I feel this item should not be dismissed as closed and completed yet for though Ben's contribution was a start there is still not sufficient information put forward for a machinist to manufacture the stocks/spindles and/or the roller trucks and to have them fit the machine and work first attempt.
If an engineer were to machine a set or two of new roller stocks for any printing machine he would need to know the item's overall length, the principal diameter before reduction for the bearing section, the length and diameter of the bearing section step, measured both ends in case they should be different and whether there is an addional step of different diameter for the truck, whether the truck is keyed or pinned and the size and position of such a device and again whether only one or both sides are so locked
Measurements should make allowance for wear over whatever period of time - in the case of an Arab at least 50 years - and due regard to the standards of measurement at the time - again for the Arab, Imperial - so that the bearing ends would probably have been 1/2" diameter when new.
The truck dimensions are just as important. The diameter we have at 1.3/4". Also needed is the width of the truck/bearer face, the overall width of the truck, the diameter of the bearing face against the hook and the material that the truck is ideally made from eg brass, cast iron or steel or a sturdy industrial plastic.
If I had reasonable access to an Arab I would perform these tasks myself but the one that I was aware of in this town up to a year ago has relocated and the next nearest that I can think of is about 1700 miles away - he is not answering his phone today and its too far to ride my bike just on spec..
I will persevere and try to get the additional figures unless someone sees fit to beat me to it.
I thought I could recall an attempt to start a register of Wade/Arabs with serial number / year of manufacture detail and so on - in fact I imagined, rightly or wrongly, that Ben was the instigator and had taken on a task for which I would not envy him. Such a collection of information would ideally have most maintenance [oiling, adjustment], restoration/refurbishing, spares availability and FAQ's in one spot where the Arab fancier could access them -- the facility may well still exist and perhaps I have not yet managed to locate it
When it comes to the relative diameters of forme roller and truck I believe that the nearer the two can be to the same, the better.
If the roller is smaller than the truck then its circumference is effectively travelling slower over the forme than that of the supporting locked truck and conversely if larger then it will be faster - more or less depending on the variation but the more the difference the greater the chance of skid at the forme giving rise to a slurred impression which may not be the result we desire.
The actual width of the roller surface is another required dimension although this can be easily determined by measuring the diameter of the ink disk, Rubber rollers are my recommendation unless the machine is pre=1940 and absolute authenticity demands composition.
Rubber will conduct itself more or less the same thru both summer and winter and in-between - compo, on the other hand has a mind of its own and is as changeable as the weather.
Thats my three pen'orth.
jeffo
