Well, today was the day…my first use of the 1929, 8×10 Chandler and Price printing press, and I am happy to report things went very well. I placed the rollers in the saddles, smeared a small blob of ink on the lower left side of the ink table and switched the press on. It took about 15 cycles of the rollers before the ink plate was covered with an even amount of ink (the ink table rotates a bit each cycle). I then placed the chase (with type) in the chase bed, got behind the press and switched it on again. Ink coverage was good as was depth. One of the gauge pins had to be moved but that was no bigee.
The speed of the opening and closing of each cycle was not horrible but I found it a bit fast given my lack of experience in hand feeding. I decided to wait one cycle between feeding my cards to the tympan. Too hasty of a move would result in poorly printed cards.
I am a visual learner by nature and watched many YouTube videos to see what the norm was for the moving parts and anything I could pick up. Much has been gleened from Ralph Polk’s 1926 book, “The Practice of Printing” and the reprint, “Elementary Platen Presswork” which I received for Christmas. Below is a video of me at the press, not terribly exciting but I call it success. The mechanical sound the press makes is very soothing to me. A friend even suggested it be used in a music video. I love creative minds. enjoy.
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HI
YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SLOW YOUR PRESS DOWN A LITTLE! I WAS WORRIED THAT YOU WERE FEEDING AS THE PRESS HAD COMMENCED ITS CLOSE ACTION. IDEALLY, FOR SAFETY, HAVE FEEDING DONE ON THE OPENING CYCLE. I was a bit worried for you. I’ve been a printer since the 60′s and still got five on each hand!!
Good luck though- and the press looks beautiful too!
Thanks Dennis. I am doing this today with a second set of pulleys…dramatically slower. And thanks for reading and responding.