Category: Troubleshooting the press
Later topic: Challenge Paper Cutter Question
Earlier topic: HELP -ink dish not rotating C&P old style 1904

Heated Rods for Foil Printing Base

Hi there!

I have owned my Windmill for years now. It came with foil capabilities but I have explored them just a little bit. Most of the reason for that is that I believe one of the parts that it came with is broken..

It came with a small base for mounting the foil dies. This base is heated by rods that can insert at various points along the base. The rods are wired and plug into a spot on my press, which is controlled by a separate control box.

The parts IN the press work fine as far as I can tell but the rods and the wires & plugs they are attached to are iffy at best. The wires are old and frayed and the plugs have some damage. When I was experimenting years ago, it seemed like only 1 or 2 out of 4 of the rods actually got hot. I did some amateur fiddling with the cords and plugs to see if I could solidify the connections but didn’t have luck.

I’ve attached a couple photos of the plugs and general rig.

Does anyone have any advice? Are rods and plugs like these available for purchase somewhere?

Thanks for your help!

image: foilBase.png

foilBase.png

image: foilPlug.png

foilPlug.png

Log in to reply   2 replies so far

I would start by finding out, from a spec sheet or manual for the system, what the power to the rods is, AC or DC, voltage, and current for one rod. Find a source for electricity of the required voltage and test each rod to ensure that they heat up when connected - a “Variac” is a great way to obtain the correct AC or DC voltage. Then test the controller output with a volt/ammeter to ensure the controller is working. Take some of the wire to an electrical supply store and get enough new matching wire - wire size and insulation type to match the old wire - to replace all the leads between the controller and the plate when locked up in position on the bed of the press. Take an example of the connectors to the electrical supply store to see if they can source a close enough plug to work, or can supply connector pins that can replace the old ones - if the connector housings are sound but dirty, defective pins of the same size may be available to replace them so you can re-use the existing connectors. Once the wires and connectors have been assembled you can plug the system together and the plate should heat up.

Bob

What make of control box do have. One place to start is to make sure the rods, pid controller and control unit will play nice together. I have a Boss controller which when you peel off the boss names plate was made by Watlow. Since Watlow was still in business I bought new heat sheathed braided modern rods from them, they were very helpful