upgrade from Pearl to C&P?

Hi there. I need to upgrade. I have a gorgeous Golding Pearl #3. she was my first but she is admittedly a little limiting – small 7×11 chase, not really that strong so printing large areas is impossible and the clam doesn’t really open very wide. But I love never the less!

Anyway, I may have an opportunity to get a C&P 10×15 old style (Ironically older that the Pearl if I have read serial #s correctly) Will I have any of the same issues? I note the platen open nice and wide, but does it have great power? or are they still a little rickety and Fragile? Should I wait for a different model?

Also, Starting bid is $1800 (there are not many in Australia) so competition will be tough. and then Ill have to transport it across the country. Sigh  My dad did suggest it wold cost the same to import from the US!

Obviously I can’t see the press in action unless I fly over so I will have to fly blind and take the sellers word for it!

Your advice would be appreciated.

Davina

Ask if a video of the press in action is possible.  Or at least, detail photos.  What you want to look out for are welds, breaks, casting cracks, rail integrity, prior repairs, wear on the roller saddles (unlike your pearl, which uses hooks instead of saddles) – you more than likely will need to invest in a set of rollers and trucks. And even if you cover all the above, purchasing from a remote place is still a risk. Part of the adventure, really.  Rarely have I found a press with adequate rollers unless the owner recently replaced them, thus you may want to consider the cost of them in the mix.  Aside from that, there’s not a lot to go wrong with the old C&Ps.  But before I put substantial money into it, I’d want to see some convincing imagry of some sort, preferably a video with sound!  You want to see that press go through at least a couple cycles.  Consider also the price to haul, and the riggers to properly move, tie up and load / unload your investment.  It’s a specialty move.  Do you have local help for this?   BTW, if you can, hold on to that Pearl!  While you cannot print what is the current mode of the day, deep dish deboss, those are wonderful presses and can do proper, classical typographic printing as well as the very best (and largest) of them.  Plus, they have a great legacy.  If nothing else, they provide a great conversation / demo piece to your shop!  ( even as I write, I am selling mine in lieu of upgrading my shop!  So I can understand your thought process…. I am there, too.  I have no room to keep the Pearl, unfortunately, otherwise I would.)

-gary

http://www.gjohanson.blogspot.com

Thanks Gary. Good to hear from you at LoLP. Have read your convos at Pearl restor list which has been really helpful to me for my Pearl os 3. Great to have these communities To call on for help! 

Update…. Have purchased c&p. Put in bid and won unexpectedly! Now to transport across the country! 2 days 13 hours5,329.0 km. bit spontaneous. Hopefully not too regrettable!

Davina, in case you are accompanying the actual move, be sure to blog the whole thing if you can, and as is practicable.  It would be a great resource, plus very interesting viewing especially for us ‘topsiders’, to see some Australian scenery. Hang on.  The adventure begins!!

🙂

-gary

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