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I'm honestly not trying to be rude here, but proofreading your work might help before posting a tutorial online. Just trying to help you out for next time. We all make mistakes. Thanks again for sharing. Looking forward to a reply!!! 🙂

@@bigfish8280 Sorry for my amateur posting. My videos are pretty much "ad-hoc" and are not planned or scripted. I have simply recorded what I was doing in order to share my knowledge. I turn on the camera and go to work. Hopefully, they are helpful to folks trying to understand how to do things with small platen presses. I am sorry that they may not be up to popular CZcams videos, but that was never my goal - and would be beyond my own capabilities.

yes, Gauge pins are an important find. As to their "value" - that's hard to say. I have listed prices for gauge pins on my web site - at excelsiorpress.org/forsale/fundraising.html#gauge_pins but these are arbitrary prices that were set when gauge pins were still readily available. Current "value"? that's hard to say. Let me know what you found and I'll do what I can to help you establish a current "value"...

Madie - They are "all over the place"... If you have one, another will find you. If you don't have one, just go looking. These are available on the Facebook "for sale" lists, and your local Craigslist listings. They are also available from a dozen or more old printers who save and restore them. I used to restore and sell them frequently, but recent health matters have slowed me down a bit. I have posted a list of sources on my web site at excelsiorpress.org/forsale/fundraising.html - and don't forget eBay. They are frequently listed for sale there - just be sure to confirm that all required parts are included - often critical parts are missing. If you have any questions, send them to me and I will evaluate what you have found. Prices range from $200-$1000 each. Most will require new ink rollers - for about $200.

Well, that old Multi is sure was a kick in the butt. I still keep two of them in the barn... Composition sure changed a lot since then, eh?

Sanjay - These presses are available. try www.letterpressthings.com/ and my list at excelsiorpress.org/forsale/fundraising.html for a list of others.

@@NoDeadlines all presses are shown as 'sold'

@@sanjayms974 yes. all of my presses are sold just now. I am dealing with cancer and that's my priority just now....

Joe - What a surprise to have a cancer to help you! ;) (after newfielin your many machinise posts!) COASTERS are each to find - and they are cheap. Just coogle "coasters" and you will find many folks selling them. They come in a few thicknesses; some are thinger than others; some come round; some squarely They can also be found in large sheets as well.

Rashdussaman - www.associatedbag.com/ The list is extensive and i cannot find the link I clicked, but this - is but this is the companty that sold me the "Instack Quick Tough RD" kid that i use. - Alan

Here's another link that may make things eashier for you - www.wbmason.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ItemDesc=Sealed-Air-Instapak-Quick-RT-Packaging-Bags-18-x-18-36-Bags-Carton&ItemID=SEL12650&uom=CT&OCID=SAG&CID=NOV1120_PDP_PCKG_SHOPPINGSHIPPINGPACKAGING~SHIPPINGPACKAGING_GPA_OTRT&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0rSABhDlARIsAJtjfCf2zQO3G_FXp0HmC6gxqc7nY0EmG8sC9xcfdS8gtR6rtAL5St9CD-AaAkXsEALw_wcB

Hi! Jame. Sure glad that the cackacing worked out well for you guys! happy printing!

"Thank you Lord for being born male. And play the violin. The machine will continue printing and I will not pay electricity." Well, I don't fully understand all of your comment - and I don't play the violin- but Rich (in the background) does play the guitar. - very well, in fact. He is also a printer. And, as you see, women can also run the old printing press very well. These old presses run very well with only foot power. No need for electricity. I use another one just like this - an 1890 Chandler & Price and I do prefer running it with the treadle instead of a motor. No need for electricity or any other power source. And, it prints just as well as my 1953 Heidelberg - which is run by an electric motor.

