About a week ago I picked up a Kelsey Excelsior 6x10 press that almost went to the scrap yard. I have the original roller cores and two trucks, but the composition rollers had melted all over the press while in storage (along with parts of mice). Arizona summers can be brutal on printing rollers that have been sitting in outdoor storage. When I was transporting the press back home, I was so worried that I’d get the melted rollers all over the car. Luckily, I had brought bags and a drop cloth (not pictured) and was able to get it home without incident.
the good news is that it fits in the trunk for ease of transport.
Looking at the numbers punched on the chase base, I was able to determine that this press was made in July of 1980. That’s not that old. I also looked around at other people's presses online and there's not too many with the sidearm. Most have the typical lever in the center. I have figured that I'm about the third owner. The press started at a vocational school, then it moved on to the family that I had purchased the press from, and now to me. I'm looking forward to getting everything cleaned up and working.
Upon close inspection most of the press looks in good condition. For the most part, everything is there with the exception of the rollers and a chase. Later on, I’m going to order new rollers that lock into the trucks to better control the inking.
Most of the original paint is in good condition with the exception of a few light rust spots from everyday use. Areas like the ink disk, chase base, and platen could use a cleaning up. This should take a good part of the day to take care of. I will definitely be wearing a dust mask while removing the rust. I also have a few parts that I have to soak in liquid wrench to get them to come apart. I'll try to post more images once I get everything cleaned up.
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