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Nov. 23rd, 2005 01:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aslanti've spent the last several hours working on the letterpress. the chemical cleaner arrived last night, so i made my first print! and then i cleaned up, which was a royal mess, and smelly. the prints were very simple, just to get the mechanics of it down. i am working on a more elaborate print, which will be a sort of postcard announcing the inauguration of the press -- the chase for that is on the work table in the last picture.
i now know that we desperately need a few more things to complete the shop space. a ton of rags, a table with a slanted top (to put type drawers on while pulling letters), and a level work table that can get really dirty. a printer's apron would be nice, too. we have had to keep the cats out of this room to avoid spills; maybe after the postcard project we will make a sign for the door: human printers' club, no cats allowed.
i now know that we desperately need a few more things to complete the shop space. a ton of rags, a table with a slanted top (to put type drawers on while pulling letters), and a level work table that can get really dirty. a printer's apron would be nice, too. we have had to keep the cats out of this room to avoid spills; maybe after the postcard project we will make a sign for the door: human printers' club, no cats allowed.
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| varn duplicator fluid this gallon of vile stuff is a bit smelly, and the back is plastered with dire warnings about airway irritation, cancer, blah blah blah. it's basically naptha; it evaporates relatively quickly, which is a plus when you're trying to clean up sticky ink. the bottle to the right is how we'll apply it to rags. |
van son ink this is the ink we use on the press, van son black. |
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| chase in press this is a simple cut (or image) set into the chase with no type. the image is actually two rabbits, it's a rabbit breeders' association seal. this is what you see looking in from above; it sits roughly horizontal. |
test image prints in order to get the ink consistency right, i did these test prints until i could see all the fine details. in the black space around the two rabbit heads is some tiny calligraphy, reading "fur, fancy, food". john showed us how to tell the difference between too much and just enough ink by listening to the sound of the rollers passing over the plate -- it is really hard to tell, so i did these test prints instead. |
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| wash-up bottle here is the wash-up bottle after i'd cleaned up the press for the first time. in pouring the naptha into it, it spilled in the sink, thus the paper towel and baggie treatment. i wish i'd taken a picture of my hands after cleaning, they were totally black with ink. |
a set chase the text & image for the card project, locked into the chase. altogether, this typset job took me about two hours. as you can see, it's not perfectly centered, which will mean more work later. |
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| work table here is a view of the table where i work. |
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Date: 2005-11-23 06:40 pm (UTC)you should add
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Date: 2005-11-23 10:12 pm (UTC)i also went around flickr today looking for letterpress people (it only belatedly occurred to me). i feel dumb for not looking there before! oh well.
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Date: 2005-11-23 10:29 pm (UTC)Bennet Holzworth: http://www.beadesigngroup.com/authors.html
Type B Press: http://www.typebpress.com/
Briar Press: http://www.oneart.com/briarpress/
Blue Barnhouse: http://www.bluebarnhouse.org/
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Date: 2005-11-23 07:00 pm (UTC)I've been watching your letterpress adventures closely.
Will comment more after the holidays ... I may have some questions if you don't mind.
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Date: 2005-11-23 10:13 pm (UTC)happy thanksgiving!
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Date: 2005-11-23 10:30 pm (UTC)Be safe, and stay warm.
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Date: 2005-11-24 03:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-24 03:59 pm (UTC)i hope you dont mind a few questions...
Date: 2006-01-27 01:47 pm (UTC)Sorry for all the questions, especially since we're only aquinted through others
Re: i hope you dont mind a few questions...
Date: 2006-01-27 01:59 pm (UTC)it does take more time with a vertical chase, but part of what i love about this is the detail work required, so locking the chase up so it's firm when vertical is not a big issue for me. we bought it to make small runs of things, like postcards, or personal stationary, maybe eventually a small zine, or at least the cover to one.
we have it set up in our spare room, which is maybe 10 feet square? (we do have a fairly large apartment.) the naptha wash is smelly, yes, but it's not that bad. so far we've used it in a closed room and not had any problems, but certainly an open window would be all it needs to air out the room. but i can see that in a smaller space (or especially a warmer one) the inky/chemical/metal smells could be pretty strong.
our kelsey has a 5"x8" chase, and overall she weighs maybe 50-60lbs? i'm a really bad judge of weight. i can just barely carry it.
if you are still in s. hadley or sf (as your profile lists) you are excellently suited to finding resources! there are many many small-press people in california, i'm always surprised by how much equipment is listed for sale there. and john barrett's letterpress things shop, where we bought our press & supplies, is in holyoke. even if you just want to buy some pretty, ink-weathered press workshop boxes, it's very much worth a visit to see his shop (more like a warehouse, if you're not familiar with it already). i don't think he teaches formal classes, but he did give us a fairly comprehensive tutorial when we bought ours in november.
Re: i hope you dont mind a few questions...
