Reproduce a Poco Crank Arm?
I’m looking for a Crank & Handle for the POCO Proof Press No.0 our printmakers’ collective recently acquired. I don’t necessarily need an original crank—unlikely, but preferred.
If there are enough Poco owners whose crank handles are missing, I could take the handle from my other Poco and have a small run of repros made, ideally saving us all time and money. LMK!
We have a few foundries here in KC, but if there are any casting specialists with a particular interest in press part repops, I’d appreciate hearing about them.
I don’t think Hern does custom work.
no idea what the costs would be, but i have a poco no 0 with a missing handle and i would be interested. would only need the cast, can do the rest in my machine shop.
Here is what the handle on my Poco 0 looks like; from the center of the drum shaft to the center of the hand-handle is 8.25 inches.
IMG_0793.jpeg
Thanks, Bob!
I’d meant to post a crank pic.
And the ctc measurement!
Hey, Macernst….
Every subscriber’s casting will, of course, need machine work
& I can entirely understand your wanting to do your own.
That makes three folks, so far.
To cast new arms would probably be incredibly expensive. The mold alone will likely be several thousand of dollars. Then, as stated. The machining work on them.
Beg to differ- I know folks who could cast at least 5 of them in one day; you use the actual handle as the pattern and make a sand mold, a bit finicky but needs time, not an expensive mold. There’s still machining and probably heat treating to make malleable iron from the cast iron, but that’s mostly a hands-off deal (put in oven, set oven, come back a day later).
Ragpicker- drop me an email zbang -at- sonic period net.
Beg to differ- I know folks who could cast at least 5 of them in one day; you use the actual handle as the pattern and make a sand mold, a bit finicky but needs time, not an expensive mold. There’s still machining and probably heat treating to make malleable iron from the cast iron, but that’s mostly a hands-off deal (put in oven, set oven, come back a day later).
Ragpicker- drop me an email zbang -at- sonic period net.
I still think the most expeditious would be have one welded up out of steel; there’s virtually no stress on the part in use, and a good operator with a cutting torch could whiz out the hub and arm and with a lathe make the handle (which is fixed in the arm). A bit of grinding to smooth the edges and bore the hub for the axle of the cylinder. Done! And you’d have a pattern for casting more if needed.
Oh, yes, fab-ing is going to be faster and cheaper, it’s all down to the artistry of the person making it.
Ok, well,,, i guess, “A Caveman can do it”.
Any machine shop can easily fabricate a suitable handle for the press. And, as mentioned, using an original as pattern is a method often used in reproduction. As the handle is not critical in dimension, shrinkage is not a concern. Too, with the arrival of the 3D printing method, yet another avenue is opened. Of course, when all else fails, the ol’ reliable Vice Grip serves admirably. :o)
That is a very good thought. Also, a decent scrap yard probably has some sort of old hand-cranked device from which the hand crank could be robbed and adapted. The biggest problem is trying to restore to authentic original appearance - it’s the most difficult sort of restoration.