7 Questions About Goss Printing Press History & Parts (Answered by Someone Who Learned the Hard Way)

7 Questions About Goss Printing Press History & Parts (Answered by Someone Who Learned the Hard Way)

If you operate a Goss press, you’ve probably got a list of questions that keep coming up—about the history of your machine, sourcing parts, or avoiding a downtime disaster. I’ve been handling service and parts orders for Goss equipment for about eight years now. I’ve personally made (and documented) what I’d estimate to be 15 significant mistakes, totaling roughly $24,000 in wasted budget between rushed shipping and wrong parts. Now I maintain our team’s internal checklist to prevent others from repeating my errors.

Here are the questions I get asked most, answered straight.

1. What is the Goss printing press history? Is my machine obsolete?

Goss has been around since the 1880s. They basically defined newspaper and commercial web press design for a century. A lot of the machines still running today—like the Goss Community or Urbanite—were built in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. So when people ask if their press is “obsolete,” the short answer is: no, not if it’s still running and you can get parts.

What most people don’t realize is that “obsolete” in the press world doesn’t mean what it means in digital printing. A Goss Community from 1985 is still a heavy, reliable piece of engineering. The challenge isn’t the age of the machine; it’s the age of the knowledge base. (Should mention: finding someone who understands the older electrical schematics is getting harder. That’s the real bottleneck.)

What about the Goss Community printing press specifically? It was introduced in the 1960s and became the standard for community newspapers. Thousands are still in operation. The history there is solid. Parts support is still available, but you have to know who to call.

2. How do I know if a Goss press part is still available?

This is where I have a scar. In late 2022, I ordered a folder assembly part for a Goss Community. Looked up what I thought was the right number, ordered it, paid for expedited shipping. $1,200—no, $1,400, I’m mixing it up with the shipping. The part arrived. It was wrong. It was for a later model.

Here’s what I learned: the part number on the machine isn’t always the ordering number. Goss parts have gone through part number changes over the decades. A single roller or gear might have been superseded three times. Your best bet is to:

• Find the model number and serial number on the press (usually on a plate near the main drive).
• Get the exact part number off the component itself.
• Ask the supplier to cross-reference it. If they can’t, find another supplier.

I don’t have hard data on how many old numbers are still active, but based on our 8 years of orders, maybe 60% of older parts have a direct current replacement. The rest need some detective work.

3. Why does my Goss press keep breaking down?

If something keeps failing, it’s usually not the press’s fault. (Okay, sometimes it is—worn-out bushings or cracked frames are a different conversation.) But 80% of the repeat issues I see come down to two things:

• Inconsistent maintenance schedules
• Using wrong or low-quality replacement parts

In Q1 2024, I had a client whose press was jamming every shift. We flew in, checked everything. The issue? They were using a generic gear that didn’t match the original Gleason crowning spec. The gear was a few dollars cheaper. It caused misalignment that wore out a $600 bearing in 3 months. The $20 savings cost them $600 in parts and a weekend of labor.

Here’s something vendors won’t tell you: OEM parts are sometimes the same price as aftermarket if you know where to look. Always ask for the OEM cross-reference.

4. What should I consider when reconfiguring or relocating a Goss press?

I’ve been on three press relocations. The biggest mistake everyone makes is underestimating the power and air requirements. You read the old specs, but the new building might have different electrical capacity or a different humidity level that messes with the web tension.

We did a relocation in September 2022 where the press was originally in a climate-controlled room. The new floor? Was a converted warehouse with no HVAC. The paper expanded differently. Took us two extra days to dial in the registration. (Should mention: we should have sketched the paper path on the floor before the crane arrived. Would have saved us one of those days.)

Calculate the worst case: the press is down for 4 weeks. Best case: 2 weeks. The expected value says go for it, but the downside feels catastrophic if you haven’t planned for electrical, compressed air, and structural reinforcement.

5. How do I avoid downtime waiting for parts?

You build a relationship with a supplier who stocks what you need. Full stop.

The difference was way bigger than I expected when we switched from ordering parts ad-hoc to having a fulfillment partner. We used to average 5-7 day lead time for random parts. Now, for standard wear items (blankets, rollers, gears, bushings), we have a pre-negotiated stock list. Turnaround dropped to 2-3 days. Seriously, that saved us a ton of time.

If you’ve ever had a press down because of a $50 gear that takes 10 days to arrive, you know that sinking feeling. Spend the time upfront to list your 20 most common failures. Pre-buy the parts or secure a dedicated supplier.

6. Can I use 3D printing for press parts? (And yes, that means “pursa 3d printer” too)

I get this question because people see the cost of a metal gear and think, “Why can’t I just print one?”

Take it from someone who tried: for certain non-critical, low-heat parts like spacers, bushings, or even some covers, 3D printing is totally viable. We’ve used a Prusa to prototype a shield for a folder section that was discontinued. Worked fine.

But for load-bearing parts like gears under high torque? No. The material properties aren’t there yet. The layer adhesion of a pursa 3d printer or similar FDM printer isn’t going to match the shear strength of cast iron. And for electrical components… don’t.

How to cold pull 3d printer filament? That’s a technique for cleaning nozzles. Heat to about 180-200°C, pull the filament out quickly when it cools. It brings out the debris with it. Not related to press parts, but it’s a good maintenance trick for the printer you use for prototyping.

7. Is it worth maintaining an older Goss press vs. buying something newer?

The upside of maintaining an older Goss press is that you know it. You have the history, the maintenance logs (hopefully), and the operator knowledge. The risk is that the cost of repairs starts to mount, and availability of skilled service people drops.

I calculated the decision for a client last year. Their press was from 1992. They were spending about $18k/year on parts and service. A new entry-level digital press would have been about $250k fully installed. The payback period was over 13 years. They kept the Goss, did a reconfiguration, and reduced their waste by 11%.

This pricing was accurate as of Q4 2024. The market changes fast, so verify current rates for new equipment—but the math usually favors keeping the old iron running, especially if you’ve got a good service partner.