Anxious to get started, Tuesday August 20, 2013, I took many pictures of the press and wrote down the information I could find; such as, the date, serial number, model number, company, etc. So I sat down at the computer and started my research... Only to find myself squinting and saying "hmmmm" I realized that this press was not a letter press but a lithography press (which makes sense of the boxes of old lithographs sitting on top). The moment of "oh, no! I don't actually get to work on a letter press" happened and hysterically left when it dawned on me, "ohhhhh, silly me, maybe I should have checked the room for another press." Low and behold, there lies the very letter press that I will be working on in which I have walked by hundreds of times; and so the research finally began.
Thursday, August 22, 2013:
"Vandercook No. 2 Proof Press, Made only by Vandercook & Sons, Chicago U.S.A." This is the information that I could find on the press itself. After a quick google search, I have found that this press is from either 1934 or 1935 and obviously not painted bright blue in its original state. The following information is just the model description found from www.vandercookpress.info/years28-34.html#1934
"From 1934 Vandercook and 1935 ATF catalogs
Bed: 20" × 26" (1934)
Maximum sheet: 20" × 28" (1935)
Maximum form: 20" × 24" (1934), 19" × 24" (1935)
Floor space including handle: 41" × 53" (1934)
Floor space: 2'6" × 4'2" (1935)
Shipping weight: 675 lb
No grippers. Hand inked. Cabinet included. Tindeck blanket. Optional register device."
It looks as though I have a start, onward to learning just how a letter press works, find what is broken and hopefully fix it! I did find a website that sells printing press equipment and parts; we shall see if it's needed. (www.briarpress.org/yellowpages/browse?t=52)
Until next time!
