The Excelsior Press
Museum Print Shoppe

~~~

Dimensions of common
letterpress tools and equipment.

Press Chases, Ink Tables & Type Cases

(a work in progress)
It's often helpful to identify a press or a type case by knowing its dimensions. So, to make things easier for us all, we have measured some of the items in our collection and publish the dimensions here.

If you have an interest in any other similar dimensions from items in our collection, plrease send us a request and we'll get out our line gauge and go measure something...


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 Inking up the Chandler & Price

Inking up the 10x15 C&P (video to come)

See New Page (August, 2011) on the Chandler & Price Presses - with specifications sheet.

PRESS DIMENSIONS & SPECS | TYPE CASES | INK ROLLERS | PROOF PRESSES
Please contact us for any specific dimensions of any of the presses listed from our collection below. (We will complete this chart as we can.)

Note about roller diameters:
You do NOT need to match some historical spec.
You DO need to have rollers that:
1) do not hit each other and
2) are slightly larger than the roller trucks and
3) effectively transfer ink from the disk to the form.

Roller pressure should be relatively light; 20 durometer rollers need only a little bit of pressure to effectively ink the form.
Relatively shallow photo-polymer plates rely upon a *perfect* setting of ink roller height; type is more forgiving.
Black vinyl electrical tape is excellent for "taping the trucks" to increase diameter when setting roller height.
Roller Bearers and/or locking trucks can greatly improve roller function by assuring consistent rotation.

"Size"
 Platen Press Dimensions
(presses in the collection of Excelsior Press) * = not in collection		 Ink Table Roller Dia.
 Chase
outer dim.
 Weight
pounds

Baltimore card Press (similar to Chicago #11)
 4 1/4"


*#10
#11
 Sigwalt Chicago # 10 & #11 - Same Press
#10 has 1 roller #11 has 2 rollers
 "2 1/2 x 4" -- 2 1/2 x 3 15/16" inside chase
(outer dimensions includes 1/8" side tabs)
 4 3/16"
3 1/16" x 4 5/16"
3x5 Kelsey Excelsior (Old Style)
 6"


4x6
 Original Victor 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 - "Victor Mfg. Co. Boston, MA"
 7 1/2"
5 5/8" x 7 5/16"
4x6
 Craftsman Victory 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 (clone of Victor 4x6) - typically 1% smaller

5 19/32" x 7 3/16"
5x8
 Golding Pearl # 8 (Improved - 1923)



5x8
Golding Official # 3 (5 1/2 x 7 1/2") (side guide pins for chase mount)
 8 7/8"
 1 3/16"
 5 13/16 x 8 15/16"
5x8 Kelsey Excelsior Old Style (counter-clockwise rotation on down stroke)
chase inner: 5 3/8 x 8 3/8" 11/16" high
 8 5/8"
6 5/8 x 9 5/16"
 68
5x8 Kelsey Excelsior New Style (clockwise ink table rotation on up stroke)
 9"
6 5/8 x 9 1/4"
 68
5x8
* Craftsmen Imperial  (boxed weight - uncrated press weighs less)


100
6x9
 Kelsey Victor (original  old Cook's Victor style, made in Meriden, CT)
 10"
7 3/8 x 10 1/16"
 100
6x9 Craftsmen Victor Old Style??????
 10"


6x10 Kelsey Excelsior (chase also fits Pilot)
 11"
 1 1/4"
 7 3/4" x 11 1/2"
 80
6 1/2 x10 C&P Pilot (Early Series, New Style & Clones) (6x10 Kelsey chase fits) 11 3/8"
8 1/16 x 11 3/8"
 160
7x11
 Golding Pearl #11 (Improved - 1923)



7x11?
 Damon & Peets (Gordon?) Favorite (6x10 Kelsey chase fits)
 11 1/2"


8x12 Chandler & Price Old Series


1200*
8x12
 Chandler & Price New Series, Old Series
 13 3/4" 1 1/2"
 10 1/4 x 13 5/8"
 1050/
1250
9x13 Kelsey Excelsior 14" 1 7/16" 11" x 15 5/16"
9x13 Damon & Peets Gordon
 14 1/4"


10x15
 Colt's Armory Press
 n/a


10x15 Chandler & Price Old Series ( befofe 1914)


1800*
10x15 Chandler & Price New Series (1914)
 17 3/8" 1 3/4"
 12 1/2 x 17"
 1500/
1800
12x18 Chandler & Price Old Series


2000
12x18 Chandler & Price New Series - width:46" stripped:3"
 20 1/2"
15 1/4 x 20 1/2"
 2100
10x15
 Heidelberg Windmill Platen Press (black ball)


2300

Dimensions of Type Cases (wooden) (cases in the collection of Excelsior Press) weight ship cost - USPS
2/3 case
 22 x 16 3/4"
 4.5 #


3/4 case
 26 1/2 x 16 3/4"



full case
 32 3/8 x 16 5/8" - 17.5" w/handle
 6.5-8.5#
 1-$15
 3+ $10/ea

mini 2/3 case
 18 1/4 x 14 3/4"  (unique antique)



square case
 12 1/2"



Rule Case
 7 3/8" x 15 1/8"




Ink Roller diameters
diameter


Most Tabletop presses - shaft; trucks inner diameter= 5/16"
1 1/4"


9x13 Kelsey - 19 1/2"x3/8" shaft, 14.5" rubber, 1 7/16" od trucks
1 7/16"


8 x 12 C&P




10 x 15 C&P




12 X 18 C&P




Vandercook Model 4 Proof Press
2 7/16"


Vandercook Model 17 Proof Press - form rollers
2 1/4"


Challenge GP Proof Press - form rollers
3"


Proof Press Bed Dimensions (largest form that will fit)
 length
 width


Chandler & Price Galley Proof Press - 10"x25" bed
 25"
 10"


"Miles Heart Cure" Galley Proof Press - 8"x23" bed
 23"
 8"


Vandercook Model 099 Galley Proof Press - 13"x16" bed
16"
 13"


Vandercook Model 01 Galley Proof Press - 15" x 32" bed
 32"
 15"


Vandercook Model 4T Repro Proof Press -





Vandercook Model 17 Repro Proof Press -





Challenge GP Proof Press




Challenge 15K series - largest form
14 1/2
 23 1/2"


Challenge 20K series - largest form 19 1/2
 23 1/2"








* Shipping rate reported from 1906 C&P literature found on Handpress.org - likely includes crating. note: New Series Presses are heavier.




FULL SPECIFICATIONS / SALES Brochure OF ALL NEW STYLE C&P PRESSES - FROM C&P Courtesy of aquiseencuaderna.com




  • The 5x7 Pearl Flywheel weighs 42 pounds
  • 8x12 C&P Flywheel (to be weighed)
  • 10 x 15 C&P Flyweel (to be weighed)
Other Notes:
  • ON MOVING A BIG PRESS: The 10 x15 C&P rides well in a 5x7 U-Haul utility trailer ($29/day) - get the one with the ramp.  


(This is a work in progress. Please contact us for specific dimensions on any of the above presses or cases)
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last updated September, 2011 June, 2012