Long reeds Model 31

[Roger Holmes]

I need to re-shape the lower ends of about 6 or 7 of the far right long reed ends on a model 31 because they have been bent out of shape (ok ok i might have done it) when swinging out the keyboard.

Any ideas on how to remove those so i can straighten them? I have fixed all the short reeds and they now all fall back into place nicely

I saw a photo from someone in Melbourn showing the front swung away giving access to the long reeds - but that does not look like it will work on a 31, any ideas?

Thanks
Roger

[Mechanic]

I have not worked on a model 31 Linotype since the early 1960s. I am almost 90 now so my memory is pretty vague. I know it is possible to gain access without a lot of trouble. If I was standing in front of the machine I'd probably remember.

Try contacting DshmsLettrePress on Facebook, he may be able to help or read through the manual on how to erect a model 31. You may get an idea.

[Mechanic]

I have given your problem further thought. If you haven't tried this already try winding the magazines up to bottom magazine. Remove the magazine and the escapement. Swing the keyboard out, you may then be able to push the damaged rod up and out of the lower guide, then pull it down and out of the top guide.

[Roger Holmes]

Tried that - unable to slide them up and out - looks like I will have to carefully open up the bars that hold them in place top and bottom

You worked for Canadian linotype in the 60's when I was growing up in in small town Alberta - I remember my dad running a model 8 all the time to get the paper out, if i remember correctly once in a while a linotype mechanic would come by I think his name was Hal Martin - does that ring a bell?

[Mechanic]

I have worked in Red Deer Alberta. The Canadian Linotype mechanics in that area at the time, I believe were Arthur Doudwell and Bill Applin. Bill Applin retired maybe Hal Martin replaced him.

Toward the end of the  sixties we could see the the Linotype being replaced by photo-composition. First small newspapers were converting to offset printing. It took another twenty years for major newspapers to convert, as their commitment to letterpress was a substantial investment.

At the Sydney Morning Herald we had 10 lines of letterpress machines, each capable of printing 140 broadsheet pages in a collect run.

In the early 60's we were installing Elektrons almost exclusively. By the late 60's my time with Canadian Linotype was spent almost exclusively servicing phototypesetting machines. And now the future of newspapers. as we knew them, is coming to an end.   

[Roger Holmes]

George - thanks for the history - I was born in 1950 into a family of printers and newspaper people, my grandfather got his start in england at age 11.

I haved resolved my bent long reed issue, after talking to Dave Seat, who suggested I just bend them back in place to line up with the short reeds which I was trying to do but Iwas working on the far right reed and could not get good access to the bent portion until I lifted the entire keyboard off the machine and then was able to get them aligned, am now getting the long reeds reconnected at the top to the release mechanism that connects to the escapements - am having fun and learning a lot.

Thank you for your help, i think it is important that we keep a few of these fabulous machines in working condition around the world they have contributed greatly to the advancement of civilization - Roger

[KPMartin]

I had to repair one of these reeds. They appear to be hardened steel and the one on our caster had snapped off at the bottom.

As I recall, to remove the reed I had to loosen the upper reed guide (from the back of the machine) enough that the upper end of the reed could clear the escapement, allowing the reed to be lifted out (after unhooking its return spring).

Removing the escapement bar would seem like the proper way to do this, but I could not figure out how; I had it partly detached but it would not come out, it would just rotate a bit on a couple of pins.

I repaired the reed by welding a new bottom end onto it (after several attempts). In retrospect it would have been easier to braze/solver-solder a new bottom on.

I have details on the repair, and the cause of the broken reed, in a blog post but no details on removing the broken reed.

Given how hard they are to take out, it is certainly worth first trying to straighten the reed in situ, but because it is hardened this might be difficult to do, or might snap off the bottom end.