Block Leveller

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Block leveller &

Type Planners

The Block leveller was created by Horace W Hacker. His patent filled in 1924. Its use, milling stock to type high .918″. Produced by his firm, Hacker Manufacturing, (Horace Hacker Co) they were bought out in 1937 by Vandercook & Sons. The rebadged Hacker, was named the Vandercook Block leveller and its design was then licensed out to F.A.G for the European market.

The Block Leveller is powered by a two-motor system that operates on three-phase power. One motor spins the bed, while the other drives the planer head. The planer head follows one spiral path, terminating at the axis of the bed. Another spiral path commences at the edge of the bed, its convolutions intervening between the convolutions of the first spiral path. The planer blades follows the second spiral path, cleaning up the chatter left behind from its first spiral path. This innovative system allowed for a more efficient and precise milling process, which is why the machines became a staple in the printing industry. Hundreds of these machines were made over the years. However, after the commercial decline of letterpress, most of them were discarded, with very few surviving examples known left today.

Database Of Levellers

New in 1962 it cost £2805. The price of the average house in the uk.

At todays rate £48,195. The cost of a typical UK home is £281,272

There are currently thirteen known to have survived, nine of them in the United States. One in England

Four Polytypes, in Europe. If you know of any hiding please drop a message.

NO	Brand/Model	Serial number	Studio/Location
1	F.A.G – BL.45	3207016	*
2	Vandercook – 11-B.L.	15006	Gurzopress – USA, New Jersey
3	TBC (Broken)	TBC	Letterpress Depot – USA, Colorado
4	TBC	TBC	The International Printing Museum – USA, California
5	Vandercook – 11-B.L.	18590	Virgin Wood Type – USA, Rochester
6	Hacker (modified)	16894	Moore Wood Type – USA, Ohio
7	Vandercook – 11-B.L.	TBC	The Red Door Press – USA, Iowa
8	TBC	TBC	(Private) USA, Cincinnati
9	TBC	TBC	(Private) USA, NYC
10	Vandercook – 11-B.L. (XL)	Lost	Tivoli Press – UK, Gloucestershire
11	F.A.G	TBC	Tiporenesansa – Slovenia
12	Vandercook – 10	9862	J Finch (Machinist) – USA, Palmer Lake, Colorado
13	F.A.G	TBC	Imprimerie Nationale (IN Groupe)

Polytype Levellers

NO	Brand	Serial number	Studio/Location
1	Polytype PF 63	5021	Baby Ink Twice, Switzerland
2	Polytype V72	11306	Museum Der Arbeit, Germany, Hamburg
3	Polytype	TBC	Bland Typer & Tryck
4	Polytype	TBC	Hacking Gutenberg

The Polytype PF 63 does not have a powered bed like the Hacker design. It does have a vacuum connected to the planner head.

PDF Manual

vandercook-manual-1 Download

Leveller Gallery

Parts List

Replaceable Parts:	Item number	Description
Drive Belt	AX63	Cogged V Belt

Mill Ends

From The Type Archive

The Type Archive, was located in Stockwell, South London and served as a vital custodian of England’s typographic heritage since its establishment in 1992 by Susan Shaw. Housing an extraordinary array of collections, it preserved treasures such as the Stephenson Blake, Monotype and the Robert DeLittle collection. These archives included, punches, matrices, patterns, and historic printing equipment, offering a working window into the history of typography and printing.

However, in mid-2022, the Type Archive announced its decision to disassemble the archive at its Hackford Road premises, marking the end of an era. Its collections were redistributed to ensure their continued preservation. The Victoria and Albert Museum took custody of the Stephenson Blake Collection, while the Science Museum relocated the Monotype Collection.

In Shaws Personal collection contained the Vandercook Block Leveller which I purchased sight unseen.

I embarked on what would be my first solo journey into the heart of London by car. Seeking a reliable vehicle for the trip, I stole my father’s car, my own too outdated for the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). The plan began with an overnight drive to Bracknell, accompanied by a gantry crane and trailer in tow. I spent the night at my Grandmother’s house, providing a brief respite from the growing nerves of the journey ahead. As dawn broke, I set off early, determined to face both the chaos of London traffic and the inner challenge of proving myself.

