My Old Rotary Perforating Machine (Perforator)

A few years ago, I saw this old rotary type perforating machine (perforator) that has perforating wheels and I could not resist buying it so that it is now in my garage at home. The Smithsonian National Postal Museum has a Stickney bar and wheel perforator and The American Philatelic Society has a Rosback Pony rotary perforator. Here's a picture of my perforator.

That is cool, have you tried perforating anything?

Yes, I have perforated some blank sheets of paper. I have heard that some are into making their own Cinderella stamps (labels) that they print on pre-gummed paper and perforate. I think it's called artistamp. Some use a Rosback stroke perforator (U.S. Kiusalas 12-67) and others use a Rosback rotary perforator (U.S. Kiusalas 12.5-63).


Rosback Stroke Perforator (U.S. Kiusalas 12-67)


Rosback Rotary Perforator (U.S. Kiusalas 12.5-63)

How does a person acquire something like this? I'm in no way being obtuse here I'm genuinely curious? I would think that US currency presses and other paraphernalia would be highly accounted for. I mean you cant go out and just get an intaglio currency press can you? Still that's an awesome piece of history and a treat to see! Thank you.

There was recently a small hand-lever perforator on ebay UK: here

Here's a really nice-looking Rosback in Austin, TX: here

For my artistamps, I'll probably just go with something like this. =)

Edited to fix links - Hmm, links aren't showing up for me. They show up when I preview, but when I look at the post, they're not there.

My Wife would murder me if I came home with something like that. She already thinks my Collection takes up too much space so that would be the proverbial nail in the Coffin :)

Neat item and if I did have it everything in the Garage would be Perf 11 :)

This rotary perforator is more of a rouletter in that it has knife blades on the top wheel rather than pins and grooves on the bottom wheel rather than holes. However, it can use pin and hole wheels, if they can be found and if they can fit. It was used in the printing trade rather than in stamp perforating. However, it currently is the closest perforator that I have been able to find that resembles the old flat plate stamp one way rotary small wheel perforators that were used to perforate U.S. stamps for over 100 years and which are mentioned in W.S. Boggs' booklet "Early American Perforating Machines and Perforations" and as is seen in many different BEP postcards and pictures. It is easier to find old stroke perforators than to find old rotary perforators.

That is really cool jogil. being a machine designer and a collector, I would LOVE one of those!

Guatemala has all size perfs...i think they used sewing machines for perforating some issues !!

Where does the chaff go, after it is punched out of the holes of the perforations (of the rotary machine)? Does anybody know what collects it and how it gets there?


-IBFS

Man....I'd love to get that Rosback machine that is on E-bay. I'd even drive there to get it. HOWEVER, I don't have a prenuptial., and just for spite, I think my wife would end up with my collection (after the divorce) and probably burn it before my eyes...............I'll just have to cry in my beer over it.

Here's someone who has a similar one to mine, but the base looks different than mine since my perforator is attached to its base. See: http://winnipeg.canadianlisted.com/...1037518.html

Arrggghhh! Already for a road trip to buy a Rosback perforator in Texas. Guess what? Seller no longer a registered user. Bummer, was thinking of doing souvenir sheets for this years stamp show in Memphis.

It looked just like this one.

For a perforating service using a 1916 Rosback straight line perforator go to: http://www.theolatheposte.com/perfing/

Same place I had looked for purchasing the stamp paper sheets. Thanks quigngt. But how fun it would be to make your own.

I tried contacting this guy, Mac, and he never responded. My best friend lives in Austin, and I was all ready to bid that thing up and let my buddy store it for me.