Date: 2006-01-27 07:56 pm (UTC)California, New York, and Western Mass seam to be the small press/letterpress capitals in this country. There are other pockets around the US, but those are the hubs. I love it! Everywhere I want to live has a center for the book! Did you do any work at the Apiary Press while you were at Smith? I am a self-designed book arts minor, so I spend a good deal of time over at Smith’s press. I am still in South Hadley and without transportation or letterpress impassioned friends. I find there is sometimes harm in asking, but I am without shame: This is extremely bold (and perhaps a bit rude) but I was wondering if I may be a backseat companion on your next trip to john Barrett’s shop. I can be very quiet. I completely understand if you decline, so many things/connections considered.
Re: i hope you dont mind a few questions...
Date: 2006-01-27 08:05 pm (UTC)your postcards are quite nice -- i have not come up with anything that evenly-printed on my own yet. our typebed is rather fussy.
i will happily extend you a backseat invitation with one caveat -- during our visit we are hoping to buy a chest to hold large typedrawers. we have a small 2-door car (big enough for passengers, though) so we won't be buying a giant behemoth chest, but we may have to be creative about getting from the warehouse back to your place, if you are having to share seatspace with a big wood/metal monster! just as long as you know ahead of time :) where can i email you when we have a travel date picked out?
also, trips to visit john can be epic. ours was 4 or 5 hours long. granted, we won't be buying an entire shop's worth this time, but if you have definite time constraints on the afternoon we go, we'll have to be creative about devising an escape.
letterpress people are patient...
Date: 2006-01-27 09:36 pm (UTC)Barry Moser, who is probably the expert you mentioned, is still teaching there. Depending on time restraints, I would be happy to show you the Apiary press as i still have that shwanky 'smith art' sticker on my OneCard which allows me access during times that the door is normally locked. We could run something on one of the Vandercooks, if you so desire.
I am just a little fae and have no trouble making myself very small. I am sure that on the return, I can become closely aquainted with your new familiar. Being without transportation of my own, i've learned to be quite flexible around boxes and baggage and new furnature, especially toward the start and end of semesters. The best thing to do is just to email me at erinfae@mtholyoke.edu.
This is bound to be an epic adventure and i have no need to put a cap on the amount of time, especially when printing is involved. I have a bit of a letterpress fetish and I've stopped looking for a 12-step program. INstead, i say, indulge!
YIPPIE!
Re: letterpress people are patient...
Date: 2006-01-28 05:44 pm (UTC)what a type fabulous day!
Date: 2006-01-28 11:01 pm (UTC)Re: what a type fabulous day!
Date: 2006-01-30 01:28 pm (UTC)Re: i hope you dont mind a few questions...
Date: 2006-01-27 02:03 pm (UTC)le sigh...
Date: 2006-02-02 02:33 pm (UTC):makes pouty face:
Thank you for planning on taking me, though. That's 90%.
two ships passing in the night
Date: 2006-02-02 02:35 pm (UTC)indeed...
Date: 2006-02-02 02:43 pm (UTC)Wheee!
Date: 2006-02-15 08:10 pm (UTC)Re: Wheee!
Date: 2006-02-15 08:40 pm (UTC)i think we will take a pass on any possible apiary press visits this time around -- it's a long week for us and i think we'll want to head back to boston before it gets too late.
are you looking to buy anything in particular while we're there, or just browse?
my cell number is 617-312-9373 (you'll hear 'jesse and kirk' on the cell phone voicemail but it's really just my phone). what's the best number to contact you?
Sorts and line cuts!
Date: 2006-02-15 08:46 pm (UTC)Mount Holyoke is in South Hadley which is closer to northampton than hadley. RT 116 goes right by the front of MHC and I happen to live in the house right on RT 116. Here is a map
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=50+college+street,+south+hadley,+ma&ll=42.238256,-72.594738&spn=0.006625,0.021501 It's easy enough to get to from Northampton, but if you need directions, I could probably have a friend call you as I do not drive. My only phone number is 415.652.6862. I will be ready around 11 and waiting for your call. Just say, "come out come out" and I'll be in front of the college. There are main gates on 116, and that is probably a good place to meet. Oh, I'm so excited.
We can definetly do apiary some other time. Probably for the best, as I will surely have some homework to do and must combat my severe senioritis.
Re: Sorts and line cuts!
Date: 2006-02-15 09:14 pm (UTC)by the by, if you are a hungry person (as i frequently am around that time) i would recommend bringing a snack of some sort, as we're likely to be in the shop for several hours and i don't recall any convenient food places nearby. last time i was so busy eating up things to see with my eyes i didn't get hungry in four hours, but it's always good to have some insurance in the form of snacks!
presslust
Date: 2007-05-06 10:36 pm (UTC)dont tell
;-)
Re: presslust
Date: 2007-05-07 02:12 am (UTC)where are you going to buy it?