Rollers only reaching bottom of ink disc

sorry, image attached now.

View recent photos.jpeg

Could you send a photo of the side of the press, or even better, a link to a video of the side of the press as it goes through a cycle? Also, it looks like the roller trucks are not lined up with the rails. It looks like the roller trucks should go in farther. There should be keyways (or partial keyways) in the trucks which go over the pinched up metal places on the roller cores (roller shafts). At least that is the way it should be if the same as my 8X12 was.

Hi Geoffrey,
Thank you for your reply. It may be the angle of the photo that the trucks don’t appear to be lined up wth the rails.
Here is a link to a video.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mc4qxAVRY4tp5-sMW_O5Q1ML9hEgO3nJ/view?u...

Also an image of the press.

IMG_9058.jpg

It looks like the link that actuates the roller arms is on the opposite side of the press from where the video was taken. Is there a loose or missing key on that side, or a loose set screw? I don’t have that press so am running out of ideas.

Hi Geoffrey,
Thank you so much for taking the time to really study and look at the video. It is much appreciated.
I will check when this weekend for any missing keys, screws.

You are welcome. Hope you find and fix the problem.:)

I think I might have found a difference in my pilot that I do not see in pictures of other pilots, it appears that the yoke doesn’t connect fully with the back frame, creating a gap. I’ve attached a picture of my press and circled the gap as well as a picture of another press where the the yoke is touching the back frame completely. I believe this may be the reason why the rollers aren’t reaching further up on the ink disc. Any advice on how to adjust the yoke?

Here’s a link to the back of my press in operation:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/164TF42GnZVJMJCsth-Bqjw4jY4ZaBTeJ/view?u...

IMG_9196.jpg

IMG_9193 2.JPG

How tight is the platen adjusted? When you are on full impression is the bar hitting the built-in stop on the frame? (Or is that the stop you pointed out?) The amount of travel of the bar will govern how high on the ink disc the rollers can get and anything that prevents the rollers both reaching past the disc center would cause your problem. You could try removing all packing on the platen except a sheet of tympan paper, and backing off on the impression bolts on the platen to see if that affects the roller travel. My suggestion would be to do that and if it improves the roller travel on the ink disc keep adjusting until the stop you pointed out is completely closed. When it is, then adjust the platen for overall light impression and adjust the impression with platen packing.

Bob

You do need to remember that adjusting the platen requires type-high SOMETHING preferably in the four corners of the chase, preferably something that is not squashable, such as steel type-high blocks, with no packing on the platen except one sheet of tympan paper.

Bob

Looks like something is stopping the press from “full-on” impression. Look around carefully. “What is hitting what?”

Your platen is adjusted WAY too close to the bed. Those platen bolts appear not to be original.

Your platen is adjusted WAY too close to the bed. Those platen bolts appear not to be original.

My suggestion would be to loosen the four platen adjusters enough so you can close the press all the way until the stops on the back are touching. Then put 1 sheet of tympan paper on the tympan that extends to the ends of the platen so the tympan paper on the platen ends is between the platen and the roller rails, close the platen to contact of the rear impression stops and weight the handle or get someone to hold it all the way down while you screw the platen adjusters until all four are just snug in contact with the platen and the platen is snug against the rails, then tighten their lock nuts. The platen is now at type-high distance from the bed, is squared to the bed (assuming the rails aren’t badly worn) and should make an even impression on type-high material, with the addition of a sheet or two of packing, when the impression stops on the back of the press are completely closed.

Now your rollers should cross the ink disc center, and when printing a job always press the bar down so those stops on the back are fully in contact, and every sheet will be printed the same.