Just had my press break a casting mid-job last Thursday

I was pressing a stack of signatures for a 400 page book when I heard this loud crack. Turns out the main casting on my old book press snapped right down the middle. I had to stop everything and scramble to find a welder who could do cast iron work same day. Cost me $150 and lost a whole afternoon of binding time. Anyone else had a press part fail on them in the middle of a run?

3 comments

3 Comments

sean8541mo ago

Friend of mine had that exact thing happen on a vintage Chandler & Price platen press. He had to drive 45 minutes to the only welder who would touch cast iron on a weekend. @margaretramirez got lucky with that mobile guy, most shops won't even bother with that kind of emergency call.

margaretramirez1mo ago

I had the same thing happen on a 1980s Heidelberg windmill last year. I found a local guy who does mobile welding and he had it fixed in like two hours for $120. Saved my butt honestly.

the_fiona1mo ago

Oh man, that is just the WORST timing for a breakdown! I had a similar thing happen with my platen press and honestly the mobile welder route is the way to go, like @margaretramirez said it's a lifesaver when you're in a bind like that. After that mess I started keeping a local welder's number in my phone right next to my binding suppliers, just in case.