Rank Novice in Northeastern Louisiana needs dedicated help.
Folks - I am the founder/director of a small non-profit in Northeastern Louisiana called Starr Homeplace www.starrhomeplace.org. We have recently purchased a “complete” letterpress printing shop. The equipment was offered to me some years ago as working, then the gentleman who was selling it and would have helped us set it up died suddenly. It has taken five years to complete the transaction, but the equipment has been well stored. I am hoping to find someone not too distant from Northeastern Louisiana to help us get the whole thing back up and running in a new location. It includes a press and an operable Linotype machine (1908) as well as a LOT of small accessories and type. We are in the process of relocation now. I am fascinated by the equipment - but have more to do than I can do. Is anyone nearby and interested in helping? We plan to make it accessable to the public as a teaching tool. We think it would be a great asset to our facility and would like it to provide pleasure for a group of interested volunteers. I am hampered by my own ignorance! Please respond directly to my e-mail.
Your fascination with this equipment has led you into what could be deep $h!#! Looks like the blind leading the blind! If someone in the public(?) using this equipment as a teachung tool is hurt doing so…guess who gets sued???
I partially agree and partially disagree with Stan. IF you don’t set up the program correctly, you could wind up endangering workers and the public. HOWEVER, if you take the time to recruit good teachers and do it right, such a shop can be a GREAT teaching tool. I envy your opportunity.
Where in NE Louisiana are you located? I know quite a few folks in the New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region who might be interested in helping you out.
Also…. what type of press do you have? Any type? Come ON man, clue us in on what you have!