Atlas (made by O.M.M., Italy) Proof Press
Whoo hoo! My early birthday gift has just arrived. This 14x16 press is getting cleaned up, with tlc and the great advice from lp friends.
Troubleshooting help? There seems to be a bit of roller wobble - I’ll fiddle around with it tomorrow morning with better light, but wondered if any of you know which knob or screw to tighten up, other than my head (because my checkbook is getting thinner by the moment as I’ve jumped into this wonderful world! lol)
I also just learned that I can build up the bed temporarily with mdf and maybe some plexi so that I could make some monoprints? Have you done the same with your proof press? Please lmk what clever jury-rigging you’ve accomplished!
kc
Roller wobble seems to imply uneven roundness. Are the rollers out of round. Also I would suggest a roller gauge off ebay. Rubber rollers about 6-10 point mark on the gauge, composition a bit more. these are on the heavy side of suggestions.
But really we need to see photographs. Its a very loose description. What press is it, how is it adjusted, what type of rollers are they, how many, is it a platen or a cylinder press. Your not really saying anything that could help anyone to help you.
Oops, looks like I need to learn proper terminology. Sorry, newbie here. I can’t answer some of your questions, but the pix will help. (Flatbed, cylinder, pretty, etc.)
It’s the housing (the green thing that holds the roller) that has the wiggle room. The metal ends of the roller remain on track, but I wasn’t sure if the wiggle is something to be concerned with or not.
Can you tell me what the handle (on the green thing) is for? It doesn’t move, nor does it look like it’s meant to.
IMG_4767.jpg
At a guess from a long way away, similar to some seen here in U.K. Non self inking therefore inked by hand with the cylinder at extreme right to clear the forme, cylinder returned above the type to depress the gripper bar for sheet entry, with the handle (thing) as you call it to the left, to keep the cylinder raised, prior to printing, then the handle moved to the right to drop the cylinder, to print, on the forward stroke, etc etc.>>> It would seem that the handle has to/will move, as the only means of raising and lowering the cylinder (STUCK) and will probably incorporate (maybe hidden) fine adjuster for impression height.>>> It may be useful to work out, the operation of THAT handle first, and then transport (move) the cylinder,>>> via the centre of the carriage??? If their is just a little play in the standards that carry the cylinder along the side rails, which are perhaps sticky, you may inadvertantly make the carriage bind with THE handle?>>>Mounting (as you have implied already) thickest M.D.F. cut to maybe 2-3 inches bigger than the footprint of the machine, corners gently rounded!!! the whole board sealed with varnish, or preferably AUTO cylinder block varnish, (virtually impervious to most chemicals!?) and then every edge trimmed with (kitchen style) extruded aluminium strip which, incorporates a small return on the top surface!!! to prohibit liquids leeching into the laminates of the M.D.F. (i.e. in this case print chemicals) >>>The strip secured with fine panel pins or good adhesive, and in kitchen use, normally carries a plastic fillet at the edge,>>> to prohibit liquid ingress!!!>>>Lastly, gently, with help, place the press on its side and as the base, will almost certainly be heavily webbed, take accurate depth measurements at 4 or 6 points into the web, and introduce 4 or 6 accurate spacers to raise the bed off, the M.D.F., to give clearance for the bottom ball races. Good Luck
Not my sort of machine but a suggestion ..
The lever in the left of the photo probably activates/ opens a gripper to hold the head of the sheet during impression .
The lever on the cylinder carriage may have two purposes and will probably unlock an eccentrice mechanism that as mick suggests drops the cylinder for the impression stroke .
It probably has to be fully to the left of the bed bofore the lever will drop the cylinder ,ie in when in the correct position to begin the printing stroke .
Its other purpose is also likely to raise and lower the carriage to allow proofing off a galley therefore it would need the ability for the whole cylinder to raise to allow for the extra height of the type in a galley.
It would be sensible to search out there on the web and find a manual or someone who can supply one , you arent likely to break anything with gentle experimentation but no force should be used until you understand what is happening .
The lever on the carriage may require you either pull the shaft of the handle up ward then twist it to operate it, much like some litho machines ,or you may have to pull the handle outward from the machine to disengage a lock before you can move it to the left or right .
Other than that i am not a lot of help where a manual usually reveals all once you read it through .
to all
If all else fails, read the manual.
Alan.
Gentlemen - thank you so much for all of your fine suggestions and advice. No manual yet, but will search online. In the meantime, I shall take heed of your guidance and go forth, with attention.