Pamela - Yes, indeed. Installing the gripper bar spring on a 5x8 is indeed problematic. Briefly, I have tried and found no way to install that spring on a fully-assembled press. When I install the gripper bar spring, I first remove the platen entirely - which is intimidating, but not as difficult as you might think. The main challenge is to remove the big heavy spring in the center of the platen - that one that is wrapped around the "stem" of the platen itself. While this spring is too strong to compress, it can be relatively easy to remove if you use a screwdriver to pry it up over the pin just enough so that, using a large pair of pliers - or, preferably a set of Channel Lock pliers to grasp it from the outside and slowly, tediously, unscrew it (over the pin) to get it off. Once you have it started - and tension on the pin is released, you can remove the pin. Just tap it with a small hammer and slide it out. At that point, the spring will slide off easily and the platen can be simply lifted off of its mounting plate. With that plate removed, you will have clearance below and a straight shot through the holes and can indeed simply slide the spring into place (from the back), clipping it onto the gripper bar itself. Some springs, btw have a complex bend in them which will snap over the bar to hold it in place on the shaft; others employ a simple 90 degree bend. Both work well to keep the spring in place. Once the spring is in place, it is very east to reinstall the platen, replace the pin and then screw the spring back into place. I suppose I will need to record this procedure in photos or video and post it either here or on my web site. Sorry that I have not gotten to this little project yet. - Alan ExcelsiorPress.org

Alan Runfeldt thank you so much, Alan, for your helpful and detailed explanation. It does sound intimidating and I don’t really don’t trust my skills in that regard right now. I think I will just leave the grippers off for the time being. And yes, it would be great if you would make a video showing this. All of your videos and knowledge are appreciated. Thank you again! 😃

@@pamelagreene9417 - OK. One more thing to do.... ;) But I agree. I should have done this long ago. A friend once told me not to give away my trade secrets, but I disagree. The more I share with you folks, the better.... ;) It make take me a bit to get this done, but I will keep it on my priority to-do list (behind at least a dozen others...) Watch my blog at excelsiorpress.org/blog/blog.2020.html for an update as soon as I get it done. - or contact me via the website or here to remind me.... And, yes. You don't always need the grippers, but they can be very handy when you do need to pull a sheet off of a sticky, "wet" form - or build a frisket to protect your platen from inadvertent inking.

Brendan - I can understand how hand-feeding can look dangerous, but it's not if the printer follows one simple rule - don't lean forward and stick your hand into the press. Simple enough... And there is no need ever to do that. As the platen closes, it pulls away from the feed table. Unless you lean way over and reach your hand in to the press, your hand is never in a dangerous place. it cannot hurt you. If the feeder stands with his or her back straight - and does not lean into the press, your hand is never in a dangerous position, no matter how fast you are feeding. I've been hand-feeding a C&P platen press for over 50 years - since I was 14 years old - and used to run at 30 impressions/minute.(These days I prefer 10-15 ipm) I never even came close to being hurt by it. The key factor is that I was taught to stand with my back straight - *never* to lean into the press as I was feeding. It might be tempting to reach in and adjust a mis-fed sheet, but if a sheet does not line up, rather than reach in to adjust it, I was taught to use the impression throw-off lever to skip impression until the platen opened and I could safely adjust the sheet. Some presses also came equipped with a safety feature - a guard on the platen that would rise up and physically prevent you from reaching in to the platen as the press closed. If the pressman maintains good posture and keeps his or her back straight, it is not possible to reach into the danger area. - Old printer Al

Paul - Yes. Kelsey shipped their presses all around the world using only a cleverly designed corrugated packaging system. The expanding foam technique costs more, but is the best alternative I could come up with. It holds the press firmly and I confidently guarantee safe transit. 100% safe shipping. Too many presses are poorly packaged and damaged in shipping. I know because folks come to me for replacement parts when their presses are damaged due to poor packaging. The key is to hold the press firmly in place - no motion = safe transit.

