Adjusting platen

Old series, New series or Craftsman?

I pretty sure it’s an old series

clementine.jpg

As the platen proper is the only variable in the equation, within reason and irrespective of which size, with no rollers up but not important.
Put a full out forme of Type, Blocks, Plates, W.H.Y. or at least substantial amount of type high material in the 4 corners lock up internally if need be.?
Slacken of the 2 main Platen holding bolts, back of the 4 impression screws, with nominal packing, bring the M/c. up to impression proper, just with fingertips or small wrench, bring the 4 impression screws up equally and progressively, until one thickness of stock can be gripped at/under & between the image and the packing @ the 4 corners.
Good yardstick to start from, for eventual tweeking of impression screws..
Once reasonably acceptable overall impression is obtained, a little fore though involves marking the impression screws, assuming they are all the same thread, marking all 4 @ 12 O clock to view and merely Tweeking In or Out 5 “minutes” at a time, to suit subsequent stock or packing.
5 minutes advance or retard, on all 4, even with coarse Whitworth bolts, will probably give.>(better than) one thickness of decent stock
As a proving experiment rotate one imp. screw 360 degrees and see how much Or how little 360 degrees rotation difference makes, by sight or feeler gauges, or slivers of paper or card.

Good starting point for subsequent jobs @ varying thickness of stock, especially running Clamshell M/c,s .

Parallel Approach is much more forgiving, well documented.

Thank you Mick! as I am pretty new at this, I feel like i’m reading another language. Are the impression screws in the back of the platen; where are the impression screws located? Here are photos of the front with the rollers up and the back. Which bolts do I adjust? Right now, it just gets to the point where I pack it so much that it doesnt continue to roll so I have to manually press it (if this makes sense)

Front.jpg

back.jpg

From your first shot above you are almost certainly looking at the top 2 adjuster bolts, with a strong light or a dentists mirror you should be able to see 2 corresponding lower, there is probably a 50/50 split between One securing bolt or or Two, Yours is with One just in shot centre but still slackened.
Yours has a slight variation in that the adjuster bolts are not threaded into the Platen, rather bolted through platen Meaning that it takes a lot more patience to progressively advancing every bolt x 4 forward by screwing the Inner nuts anti clockwise to advance the platen up to impression.
Of course with the single Centre bolt slacked of, which is quite often seen with a heavy duty spiral wound washer, partial safeguard against unwary users cranking the adjuster screws UP without slackening the centre bolt off.

In your first shot above, something looks slightly amiss, in that the right hand bolt and inner nut, look proud compared to the left hand, i.e. is there an odd washer or washers, on that bolt, should be exactly the same in all 4 cases.
Has a previous owner tried to rectify a prior problem.? by the wrong route.
There are some good Shots/Videos on the Web that show the Platen Proper, with the adjuster bolts well in shot, but ONE is absolutely frightening in the extreme,
**Letterpress Printing with Elizabeth** on a C.& P., She quite blythely says, This is the Slowest it runs, and then cranks it up and hand feeds at what could be approaching 600/700 maybe more I.P.H. Good Luck. Mick.

Ken,
Where are you located? I have done this numerous times on 8 x 12 C&Ps. I can walk you through it. If you would like to contact me offline, it is SV[email protected].
It is not that daunting.
s

i posted process on your other post. mick tends to make for a long page

Hi Steve I’m actually located in las vegas so if anyone is coming out here to roll the dice, maybe I can ask for a lesson on my press?