Pre-Cut paper printing Vandercook Universal
I have some pre-cut square paper and a matching plate that doesn’t have a bleed. Is it possible, or does anyone ever, work to print on pre-cut paper that won’t need to be trimmed later?
I only ask because it would make this job waaaay easier. Couldn’t you just load your paper like usual and position the plate using that reversing/tape method. Then run it onto the actual base to get everything centered?
Or at the very least just spend some time getting things centered to avoid the trimming later?
I print on pre-cut paper all the time on my SP-20. I tend to lose a few sheets getting the print in the right spot, but nothing onerous. It also depends on how small your sheet is. You may have to hold it more carefully (or rig some double-stick tape) so it doesn’t slap down on your plate and cause a misprint.
I like that answer ;) Might be worth giving a go! Always looking to acquire new skills
. double post. I actually edited one… I noticed the press in the subject line after I typed the reply, amended one, but I guess the other got stuck…. ;)
…. My browser cuts the subject line a bit short….
Its a totally possible thing, and I would make a weird suggestion to you - as far as the clean hands issue.
I have a method I use.
I keep a bottle of lotion and some baby powder and a roll of paper towels next to the press.
If anything, there is going to be some ink ending up on your fingers at some point. Printing final size is tough because there’s no margin for dirty fingers.
Start out the day with a small amount of hand lotion on your hands. (This’ll help you grab the sheets, too! Dry hands suck for feeding.)
If you wind up too oily, just use some baby powder to absorb that oil off your hands.
When you get a bit of ink on you, you can get it off with a squirt of lotion, some rubbing, and then some paper towel. It really helps and is better than soap and water in my opinion. I have skin that cracks if I wash it all day long wet, dry, wet dry… So the lotion method helps with this, too.
(In fact, recently I stopped washing my hands at the end of the day, even after intaglio printing. I now use mineral oil/baby oil to break any ink up, rub this off onto a towel, and then lotion following this. Then more towel rubbing, more lotion.
I find this even usually can get the ink out of the cracks between my fingers.)
Thanks for the feedback Haven. I actually put Vandercook Universal in the thread title :)
I’ll make sure my paws are spotless. Going to give this a try and hopefully won’t end up crying in the corner of the studio.
yep…. it is not only possible, but is actually quite common. As mentioned, clean hands and press are important…. but that doesn’t just apply to pre-cut paper. One should always have clean hands when hand feeding paper.