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Message 1
From: Lynn Starun
Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 06:25:07 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 35539] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V43 #4306 (Apr 4, 2008)
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Hi Bareners,
I just wanted to show off some prints I made a
workshop with Chuck Miley where we did relief
reduction prints. Mine are crude as we were working
fast but it was sooo fun. He called it drawing with
the gouge.
Plus I'm just so proud of doing a blog entry.
Lynn

http://lynnallisonstarun.blogspot.com

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Message 2
From: David Harrison
Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:29:47 +0100
Subject: [Baren 35540] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V43 #4306 (Apr 4, 2008)
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Hi Lynn,

I really like the prints! I think the link was missing a final '.com':

http://www.lynnallisonstarun.blogspot.com/

Cheers,

David H

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Message 3
From: "Amanda Miller"
Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:06:34 -0400
Subject: [Baren 35541] press advice
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Hi Everyone,

I'm too new to the group to have known Wanda, even through email, but I can
tell from your posts that she was a very special person. My condolences to
her family and friends.


I wonder if I could ask some advice...I'm planning to buy a press for
my home. I will use it mainly for woodcut and monotypes, but I would also
like to be able to print solar plate etchings and collagraphs. I had been
planning to buy the Blick Master Etch Model II Press
http://www.dickblick.com/zz450/28/, and I'm still leaning towards that one,
but I realized that there are some other presses that are around the same
size and in my price range, so I want to consider those as well. If you
have experience with any of the presses below, or just general advice on
what to look for, I'd love to have your input.



*Blick Master Etch Model II Press http://www.dickblick.com/zz450/28/*

* *

*Conrad E18 Etching Press http://www.dickblick.com/zz450/17b/*


MS-18 Etching Press
http://www.ettanpress.com/page/etching_press.html#


Thomas Fine Art Etching Press
*http://www.thomaspresses.com/*(I will
only get this one if it is much, much better than the others because
it ships from British Columbia, and I'm in Baltimore, so the shipping will
be very expensive).



By the way, I bought the Speedball Printers Press
http://www.dickblick.com/zz400/14/ a few years ago because it was all I
could afford. It's better than nothing, but does not glide well (sometimes
not at all) when the pressure is high and it's very hard to get even
pressure. I'm hoping my new press will be much better!



Thanks very much!



Amanda Gordon Miller

Amandagordonmiller.blogspot.com
Edamamepress.etsy.com

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Message 4
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 07:40:06 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 35542] Re: press advice
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I use and swear by the Thomas press ... actually, I have two ... a smaller one and his largest size. They are simple and work very well. They are quite light for their size, as the frames are made from welded square tubing. That is more than robust enough for the purpose, but much lighter than the usual press design. These are full sized etching presses, not mini-presses.

The beds are laminated countertop material, so they will never warp or bend. If for any reason you wanted to replace a bed (e.g., you want to print something 8 feet long), then it would be much cheaper to have a new bed made locally by any shop making custom countertops than if you had a steel or phenolic bed. The rollers are large diameter, heavy wall steel tubing. You will get much less blanket drag with a large diameter roller than with the smaller diameter rollers found on the so-called mini-presses. For its size, the Thomas press is only about 1/3 the cost of any other press I researched. These presses are used in several schools and universities, as well as being in use by three or four professional artists that I know personally.

I taught a workshop in Bar Harbor, Maine, last summer. Someone there bought a Thomas press and had it shipped out to the workshop, and I used it there. After the workshop, I just removed the bed, took off the roller and wheel, and we stored in in the trunk of her car, and she drove it down to Florida. They are easy to take apart and move.

Another possibility you might want to look at is Praga presses ... they are located in Toronto ... much closer to Baltimore than Vancouver Island!

http://www.praga.com/

Cheers ...... Charles

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Message 5
From: Holly Anderson
Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 11:46:58 -0400
Subject: [Baren 35543] RE: press advice
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Hello! I bought a press from Thomas Fine about 2 years ago, and have found it to be incredibly satisfying. I print woodcuts mainly, and it has proved perfect for that medium. I have no complaints whatsoever! It was easy to buy and ship (I had it shipped to North Carolina), and exceeded my expectations. I had a local welder make a stand for it, and have enjoyed using it very much. It is extremely sturdy, well-built and reliable, and the maker was very kind and knowledgeable--a pleasure to work with. I don't have any experience with the other presses, so I don't know how good this information will be, but I hope it helps!

Holiday Anderson