Rubber Stamp Machine Problems

Date Band Problems:  Hard to rotate Date bands are normally replaceable with manufacturer designed date bands.  However, using off brand dates though close in circumference may vary enough that their use in another brand may cause hard  or loose rotation and an inconvenience.  Solution if not returned to repairer, you may try to lubricate the band that is giving you a problem with a little Vasoline on the inner side of the band and worked in by rotating several time being sure not to get the lubrication on the rubber type that is to be printed. If lubrication is inadvertently placed on the type, you will have to remove that film or it will resist being inked with water soluble ink and present you with another problem.

Date Band Replacement Broke, out of date. Commercial dater machines are normally very expensive and designed for decade of heavy use and economical to repair and replace compared to discarding and buying another. Date bands are normally available for replacement and repair  Get date bands designed to fit your dater. Can replace with pliers and screw driver. If on site replacement is desired, use large clear table as many small parts to keep track of especially the small C ring keeper that has a tendency to pop off and lose track of. Note how the mechanism comes apart and make sure of the date band order when replacing and re-assembling.  Allow yourself an hour.  When assembling, be aware that you will need to leverage the date bands to snap unit back into position. The date band elasticity helps hold the mechanism is place. Normal date bands are flat, however there is a type band that is individual square dates that are vulcanized to a band.  These are easier to replace and do not require band leverage to install.  Compare your time with the replacement cost of an experienced repairman.

Dates are not getting enough ink and are not leaving their impression.  Dater mechanism has a movable unit within the machine designed to be adjusted on the same plane as the die plates associated with the dater.  Check for plane alignment and if low or high, adjust. The dater should be locked in the middle position when not in use.  Unfortunately, the users are either not informed or do not care to take the extra effort to lock in the middle position.  The result is the dates having some what of penetrating force will indent the ink pad upon contact and if left in that position for long periods of time will not allow the ink pad to recover and come back to it's original shape of being flat. The natural solution is to adjust the inner date mechanism to come in contact with the pad that now has a depression. This results in an uneven plane for the dates and the die plates that are associated and will need a smashing affect to get the stamp to leave the complete impression. The smashing may cause the mechanism holding the dates to break or fracture on one side or the other or both presenting a whole new set of problems.  Solution: do not adjust dates out of plane of die plates. If ink pad indentation is evident, replace with a new ink pad or take a flat blade over the indentation and coax the ink pad to recover from the indentation that has compacted and hindered ink absorbsion in that part of the ink pad

Machine is not rotating correctly. Commercial/Metal Daters and self inkers normally have 3 positions of which one is a middle locking position that takes the die plate off the ink pad and not in the print position.  An in between position to help allow the pad to recover from die plate impression.  The locking mechanism is suspect if the rotation has resistance and  being interfered with.  Ideal Machines have push-pull locking mechanism in the handle that has very close tolerance and is normally the fault of this problem by hanging up on the notch in the handle. Apply extra effort on push-pull lever to get into unlock position and lubricate plunger that goes into the handle with small amount of Vasoline will help clear the middle locking position until needed.  Triumph, Cosco and Eagle Zypher normally have flippy-flop lever locking mechanism on the side of the yoke.  Occasionally some are very loose and will flop into lock mode while stamping.  Bend the flippy-flop lever so it holds in place on the side of the yoke and does not move while being used but can be moved when locking is necessary.