Just purchased The Automatic Printing Press and I am totally new at this, help

Abeck1717
on 16 Sep 13 (10:58)

I just purchased this beautiful Automatic Printing Press at a flea market and would love to learn all about the process and art of letterpress printing. I am totally starting from scratch. I am looking for an instruction manual and a schematic and any pointers from those who are in the know. There have been pictures posted on this site of the specific press if that is of any assistance. Thanks for any help!

Stanislaus Pekala
on 16 Sep 13 (11:16)

Abeck:
Instruction manual? Schematic? Huh?
This machine has been blamed for destroying (smashing) more type in its day than any other press!
The two brass sliding shims in the bed of the feeding end of the press should be shimmed with a thickness of paper/card just a shade thinner than the sock you are running. Forget (for now) about printing, just get the feeding part of it. Rollers aught to be a big $.
Hope you’ve got all the parts, else you’ve just got a big-@$$ heavy desk ornament or a door stop!
Stan

Stanislaus Pekala
on 16 Sep 13 (11:16)

Stock NOT sock!!

Abeck1717
on 17 Sep 13 (21:01)

Thanks Stan, I am aware of putting the paper shim in, the gentleman I bought it from did tell me about that adjustment. I believe that all of the parts are included and in working order. I have run blank cards through and everything seems to function correctly.
Allison