Christmas 2015

In a few days time Father Christmas will be visiting boys and girls all over the world to give them an aluminium base so that they can print 1.52mm polymer plates. As soon as they get their present these letterpress printers will disappear into their studios to play with their new toy, “Who needs turkey any way” they say as they disappear out of the door.

Some have been naughty this year and may not get anything. Those who smashed a gripper across a rare type face, those who left ink on a door handle so all of the household including the dog became members of the black hand gang, those who made bad smells in the kitchen soaking rusty parts of their press in lemon juice and the really naughty ones who misled friends and family by telling them that they always washed their plates in the kitchen sink.

To those who own a table top press that Father Christmas does not visit I bring glad tidings, as an angel once said.

There is a material call Delrin which is available 20mm thick, that can be cut to fit any chase and is much much cheaper than aluminium base. It doesn’t have a polished surface or engraved grid as on the aluminium base but it could be marked out as required using a pen and ruler. Being under height is not a problem as it can be packed behind with card or thin plastic sheet. It can also save taping the tracks where people have found the rollers on their table top press are the wrong diameter.
I did a costing and found I could get five Delrin blocks for the price of one aluminium base.Another advantage is that blocks can be cut down to a smaller size if required.

Have a great Christmas everyone.

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