Inking Issue

The spot on the ink disc could be some roller wash left over from a washup. It happens. Washup again, make sure there is no roller wash left on the rollers or the disc.
It looks like your plate is inking up, along with everything else..You need to raise the roller tracks. We used to use strips of pressboard glued in place. The rollers must be the same diameter as the end trucks. I suggest using a roller setting gauge, ie from Boxcar Press. Boxcar has a helpful video on setting roller height.

I’m betting either your type is too high or your rollers are too low (or oversize, thought the trucks seem to be the right size).

The only cure I can think of for the un-inked spot on the ink table is to grind the whole thing flat.

Your photo, which is too close to the press to be able to see what may be causing the problem, implies to me that there is something wrong with either the chase attachment to the bed or the bed attachment to the press frame. The visible roller and press bed imply 1) that the roller rails are too low or missing, and/or 2) that the press has some vital parts missing. There should not be ink on the chase, or the photopolymer base, but only on the face of the photopolymer plate. Two photos, one from the same angle as this one but farther away, and one from the side far enough away to show the entire press, would help analyze the problem.

It is rather difficult to tell from the photo but it appears to me that the base is not even seated in the chase, but actually protruding forward and locked in only from the sides.
More pictures would be helpful.

For a newbie, I’d also suggest you get a copy of Jessica White’s book, Letterpress Now. It’s been out of print for years, but you can find it online.
Steve Varvaro
SouthapwPrinters.com

Thank you everyone for your advice and for taking the time to help - I really appreciate it, especially as I’m still very new to letterpress.

From all your comments, it sounds like the main issue is most likely related to my roller height/rails setup rather than the plate itself. I’m going to look into raising the roller tracks and checking the roller height properly. I’ll also double check that the base is seated correctly and that everything is level and locked in properly.

I’ve also noticed another issue: the small clicker mechanism doesn’t seem to be properly engaging with the teeth on the ink disc, so the disc isn’t rotating automatically with each impression unless I manually move it. I’m not sure if that could also be contributing to the uneven inking.

I’ve taken some more photos from further back and from the side so the full press setup can be seen more clearly, and I’ll attach them below.

Thank you again - all the suggestions have been really helpful for troubleshooting this.

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Although still rather indistinct, I’d offer that the rollers are larger than their trucks, and the forme is greater than type high. Might measure both. :o)

I agree with forme, I would lay a stright edge across the roller and make sure it is the same size as the trucks. That could be part or all of the problem.