Arriving ahead of schedule, I found myself with a rare moment to pause. A quiet coffee offered a brief reprieve before I entered the compound, ready for the day ahead. Shortly after, Richard Ardagh arrived on his road bike, warmly greeting me before leading an insightful tour of the Type Archive. With the tour complete, it was time to get to work. I assembled the gantry crane and, with Richard’s assistance, secured it onto its legs. The challenge came with lifting the Vandercook, The machine’s bent eyelets complicated the process, but I carefully maneuvered the machine onto the trailer lifting from under the pallet. Once it was secured, I disassembled the crane and methodically strapped everything down—employing, perhaps, an overabundance of ratchet straps to guarantee its stability. With the load safe and secure, I began the journey to its storage in Yamworth, near Cirencester. By the time I arrived, night had fallen, and unloading the equipment in the dark proved to be the final test of a long and eventful day.

The next challenge was to remove it from the decaying pallet and transfer it to a new, sturdier one. To do so, I carefully measured and ordered two UNF 1/2″ eyebolts. However, when they arrived, something was off—the pitch didn’t match. After some frustrating back-and-forth, I discovered the seller had mistakenly sent UNC eyebolts instead.

What followed was a series of missteps and frustrations, compounded by repeated errors from suppliers. Determined to resolve the issue, I armed myself with a thread gauge and visited a local merchant. To my dismay, the same mistake was made again. Refusing to leave empty-handed, I sifted through their mixed stock of bolts, eventually unearthing the correct ones amid a jumble of mismatched threads.

With that problem resolved, I soon moved into my new workshop and began setting it up for operation. Wiring a rotary phase converter to generate three-phase power, I thought I was ready to bring the Vandercook to life. But as I examined the machine, another issue surfaced. Upon dismantling the spindle, I discovered a hidden flaw: a historic crack in the cast iron. The internal lining of rust in the break confirmed the damage had been there for years.

I striped it down and degreased ready for repair,

The journey continues….

Reproducing New Spindle Case

With the assistance of Aberlink Ltd, based in Gloucestershire, a highly detailed STEP file was created. Aberlink specializes in manufacturing Coordinate Measuring Machines. A CMM is a high-precision metrology instrument used to measure the physical dimensions and geometry of objects with exceptional accuracy.

Similar to a game console, the machine can be operated using a joystick, allowing it to move in all directions. CMMs are equipped with various types of probes, which are produced by another local company, Renishaw. These probes can be magnetically attached to the machine, enabling quick changes based on the specific job requirements and providing protection against damage in the event of a collision. The stylus tip at the end of the probe is made from synthetic ruby, chosen for its hardness, smoothness, and resistance to abrasion. For materials prone to adhesive wear, such as aluminum, a higher-density tungsten carbide stylus is used. Additionally, a camera system can be attached to the stylus mount for scanning profiles and inspecting the condition of parts.

The machine’s top gantry slides along precisely milled ways and is driven by linear motors, eliminating the need for traditional bearings that could wear out and compromise precision. During manufacture, the gantry’s flatness is meticulously measured, and any imperfections are corrected through software calibration, ensuring optimal accuracy. Parts are mounted either on a fixture kit or directly on the granite surface plate, which provides a stable, flat surface due to granite’s low thermal expansion. It is recommended that the CMM operates in a controlled environment with stable temperature and humidity, particularly in highly specialised settings like aerospace manufacturing facilities.

The CMM collects a series of data points using a touch probe, capturing measurements at various locations around the object. These measurements are recorded within a three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y, and Z), offering micron-level precision. The machine uses this data to calculate surface topology, enabling part comparisons or the creation of a detailed 3D STEP file.

For the Vandercook spindle case, which had broken in two, modeling the part posed a unique challenge. Aligning or welding the broken sections would distort the precision required. To overcome this, Ian at Aberlink measured the spindle’s outer dimensions to accurately determine the inner dimensions of the case, ensuring the STEP file was as precise as possible.