National 6/6

[Inkworks]

Any opinions on National 6/6 manual presses? I know they are no longer made, but I have an opportunity to pick one up cheap, and from what I can see online it will be an upgrade from my Ranar Vista 6/4. the Ranar holds registration fine, but 6/4 is slower than a 6/6 imo, plus the Ranar has horrible off-contact and screen angle adjustments that require either 1 or 2 wrenches and a lot of back and forth to get level. The National appears to have dial-in off contact and screen tilt. The Ranar has very rudimentary micros with plenty of lash and no spring-load, the National seem to be beefier, but still no spring-load, which I'm sure I could add.

I'd really like a Vastex, Anatol, Workhorse all-heads-down 6/6, but in reality having off contact adjustments my guys can dial in quickly is the biggest concern and will be one less thing I have to do in the shop. I'd easily be able to sell the Ranar for more than I'd be paying for the National.

Anyone know the Nationals?

[rmonks]

I have a National 6 color 4 station. I use to use it all the time then went to an auto. It is a good press if it has been take care of. I don't remember where I saw it but there is another brand of press that the national was copied off of, and I think some of the parts will interchange. 

[bimmridder]

National copied everything they made, doen to instruction manuals for their dryers. That's all I'm going to say.

[Frog]

But Dave, knowing which other brand of press parts may fit would be invaluable to the owner of a machine from a now defunct company.

[rmonks]

I found this info from another site. The date of the post was 2008. I don't know if the contact is any good now. But I think this may be a start.


Contact Sheldon at SJS Equipment. He has parts for dryers and some press parts. If he doesn't have them he will also tell you which parts you can get from Grainger or McMaster/Carr.

SJS Contact Information

Powder Coat and Batch Ovens
101 Industrial Park Drive
Arma, Kansas 66712

Phone: 620.347.8860
Fax: 620.347.8862

E-mail: sheldon@sjsinc.net

[Inkworks]

Thanks, I think I saw that one on my google research surfing too, not much out there, but a few decent pictures and short discussions. Bimmridder, if you know something else....maybe a P.M. if you don't want to disclose publicly....?

Well, I bought it, Guy wanted $800, but it had no platens, but was otherwise cherry-mint, all knobs, springs, all in very good and clean condition. I talked him down to $450 since I'll have to build platens....which is dead-easy. I did it for my Ranar too. Melamine/particle board will do for what I need it for, so for $59.99 I can get a sheet, spend a few hours with the table saw and router and build adult, kid and sleeve platens that will last many years if we watch the flash. Anything that would really heat up the manual platens would be going on the Falcon 12/14 anyway. Brackets for the platens will take some metal work, but I'll get that figured out. I was impressed with the cast platen arms and bottom arm bracing.

When I got there, it was in all-heads-down, but rotating a station  to the next arm and trying it again showed they had put all the arms down and adjusted the arm-locks to that, maybe with work I could get it there, all the adjustments are available to make that happen.

The dial-in off contact and screen angle adjustments alone will make the switch worth it. The beefier micros are a bonus too. Plus I know I can get twice my investment back selling the Ranar.

Damn I gotta stop buying stuff, but this guy found me to sell it. I wasn't looking, honest. Next you know someone will find me a cherry small/medium gas oven.....