NMIH - The National Museum of Industrial History - is in Bethelehem, PA. I work with them on printing-related collections & displays. My shop is in Frenchtown, NJ. I have many C&Ps. Come visit ExcelsiorPress.org for info - and send me an email. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have related to C&P Presses.

translation: " Is that speed variable mechanical or electrical? It seems that these flat belts are more appropriate for these printing machines. Greetings from a printer." William - The speed is constant with this motor - it is either off or on. However, variable speed motors were also available. The earlier ones (like my own press) rotated the brushes around the rotor to adjust speed. Later on, electrical controls with a rheostat control were used. In this case, we illustrating the use of a mechanical clutch. It is either on or off. There are two wheels for the belt. One drives the press, the other simply spins in idle mode. When the clutch is engaged, the belt is mechanically shifted to the drive wheel. When disengaged, it is moved to the side and runs on the free-wheeling idle wheel. In the past, the flat belt could have been connected to a line shaft or other power source. These belts are common on the C&P platen presses.

Yes. The 6x10 side lever (aka "Victor" model) is one of the best table top presses currently available. Only ones that do a better are the C&P Pilot (which sell for twice as much) and the original Cook's Victor (which inspired this design) and is hard to find these days.

Robert - Thanks for your comment. I have been "rescuing" letterpress equipment for about 20 years and have saved many presses like the one you let slip away. No worries; there is an entire international community of folks like us who are saving, restoring and using these venerable old machines. In fact, the job I was printing in this video were invitations to the opening of a 6-month exhibit on Letterpress Printing and Paper Making that was featured at the National Museum of Industrial History -a Smithsonian Affiliate museum in Bethlehem, PA. it was a very successful exhibit and drew many interested visitors. We are hoping for the funding to increase their display space so that this exhibit will become permanent... I currently restore and resell an average of one press each month - and I am not the only one. That press that slipped through your fingers can sell these days from anywhere between $200 and $2,000 dollars - depending location, condition and the interest of the buyer. This photo shows a small selection of the little table top presses (mostly Kelseys) that are in the press shed awaiting restoration. excelsiorpress.org/blog/photos.2019/PressShed-1000w.jpg I actually had a visit from Pete Wilson - the man made who built these presses at the Kelsey Company over fifty years ago. He was pleased to see them saved and on their way to restoration. Come visit my web site to learn more about the repair and restoration of these old presses.

Thanks. This was the first video I posted - so many years ago. It was shot with what would now be considered an old and obsolete camera and there was no editing at all. We were just lucky that Rich finished his song and Sarah finished the run just as my camera ran out of storage. Serendipity. And, yes, a video that I still enjoy viewing now and then, myself.

Chithra - Google translate tells me that your message was posted in Javanese Language and translates as : "Enga sell the lid for about an hour" But I still do not understand. Can you re-post in English? Thanks, Alan!

I hate to see her go, but I know that this 6x10 will have a good home and be enjoyed for a long time to come. I think that it will be a big hit in your Tea Shop and will soon be busy printing coaters, cards and anything else you might think of.... Besides, I do have more 6x10's to restore, so I'll have to get to work on one of them soon.... ;)

Frank? You knew Mr. Ishill! Wow! That was a long time ago in that walk-in basement print shop. I was there around 1963 or so, I think. Do we know each other? Frank... Berkeley Heights... 60's... hm.... I was actually at UPenn this afternoon - delivering this press to the woman who maintains the Ishill collection there! It was late in the day, so I didn't visit it then, but do have plans to. Small world, eh?!

Yes. They are available - $500 used presses will often print as well as the $1000+ re-manufactured models. Remanufactured presses simply look nicer in many cases. But the press must be complete. Parts are hard to find and can be very expensive. We actually make new replacement parts, but the cost of production is too high to be practical. But - table top presses cannot print large forms - especially with heavy coverage. 1000 pound flywheel-driven presses will print large forms better. Table tops are great for small forms - cards, coasters, etc - requiring less ink coverage.

David - it all depends on the size of the wrench. C&P did make their own wrenches and I have a few - mostly for the larger presses. These were used to remove bolts and adjust the platen bolts on Chandler & Price presses. Want to sell it? I collect all sorts of things related to C&P Presses.

¡Esos tiempos continúan en mi tienda! ;)

@@NoDeadlines , muy afortunado, saludos