C&P Pilot Press Restoration

We may have a paper copy of this in the donation boxes, but see online PDF for C&P official instructions and parts list.

Optional: teardown & rebuild

Maybe don’t do this (or at least do cleaning without tear down first, get press working at all and use it a bit, so understand how parts work, before deciding to attempt a teardown? “If you haven’t done it before, DON’T! Don’t let the size of it fool you, simple things like turning a side arm end for end or side for side or transposing a left for right side arm can complicate things, such as throwing the impression off. Forget about the beauty of the press, it’s only skin deep.”)

  • Take photos before disassembly so know where stuff goes
  • Soak all bolts and joints with PB Blaster (not 100% needed but definitely helped smooth things)
  • “It’s been said before but I’ll repeat it here (‘cause I didn’t know until I researched it) that to get the platen off the screws are turned inward just a little each in a cross and/or alternating pattern. I used a deep socket on a speed handle and only turned each a smidge until I felt resistance. After awhile it became intuitive of how to approach them – a little here, a little there. Another note is that the platen isn’t light so have a hand on it (or a friend’s hands) – it’ll move when it comes free.”
  • “[If] remov[ing] the roller frames (221 and 222 in the parts diagram at https://drukwerkindemarge.org/download/documentatie/cp-pilot-manual.pdf)… use a drift to tap out the pin from the bottom – this took some time to get it to move on one. Brace the frame with a 2x4 between the two sides and then to use a drift and give a good smack to the rod that you can see through the side of the roller frame to get things loose. There’s a pin (dutch pin?) hidden inside the roller frame itself that keeps it from turning on the shaft so you can’t twist it off.”
  • “Be careful with disassembly and reassembly of the side arms- those springs can be dangerous if they get away from you.”
  • “Expect that the disassembly of the gripper assembly might slow you down. The spring sometimes wears a burr on the gripper bar shaft which makes it hard to remove the cast iron part on the end. It can take some work, but be gentle with it. You don’t want to snap that casting.”

Cleaning

These are things various people did or recommended; not meant to do all of these.

  • “Wire brushing off loose paint to prep surfaces before dipping in Evaporust”
  • “Soak all bolts and joints with PB Blaster (not 100% needed but definitely helped smooth things)”
  • “I would recommend giving it a good scrub using Naptha to loosen the old ink.”
  • “Kero, diesel, mineral spirits… all are similar, work well without being too harsh. I’d use naptha sparingly for only the most stubborn ink and never gasoline.”
  • “You shouldn’t use WD-40 on anything on your press (or really on much of anything at all). It is not a lubricating oil! WD-40 is a low-viscosity mixture of naphtha (basically lighter fluid) and oil and is meant to be sprayable and to penetrate the surface and then become gummy. It was created as a sprayable, lightweight protective layer for metal parts on nuclear missiles. Basically, sprayable Cosmoline. For lubrication you want something more viscous like light gear oil or 3-in-1 oil that will stay liquid, and stay on the surface to provide a protective layer between the metal pieces.”
  • “You can do a very effective job of cleaning the press without taking any parts off, except the chase and rollers. With a drill bit slightly smaller than the oil holes clean those holes out and oil it thoroughly first — a fairly thick oil like 30 weight non-detergent motor oil is fine. Get a couple of old T-shirts and a small scrub brush like a fingernail brush, and using kerosine (outdoors is best) wipe it down thoroughly, scrubbing the stubborn spots. If you have compressed air handy you can blow out the crevices. Let the press sit until the kerosene has dried, then oil it again, making sure you oil every moving part, whether it has oil holes or not. Having done that the press should look good and now it’s ready to print!”

Parts

If we need to replace, want extra (e.g. for ““quick”” ink color changes), etc.

Spiffing up

Painting

Unsure if we’d want this in any event, but recording info since I came across it while researching restoration. We’d at the least want to finish cleaning and refurb before considering.

  • “If you want to paint it… you should disassemble it. To do the best job possible you would need to strip it, and prime and paint it, which is quite a job. The paint [may be] in good enough shape to paint over the existing paint, but you will have to get it totally clean for proper adhesion. The existing paint will need to be roughed up with a ScotchBrite pad before painting, and you would be much better served to use a brush on oil-based enamel designed for painting metal.”
  • “What I use is paint thinner to clean, then sand with an orbital sander (you can get cheap ones at harbor freight cheap) it will save you hours of time. There will be some small spots you will need to sand by hand but use 180 or 220 grip paper. It cuts through a lot with out leaving heavy marks it the metal. You will want to spray not brush on paint, spraying gives you a better uniform coverage, look and feel. Paint in a well ventilated area where you wont get paint on other things. Rustoleum makes a high performance silver… i think 600 or 650ml cans you can get from Granger (they stock most of the colors). Primer first two coats, then 2-3 coats of your paint put the first coat on light… after you sand wipe the parts off with paint thinner with a clean rag again. paint both sides and read the directions on the can for temperature requirements”. (Note: I liked Rustoleum silver metallic spray paint for a non-press refurb job I did, and know it stands up well to moisture exposure from that experience.)

Better than new

  • Sew padded handle around iron handle (example 1, example 2)
  • Get a plate bed to allow printing with polymer plates that aren’t type high

Citations

  • https://www.briarpress.org/64672
  • https://www.briarpress.org/33316
  • https://www.briarpress.org/38402