Boxcar Base for 5x8

I’m considering getting the Boxcar base for my Adana Eight Five and wondering what other eight-fivers are using in terms of base size? The site recommends a base no smaller than 3.5 x 6.5 for a chase that is 5 x 8. But I want to have as much room as possible on the base.

Has anyone used anything larger than the recommended size? Any issues with furniture, quoins, gauge pins when using a base larger than 3.5x6.5 for a 5 x 8 chase?

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I suggest you go with the one Boxcar recommend. You need room beyond the area of the base to set your gauge pins and even more room if you are going to leave the grippers on the press. Your little press won’t do very well with a form that maxes out the chase anyway.

I have the same base on one of our C&P Pilots and find it to be a very useful size.

Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY

Thanks Daniel - I’ll take your advice.

Tanya

Tanya,
If you haven’t seen them yet there are also some instructional videos on the Boxcar site that might help with the initial setup.

Here’s the link:
http://boxcarpress.com/community/letterpress-training-video.html

Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY

Daniel, you rock - thanks for the link. I’m a visual learner, so the videos were perfect.

This is a blog I found when exploring that I thought might help. She is making her own base, first of wood, then aluminum. I’ve linked to a post featuring her Al base.

http://poppyletterpress.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-base.html