Newby bride with a Heidelburg
Hiya fellows!
I am new to letterpressing, but love the deep sclulptural quality of the prints it creates. I looked at machines available, and most people seem to recommend Heidelburg as being the most reliable. I am thinking of fitting it on a yacht and sailing around bay area printing pretty knickknacks on our honeymoon. My fiance doesn’t know much of printing either, but has a fine arts degree and should be able to figure out the details.
Is Heidelburg a good choice?
Will I need much else to start printing, or can we make do with household items?
Thanks!
Our future loveboat:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/3706180217_6c12308c66.jpg
An example of a Heidelburg Will Mill offered:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bfs/2541755478.html
Letterimpressing!
Unless, and maybe even if, you put the 2200lb press low in the bilges you’ll have a very top-heavy boat, and adding more than a ton to the craft may not be possible either, plus there is the question of providing 230V 3-phase power for it. I’d suggest starting with a large Golding Official tabletop hand lever press, weight about 200lbs (1/10 the Heidelberg) and capable of fairly heavy impression for small work.
Bob
Um, Bob - I believe this post is intended to yank someone’s chain.
Put the topic down.
Walk away from the topic…
Don’t forget to put a bird on it!
I might double up on the main sail and get some heavier rigging, but other than that I foresee no problems.
I would recommend you buy a kit that allows you to use a foot treadle on a Heidelburg windmill, then it will be “green” printing!
Heck yeah on the household items. Some on here will tell you to spend the big bucks and cast rollers with gummy bears, but I use the much more economical hot dogs on kabob sticks method and have had no problems.
Re:Don’t forget to put a bird on it!
Would a parrot do?
heidel.jpg
This gave me a good laugh.
Spending five grand(?) for a HeidelbUrg WILL MILL, I’m sure you can print stationAry, if you spend a few bucks for a long extension cord!! Keep on LETTERPRESSING (?). I’m sure you new hubby’s Fine Arts degree will be very helpful! Smooth sailing to you both, meanwhile, I’ve got to get back to reality and print. Perhaps we’ll see y’all on the Dr. Phil Show!
Another great Kickstarter idea underway. Una idea espectacular, con un sentido cómico de humor. La mayoría de excelente manera de terminar el día.
I have one suggestion, hook a chain to it so you can use it for an anchor. Dick G.
oprion:
Didn’t know Heidelberg made left-handed Windmills.
Paul
Paul:
Havent you head of the special seafaring line of windmills?
“Die Seefahrt Modell” with left-handed controls and a complementary parrot were all the rage at one point. One used to see a line of these machines flowing down the Neckar river on the eve of Frühlingsmesse festival.
It’s a diecutter, come on…
personally, i would go with a large chandler and price or such presses; perhaps you can rig the large wheel to work in conjunction with some type of water wheel on the boat, turning it into a paddle boat for those days when the wind is low.
a Heidelberg Platen will be fine if you have the QE2, I wouldn’t recommend using a smaller boat though, with regard using household items you only really need a first aid kit as your fiance is only going to loose an ear if he’s lucky, you might think of taking a tourniquet and maybe some extra blood when one of you looses a hand out at sea. Good luck with your printing if you get back ok post some of your work on these pages.
Have you thought about taking a proof-press with you?
I would suggest a Vandercook. At the very least something small like a Showcard press. It’ll help counterweight the boat, and you need to proof your forms before you lock them up in the Heidelberg.
Just my 2 cents.
Use photo-polymer—the boat builders will want to swipe your metal type for casting keels………..
Cannonball Press set up a Golding on the Crusier Olympia:
http://www.philagrafika2010.org/node/47
http://cannonballpress.com/
Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY
My girlfriend used to work as an educator on the Intrepid and they still have a printshop from when they used it to print menus when it was still an active aircraft carrier. Unfortunately it’s not on display and can only be accessed by staff.
I dunno, Dolly. The Queen Mary had a press about the size of a Heidelberg, but it was a tad larger than your loveboat. And there are a few other things you might need, too.
Barbara
Hello Dolly:
You might consider a hand-fed platen press, a Golding would be nice! To keep up with the traditional methods of printing without requiring any chemistry for the photo-polymer plates, (good grief, you wouldn’t want to dump anything toxic in the ocean), you would need a nice selection of REAL type. For a selection of typefaces you might check out …
http://titanicletterpress.blogspot.com/2011/02/possible-typefaces-of-tit...
Meanwhile, my best wishes to the bride and groom for a happy marriage.
Not worth it. The last thing you need is a boat infected with type lice.
My father spent his 4 years in the Navy as a printer on board an aircraft carrier in the late 50s. The 4 years in the Navy counted towards his apprentice time.
Hey Mike,
Do you have any idea what kind of equipment he was working on? Was it letterpress or offset?
Dan