because when the handle gets broken, we have no replacements. See the picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53177163@N00/7072212571/in/photostream

It’s nice that so many people jumped in with a solution, but good intentions aside, if one doesn’t specifically know how to solve a particular problem, there is most likely someone who does, so give them a chance to weigh in before coming up with an unknown solution. On Vandercooks, I may have to reference a drawing and that may take a day or two before I have the time.

Fritz/NA Graphics

Hello Fritz, Save that stem for me!
I will call you Monday, AM.
Many thanks,
stephanie shieldhouse

Thank you to everyone who weighed in on this matter.
I followed Mr. Klinke’s advice and the press handle was restored with the help of Jeff from B&H Machine and Repair here in Jacksonville.
My best to all,
Stephanie

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