Category: Digital letterpress
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Earlier topic: Mushy impression (is it the plates or the...

photopolymer plates and letterpress

Do these plates work with traditional letterpresses and is there a way to make them at home? Any links/advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

Vanessa

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This should help you:

http://www.boxcarpress.com/photopolymer-supplies/boxcar-base.html

Vanessa

Yes, as long as the plate and base together measure .918 they will function well on a printing press that is used to print metal type.

There are many folks who practice alternative processing, but the only useful description of the process that I have seen is by Brian Allen. There is a PDF of his article in the Files section of PPLetterpress.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PPLetterpress

Gerald

Thank you! I applied for the group you recommended Gerald. I read up at box car press and let me see if I am understanding things. I can make my own plates at home, but they can make them better for me? As in if I have some art I can send it to them and they make a plate for me?

Thanks again!
Vanessa

Yes, that is how it works. There are a number of firms providing plates specifically to folks in the book arts field. In most cases you would need to send your digital file to a film negative processer and they would forward it to the platemaker.

Boxcar Press will do both for you. But note that you will also need a base (to bring the plate to type high.

Boxcar can supply this as well. The Boxcar base requires polyester-backed plates and a film adhesive. Another popular alternative is the Patmag, which is an aluminum base with magnetic sheeting, that allows for the use of steel-backed plates. Both of these bases are priced within affordable range for the beginner and either is a good choice.

In your case, I would recommend Boxcar since they will be able to set you up and running with everything that you need.

Gerald
http://BielerPress.blogspot.com

Excellent. Thank you so much for your help!

Vanessa

I just posted a similiar thread in the lrtterpress for beginers. I’m looking for a economical source for water processed plates.

Hi,

I’m not sure if anyone is still reading this page, but does anyone know of a company in the UK that will produce photopolymer plates? I really need one for a tricky job I want to produce.

Thanks

Look at the post at the bottom of the page - 10 January