Quicker lockup with less furniture but (not recommended for type)

Ok, So I’m probably going to get a lot of grief from the type traditionalist (and I’d be right there with you if i suggested this for type) but i wanted to show the community an alternative solution I use for locking up wood blocks, lino blocks, and the occasional Boxcar base on flat bed presses (ie. Poco’s & Iron Hand Presses, it may work on some Vandercooks.)

I’ve modified the bed with Nylon Gear Racks originally used for Sliding Gate Openers (https://www.amazon.com/Gear-Sliding-Track-Rolling-Operator/dp/B00INOG59A) Because I’m only printing Lino, Woodblocks and ocassionally Photo-polomer I don’t need to deal with a lot of furniture and it makes for quick and easy setups. One of the cross pieces has henry guage pins on them to line up the paper. You could add an additional cross piece if you want to center the art in a larger sheet. Its simple and makes registration a breeze. This gives me more time to experiment with color and paper.

I love my presses and the work I can get out of them. and i hope a haven’t offended too many with my alternative.

Respectfully Terry Wessling

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For the applications you’ve chosen I’d say that’s pretty clever. I take it you jig sawed and filed out the wooden “cross blocks”? Aside from using some stiffer stronger wood (it looks like pine in the photos), looks great.

I like your setup; Is that die board you used for the cross blocks?

I like it - it’s elegant and adjustable. I wonder how difficult it would be to find and cut flat stock nylon (or aluminum) for the side pieces, instead of wood?

Cool! I wish I could zoom in on these photos to see the details better. The nylon bars are running across your press bed and then your wooden bars are cut to interlock with the nylon bars teeth?

We have a poco that just needs to be cleaned up a bit to use..would love a good setup for getting registration, etc, quickly. :)

Mike - You are correct as to how they were made - but the wood is oak. I thought of a more elaborate way using small pieces of the rail and attaching to wood or metal but then i figured when they begin to wear ill just cut another.

bppayne - See answer to mike

Bill - It would work but I think it would just run the cost up.

Annie - after i sized the length of the rails I drilled a hole to match the Taper pin holes and put a screw and bolt to hold it to the bed. On the Iron press it was much simpler. The rails fit snuggly into the corner iron so i just used double stick tape to keep the position. the wood cross pieces then lock it in place.

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The rails have a metal core which gives the strength and keeps it from bowing and the nylon makes it easy to cut and sand.

Great idea, and it looks very practical to use. reminds me a bit of the rails that came with the Showcard or Sofadi presses, but these look sturdier. Thank you for sharing this. It’s indeed a shame that one can’t zoom in to see the details better.