The Rudiments of Letterpress

I spent the weekend at Hot Bed Press in Salford attending a letterpress workshop run by Elizabeth Willow and David Armes. On the Saturday I worked with lead type using an Adana press. Although I have set wooden type more recently, the last time I set metal type was during the first year of my degree at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) back in 1977.

 

 

 

Using 24point Windsor, I learned how to place the type in the chase, arrange the furniture and quoins to ensure they are firmly locked and wouldn't move at any stage of the printing process. The Adana press was an office standard before photocopiers. The self-inking system is simple but effective.

On Sunday I set wooden type, used a simple proofing press and a lovely old columbian press. My first attempt was using a mixture of type in a variety of sizes. The first proof was done onto card so that this could then be used to create a frame to enable the ink to be rolled onto the type without it catching any of the furniture and showing on the finished print.

I wanted to try using wooden type in combination with one of my wood engraving blocks. The blocks I get from Chris Daunt are made to the same height at the type, so I knew, in theory this should be possible.