Home Built Letterpress

[TejkA8]

sir...my hat comes off to you!

[TripInsure]

That is amazing. I love the use of the pipes.

[usernameunvalidhuh]

this is great... I was looking for diy home-printing videos and i liked yours the best... (so far)... ;)

Do you think you could help with how you went about making the Type ready for the jobwork?

[craftulous]

wow. Your set up is pretty darn badass.

[gurlmeow]

Hey GTGehrke,

I must say I really like what you did!!!!!!!!!!!! I had not idea that letter press is so exciting it seems to have quit a process to it depending on which letter press you own, but you created your own!!! Now that is very impressive.

[mrbluenun]

Hi GTGehrke,

Love what you have done, really clever and you have obviously have the different stages and exactly what was needed as you work your way through a job.

I admire your skill and ambition Sir!

The 'apparatus' used matters not but the fact you are using a true Letter Press style and methods keeps the knowledge going, and putting your video on the Web will help enormously to stress, just how basic things can be and still get a very decent look! You have to be extremely pleased!

[nn8nn]

this is nice..respect for reliving the old times..but would'nt it be better using serigraf?

[gomaaterra]

Great man, I like your press.

[steveoco1]

Cool shit man, I am looking at putting together something just for business card design, using a normal vice and some basic right angles.

[zthetha]

As an old guy I can remember the days of hand type setting and manual printing and I find this return from electronic-desktop-easy peasy-any-fool-can-do-it to the craft of printing on home made equipment a most healthy development. In the final analysis it is what we make with our hands that has value and not what the damn computer begrudgingly allows us to do ... he said tapping away on his laptop. Ah, well... they have their uses I suppose...

[joehoracek]

wow! mad props dude. that is cool!

[natureandrobots]

this is great! I have been working on some block prints for a save the date, this looks like a more time efficient method than rubbing. Not to mention will save your wrist/fingers. Thanks for sharing this.

[ChapmanGriffith]

Thank you for sharing.

[zibernetika]

This is amazing! Thanks for sharing! :)

[haledjian]

Get some 1x4's to nail on each side. That'll keep it from bending

[mirutamarisen1]

how do you build you own press templates , you know the plates the press plates

[chesshirecat2]

man. you're a badass. you did a fine job for home letterpress and probably saved a ton of money. I need to borrow your press, hah ha

[GameFreak7744]

Amazing video!

Looks like a simple and affordable press, not to mention a fun project. I may have to look into building one...

[larryvienneau]

outstanding: I'd like to use it in my relief printmaking class, if you don't mind. I'll give you the credit for the design. thanks!!!!

[MinimumEffect]

This is really excellent!

[BSCGDC]

Excellent work. I teach in the Graphic Design and Communications Dept. at Bismarck State College in Bismarck, N.D. We are considering building a press like yours to teach about the printing process. Anything you would change about your design? Thanks for any info you can offer.

[001authentic]

this was very good, i'm wondering can you use a heat press machine to press the plate into your paper.

[pheenix42]

Yep, that's letterpress alright! Good ideas there...the only suggestion I would make would be build a sturdy frame and get it up off of the floor; your back will thank you!

[dontheideaguy]

Nice job. Great video. Thanks for sharing this information.

[clipside2]

Hi there, I am very impressed with your dedication to the project :) Just wondering, Do you have an approximate cost of this project?

[im2sexy4mykat]

pretty creative!

[morriswil32]

Oh..If the Landlord only knew...

[morriswil32]

Nice Video.

[erchix]

daaamn that's cool. Extend the shelf board to the back of the press and add some weight on it, then it wont bend. Or just screw it to the floor, if you dont have floor heating that is.

[chesshirecat2]

badass man

[YourMomIsMeeyah]

hell, kudos, very creative indeed.

=)

[ool3rt]

your rolling technique needs some work. the way you are inking up the roller won't create an even layer of ink. You need to flick the roller at the end so that the roller spins, otherwise you are just inking up the same spot on the roller

[soundtheology]

ok, wow, I totally respect what you are doing, and if this your thing more power to you. But I just kept thinking, wayyyyyy too much like work.

[stacigh]

Do you have a list of parts that you used to make this? I soooo need one of these!!! Your design is by far the best I've seen and I'd love to make one if you care to share how you built it. :)

[eleanoquilly]

Nice try. Keep it up check out esteembpo + com for social media marketing. GHJTFR

[artsyrezuri]

This is pretty cool. I wonder if this setup would work well with relief printing... Hmmm...

[kimmierapp]

Fantastic!

[dryboogers]

dude, why work on the floor? set this up on a work bench, saves your back!

[MJBkiwan]

He won't be able to create the same force on a bench. The base bends too much too, it would slide around on a work bench, but on the floor, his weight is forced directly on top.

[BooJeanIsIt]

this seems like a LOT of work when you can just use a laser printer........ i bought toner on ebay years ago for $15.00 and its still printing smooth.................

But maybe you enjoy this? If so, I'm not knocking it, it is COOL!

[cannoir]

hum..uh nah! that's not the point of the video, besides laser doesn't do any "press" it just do colouring. letter press has a unique crisp and organic look and feel that no printer in the world can emulate.of course nobody is going to "press" a billboard.

[tommytesto]

Thank you so much for making this vid. I am getting into block and linoleum printing, and it is dismaying how much even basic presses cost. Even the detail about the frame to catch brayer followthrough with each inking - very helpful.

[chupoh]

why do we human have this passion and love for printing?

[dmariesweetpea]

was this cost effective? would it have cost more to have the save-the-dates ordered online? just curious :)

[eligriggs]

You can eliminate the flex by adding vertical 4/4 hardwood sides and a back using large plate biscuits and yellow glue. In fact, I believe a double thickness on the sides would be best. Ash, Oak or Maple would work well.

You can also add a set of caster wheels to the back hardwood plate so when lifted, you can wheel it into place for work or upright storage more easily.

Finally, add a pair of screw-in eyes mounted to the sides for a bungee cord to hold the lever in place for storage.

Cheers

[danakomori]

I like offset lithography, good job on you design

[bileth22]

Such an ingenious device! I can almost smell the ink. Primitive, but much better than offset for those special jobs. Kudos.

[cutetxbiggurl]

Dude I have a wedding coming up I need to use that :)

[scafativ]

Very nice project! You might get rid of the base's flex with some angle iron underneath and bolted along the base.

[cathyspca]

lots of good elements and you put a thought into simulating parts of a press. I think you'll do better next time with some of the elements but very clever elements

[funnelbc]

Excellent work. Love the inventiveness!

[rhblakeman]

Well look at the 21st century monk LOL just kidding. We did dang near the same thing in the 60's as kids using linoleum block printing (hand cut) on a 2x12 two thicknesses. Your press other than the plate looks so much like the one we had, same system with the 3/4" and 1" piping to make hinges too. We eventually took it apart to use for home remodeling projects but it worked and it worked good and we didnt register with pins, with had 2x4's around the outside that guided the plate down.

[ellemeno26]

A lot of fun to see. Very clever - thanks for sharing.

[torinford]

bravo for the ingenuity!