These are photographs of a chase which fits a Chandler & Price 10x15 New Series press. (I put it in the press and it fits just fine, though I have not printed using it.) The manufacturer of this chase is unknown. It is steel, with a kind of lap joint on the corner. The corners are riveted. It thus represents a style of chase other than the cast-iron chase or the welded steel chase.
In the photos there is really too much parallax to rely upon the scales laid upon them. I've also supplied measurements taken with slightly more accurate means (vernier calipers and micrometers; though above 12 inches my only available caliper isn't really to be trusted).
The chase appears to be symmetrical left-to-right and top-to-bottom. It doesn't matter which beveled edge is up or down.
The overall external width is 17 7/128 inches (17.055, approx), measured with a cheap Harbor Freight Big Aluminum Vernier Fractional Caliper. It is probably safe to assume that this dimension was intended as 17 inches.
The overall external height is 12 5/8. This was measured with the same caliper, but I'd trust this measurement a bit more. I doublechecked it against a two foot steel rule.
The width of the left and right rails is 0.999 (same for both), measured with a good (NSK) inch micrometer. The width of the top and bottom rails is 1.251 (same for both) measured with a Mitutoyo 1-2 inch micrometer.
The thickness is 0.563 to 0.568; I think that basically I'm measuring variations in paint and corrosion.
Measuring the bevel is a bit trickier. The angle is easy enough: 30 degrees. I measured it using my old, simple Sears machinist's protractor (from those distant days when Sears sold real tools). It wasn't worth pulling out the vernier protractor. But measuring the distances for the bevel was a matter of eyeballing it.
The function of the bevel is to mate with the Bed and the Chase Hook to secure the Chase in the Bed. For reverse-engineering, it would probably be better to examine those components rather than chases.
I suspect that the makers of this chase did their best to make the lap joint and rivet invisible, but after decades of use and abuse we all show a little wear.
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