Printing Press - Line-O-Scribe
| Printing Press - Line-O-Scribe | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name | Line-O-Scribe Showcard Writer |
| Zone | Craft Room
|
| Owner | Ashley Lesser |
| Make Model | Not Available |
| Part Number | Not Available |
| Date Acquired | |
| Storage Location | Cart by Kiln Zone |
| Authorization Required | Yes |
| Status | Running |
| Value | 300
|
| Documentation | |
| Other References | |
Contents
Intro
Video of the type of press we have here.
Rules
This tool has currently not been released for use by the general membership.
Please contact Ashley or one of the authorized users listed below for training. Authorized users are encouraged to train others; however, Ashley will provide final approval for new trainees to become authorized users, following a brief meet-up to observe and go over key procedures.
Three Cardinal Rules for Printing:
- Be kind to the equipment. It's a hundred-year-old press! Do not force the cylinder across if it is too low. Start high and work down, running test prints until you feel light resistance and get good ink coverage. Because the cylinder height is adjustable, you won't get the deep debossed impression you may associate with "letterpress printing." If you want to do that, visit Signal-Return, or help me buy a Vandercook ;-)
- Don't stir the ink! In fact, disturb it as little as possible. Slice into the skin, retrieve a dab of ink, and gently nudge the skin back into place. The skin protects the ink beneath.
- Clean up! Do not allow ink to dry on type, blocks, palettes, or brayers. The ink takes a while to dry (i.e., hours not minutes) but it is very difficult to remove once it cures. If you are going to take a break and leave the immediate area, you must clean the press first.
Instructions
A selection of display type and printing blocks are available for printing on the press. Linoleum blocks are also great for hand-carving. The cylinder height of the press is adjustable, so blocks need not be exactly type-high, although they shouldn't be far off.
If you want to use the laser cutter to transfer art to a linoleum block, the recommended settings are Speed 45 Power 100. Unless the design is highly complex, consider outlining your graphic and cutting away the non-printing background areas by hand.
Inking is by hand. Use the glass palette and brayer. You'll want to roll out a small dab of ink on the palette until smooth (no peaks visible). Then apply to your printing surface (and only your printing surface... stray ink causes misprints, so care is rewarded).
Magnets, along with furniture, can be used to secure type or blocks to the press. You may need to be creative with your layout. Try not to scratch the surface of the press when moving magnets; instead of sliding them, lift them up using the wooden wedge.
A blank piece of paper taped to the inside of the press cover can be marked up and used for rudimentary registration.
A pump-can containing odorless mineral spirits is provided for cleaning type and the glass palette after use. Do not allow ink to dry onto any surfaces.
Rags containing mineral spirits must be handled properly. They can be placed in a flammables canister in the flammables cabinet. Do not throw them in household trash unless the solvent has been allowed to evaporate in a ventilated area.
For more detailed printing instructions with pictures, please see the FAQ below.
Maintenance Info
This device has very few moving parts. Maintenance is as follows:
- Do not let ink dry on type, blocks, or other surfaces.
- If the cylinder makes noise or fails to move smoothly, apply sewing machine oil to moving parts.
For other issues, please contact Ashley directly by e-mail or phone.
FAQ
ToDo
Authorized Users and Trainers
| Trainer Name | Certified Date |
|---|---|
| Ashley Lesser | 2016/01/01 |
| User Name | Authorized By | Date of Most Recent Training |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Flory | Ashley Lesser | |
| Charlie Rysenga | Kevin Flory | 2016/02/06 |
| David Henry | Ashley Lesser | 2016/01/31 |
| Gary Morin | Ashley Lesser | 2018/06/24 |
| Janice Morin | Ashley Lesser | 2018/06/24 |
| Martee Held | Ashley Lesser | 2018/06/24 |
| Stephen Marlow | Ashley Lesser | 2018/06/24 |
| Alexandra Thomas | Ashley Lesser | 2019/01/13 |
| Emily Lardner | Ashley Lesser | 2019/01/13 |
| Julien Cohen | Ashley Lesser | 2019/02/09 |
| Melissa Gilchrist | Ashley Lesser | 2019/02/09 |
| William Kelly | Ashley Lesser | 2024/04/15 |
| Shauna Siso | Ashley Lesser | 2024/04/15 |
Possible Model Identification
This particular press appears to be an early product of the Line-O-Scribe company of Adrian (MI). (For a brief overview of the histories of Line-O-Scribe of Adrian and Line-O-Scribe of Chicago, see this excellent article by David MacMillan and Rollande Krandall.
There's no line number or part number on the machine. Per MacMillan and Krandall, the first Line-O-Scribe patent was filed on in 1927 and issued in 1929. Assuming that this is the patent which is marked as pending, that gives us a timespan for this machine. I should note that MacMillan and Krandall's reproduction of patent 1,926,983 is a much closer--but not visually identical--match to the machine, although the lack of an equipment identifier or any patent information does seem to point to an earlier machine.
Here's a closeup of the nameplate:
There are two other possible information bits on the machine. The (bakelite?) handle is inscribed 'BC2187', and one of the side channels contains the text 'C-35 Illinois'.
