The Ludlow is fairly easy to maintain and clean, but still has some important details which should be taken care of.
A water reservoir is often found on the bottom of the machine and a water circuit is built into the machine. This circuit is used to cool down the type metal before ejecting the casted line of type.
Photo: the water circuit that runs throughout the machine
The water circuit can become obstructed, specifically if the water has been in there for a long time. The photo below illustrates the amount of rust which can reside within the machine:
Photos: The lid of the water reservoir on the back of the machine, the right photo illustrates that rust is no exception within it, but it should be cleaned regularly so it does not obstruct the water circuit
On the bottom of the reservoir there is a tap to empty it. Keep a box below it to gather the water. When it is empty, you can clean the inside with a rag, and refill it with water afterwards.
PRO TIP: the tap is not always closing very well. Keep an eye open after using it, so your reservoir will not run empty after refilling it.
Photo: the tap to empty the water reservoir
Not only the reservoir, but also the water circuit should be kept clean. Otherwise, it can occur that the dirt creates an obstruction. Should this occur, the type metal is not cooled, and it takes much longer before it can be used to compose a page. It is fairly easy to open the tubes for cleaning. This can be done with just simple tools. The operator then has to check element per element to find the obstruction.
Video: the operator opens the tubes and listens to them to find the obstruction.
C 2021-2024 Maarten Renckens and other contributors. All rights reserved. All materials on this website are available for non-commercial re-use, as long as the original author is mentioned and a correct reference to this site is added. Thanks!
All materials are considered copyrighted by the author(s) unless otherwise stated. Some materials from other sources are used. If you find materials on this page which you consider not free from copyright, a notification is appreciated.
All collaborations and additional sources are more than welcome. Please contact info@maartenrenckens.com if you have materials that you deem valuable.