kelsey excelsior chase falls out
Just setting up a Kelsey Excelsior 5by8 but the chase likes to fall out of the chase bed. Help.
My best guess is that the chase locking arm’s metal is warn so there is not enough lip to grab and hold on to my chase. I have attached a photo.
More info…I actually don’t need to use the chase lock arm when I pop in the chase. This may be normal but this is my first time to use this press and I am accustomed to a C&P 8by10. The arm, of course, makes the bed fall out so seems logical. Anyway, it sits in there, feels secure but when I start running the press, it falls out.
Second best guess would be that I have the wrong chase but… based on the Kelsey booklet and the grooves, it looks pretty good.
My intention with the press is to start working with my 4 yr old not production work etc but I like things in working order and want to avoid a fix like taping in the chase. Thoughts???
chaselock.JPG
chaselock2.JPG
It looks like there might be a pretty good thickness of paint on all the parts in question. Is the chase/bed clamp fitting down deep enough in the bed slot of the press?
On the second photo it does look like it is fully seated, but it is difficult to tell from the photo.
If you look at the lever that holds the bed and the chase in place you will see that there are two different nubs- the innermost one holds the bed, the other one holds the chase. It looks to me that jhenry is correct and that the bed is not back all the way and both are being held by the outermost nub.
Make sure the bed can be seated properly (this may require some paint removal at any pinch point) then put the chase in. That should do it!
Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY
sometimes you can try turning the chase the other way, sounds stupid but it could work, i have a 5x8 kelsey with a foiling unit on it, to get the chase to clamp i had to drive the pin that holds the chase lock half way out and bend the pin so the clamp will hold the chase, mine used to fall out also.
It would seem that the obvious is overlooked initially, the release lever has to incorporate, a short stubby compression spring to make it work, hence>>> remove the lever, check the spring and replace if needed,(hardware store) and whilst the lever is out, offer it up and see if the angles of the tounge of the lever and the chase are compatible if not a gentle dress with an ordinary hand file, (not rocket science,) and love the Colour, bet that wasnt in the Sears And Roebuck catalogue before the war.
Take the bed out of the press. Look at the bottom of the bed. There should be 2 set screws. Move them just a little in or out, can’t remember which way. I’m not at the shop to check mine. Both of my Kelsey’s used to do this. Moving the screws allows the bed to go back enough to lock. Then put the chase frame back in. It doesn’t take much on the screws. Maybe a 1/4 turn.
Friends,
This past weekend I had the opportunity to help a friend set up his new press. A Kelsey 5 x 8 just like this one.
I’ve been printing for over 30 years and never worked with one of these. Interesting little press.
We were able to level the bed very quickly, putting a piece of type in each corner. It printed the four letters cleanly and solid.
We then put in a cut approximately 3” x 4”. We couldn’t get it to print clean no mater how we tried. We tried another cut of similar size. In each case could not get the upper part to print well. We readjusted the screws for the bed to no avail.
There is one screw in the middle (upper part of the bed) that was supposed to be for “stability”.
Does anyone know how we might get this to print correctly?
Does anyone have any advice about the middle screw?
thx
s
Friends,
This past weekend I had the opportunity to help a friend set up his new press. A Kelsey 5 x 8 just like this one.
I’ve been printing for over 30 years and never worked with one of these. Interesting little press.
We were able to level the bed very quickly, putting a piece of type in each corner. It printed the four letters cleanly and solid.
We then put in a cut approximately 3” x 4”. We couldn’t get it to print clean no mater how we tried. We tried another cut of similar size. In each case could not get the upper part to print well. We readjusted the screws for the bed to no avail.
There is one screw in the middle (upper part of the bed) that was supposed to be for “stability”.
Does anyone know how we might get this to print correctly?
Does anyone have any advice about the middle screw?
thx
s
when i level the platen i put the type where the adjusting screws are.
dickg- great idea, i will try that.
Steve and Raliegh- you guys are the best! thanks for all your help and I am looking forward to many more tutorials from you guys!
I tested all the ideas. Thank you very much!
The chase bed lock does sit snug and as far as possible into the groove as well as flat and snug against all the other metal behind the bed, no gaps. I will scrape off any paint on the interior of the lock that should be catching the chase but it really looks like I need much more of a metal lip to hold in the chase. I took a new, hopefully clear, image and attached, may help. I played with the spring as well and it’s new, nice, bouncy and allows the lock to sit no problemo. I unfortunately did not find any set screws in the chase bed that would help lock or adjust. I definitely found that one side of the chase locks in better than the other, so that’s good. I am trying to hold in a heavy chase but that’s somewhat typical with lead… (I like the idea of putting the Ms over the screws, I will shift my set up) So… if my conclusion is correct, is it weld job or and DIY ideas?
photo.JPG
On the Kelseys the chase/bed lock is designed with two “hooks” or slots, one for the bed and one for the chase. It looks in the photos like perhaps the bed is not fully seated in the frame and so the hook for the bed is not engaging the bed, but instead the lock is catching between the bed and chase. You should be able to lock the bed in place without a chase in it, using the hook closest to the pivot point of the lock lever. If you can do that the second hook should grab the chase properly.
Bob
I agree with the other folks that the chase and bed, although seem to be locked in properly, actually aren’t. Looks like your chase is fine. I have attached a picture of my chase/bed lock (removed the ink plate for better visibility) so that you can see the difference between yours and mine. Hope this helps.
image.jpg