Building an English Common Press
Good afternoon,
I’m about to start an adventure building something that will approximate an English Common Press. My goal is to create something that will work in the spirit of a Gutenberg press, even if it’s not completely accurate. I’m aware of the book “The Common Press” by Elizabeth Harris, and am making arrangements to go have a look at one. (Only 2000 copies were made, so tracking one down has taken some time.)
I would appreciate any thoughts that folks might have - be they suggestions or cautionary tales.
Thanks,
— Markus
Have you seen the tv programme ” Stephen Fry and the Gutenburg press” available on You Tube to view.
One thing to remember is that “common” presses, as they were called in their heyday, varied quite a lot in their design, hardware, wood, etc.; most were made of Oak, I believe, in England; the most prolific American Common press builder, Adam Ramage, preferred Honduran Mahogany. To make a “replica” requires the resources available to Harris & Sisson for machine work, especially making the screw spindle and nut. Substitutions can be adapted, but the swing of the bar limits the amount of “fall” so that a coarser screw pitch is necessary. A few builders cast screws and nuts both of brass or bronze. So be prepared for a challenge. If you can make a pattern, bell foundries can cast in bronze, a more durable choice than brass.
In 2016, Seth Gottlieb, then an RIT student, posted six articles documenting a team project that researched, sourced materials, and constructed a common press.
https://printinghistory.org/uncommon-reconstruction/
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Hi! I believe the active replica Franklin Common Press in the University of Virginia Special Collections was built in a similar manner, possibly in the 1970s? I’d be happy to figure out who here knows specifics and connect you with them, if you’d like—let me know?
Please do share your work if you’re comfortable—I’m very interested in press-making, though I haven’t done any myself (type fabrication, though!). I’ve particularly found Winking Cat Press’ posts on this forum about designing and creating presses useful.
You may also enjoy Josef Beery’s work designing his popular BookBeetle (currently in use at the Smithsonian! https://www.bookbeetlepress.com). It’s a tabletop replica of a common press, intended to help teach printing history and enjoyment while also emphasizing accessibility (including for K-12 classroom and public library uses). In addition to the connections to the historical common press he documents in the history portions of the free BookBeetle manual (https://www.bookbeetlepress.com/s/BookBeetleManual2023Small-mmgw.pdf), his printing includes on full floor Common Presses (like UVA’s) and adjacent research into printing history (e.g. https://rarebookschool.org/resources/2026/06/impact-story-josef-beery/ and https://printinghistory.org/publications/printing-history/). I’m sure he’d be open to email contact, too.
I am not certain about the UVa Common press, but I think it may have been made by Clint Sisson.
I have indeed seen the Stephen Fry documentary - a number of times.
Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. I tried to look at the BookBeetle PDF and it came out gibberish, so I’m not sure what to make of that.
MarkusFord
I have the common press book. I’ve tried to contact you off site. Contact me and I’ll send you some plans.