Today's postings
- [Baren 34783] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V42 #4182 (Jan 8, 2008) (Lynn Starun)
- [Baren 34784] Re: pressure gauge (Charles Morgan)
- [Baren 34785] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V42 #4180 (Jan 8, 2008) (Charles Morgan)
- [Baren 34786] Re: Blocks in the UK ("Mark Mason")
- [Baren 34787] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V42 #4180 (Jan 8, 2008) (eli griggs)
- [Baren 34788] Re: Blocks in the UK (David Harrison)
Message 4
From: Lynn Starun
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 09:57:35 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 34783] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V42 #4182 (Jan 8, 2008)
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Hi Harry,
I took a Japanese woodblock class Takuji Hamanaka and
for dampening paper he had us brush water onto
chipboard until is was thoroughly dampened and then
stack the paper in between the dampened chipboard with
a weight for maybe 20 minutes. I've been using this
method for letterpress as well as you don't end up
getting the paper too wet. I use the archival
chipboard.
Lynn
I took a Japanese woodblock class Takuji Hamanaka and
for dampening paper he had us brush water onto
chipboard until is was thoroughly dampened and then
stack the paper in between the dampened chipboard with
a weight for maybe 20 minutes. I've been using this
method for letterpress as well as you don't end up
getting the paper too wet. I use the archival
chipboard.
Lynn
Message 1
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 10:58:22 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 34784] Re: pressure gauge
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Hello Maria,
Can't wait to see your Wheelan press ... maybe next time I am in Vegas. By the way, I believe the correct website should be:
http://whelanpress.com/
They are a bit on the expensive side for me ........
Cheers ...... Charles
Can't wait to see your Wheelan press ... maybe next time I am in Vegas. By the way, I believe the correct website should be:
http://whelanpress.com/
They are a bit on the expensive side for me ........
Cheers ...... Charles
Message 2
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 11:39:20 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 34785] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V42 #4180 (Jan 8, 2008)
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Hello Lynn,
I would want things to be cheap and easy. For non-cheap, non-easy, you could go to a machine shop and ask them to make a wheel out of tubing that could be clamped to your current arms.
But before going to that extreme, I would experiment with some other possibilities.
1) Check out making a square instead of a wheel. Just cut four pieces of 2 x 2 inch wooden stock (it is really 1.5 x 1.5 inches) to be a few inches longer than the distance betwen the arms at their ends. Then you are going to make a square out at the ends of your arms by clamping the wooden bars to the arms. There are a variety of ways to clamp the wooden bars to the arms. I would consider just going to the hardware stor and buying 4 large diameter hooks ... get them with a 1/4 inch threaded steel shaft long enough to go through two of your bars. If you can't find the hooks ready made, you can easily make them yourself ... just buy 1/4 inch threaded ready rod ... cut off four appropriate lengths, and using a piece of pipe for a form a good vice and a hammer, bend one end of each rod in the shape of a hook. Then drill holes at appropriate places at each end of each wooden bar. Insert the shaft of each hook through two of the bars to make a large (floppy)
square. Hook the hooks over the arms from your press, and tighten the nuts on the ends of the hooks. This should draw the hooks up against the arms and clamp them to the wooden bars. This will give you a big square with the existing arms as diagonals on the square. You may then find it easier to turn the square "wheel" rather than using the arms. And the whole thing can easily be taken apart and put back together easily.
2) Go to a real bike shop that actually does bike repairs and has a stock of old bikes and parts ... not one of those crappy places that just sell cheap, new bikes. You are looking for a bike wheel that is essentially made of plastic or carbon fiiber. Instead of many little wire spokes, these wheels have a few large plastic or carbon fiber spokes. If you can get something large enough and cheap enough, just use hose clamps to clamp the big spokes to your existing arms. With a properly inflated tire on the bike wheel, you will have an instant wheel for your press. You can remove it by just loosening the hose clamps.
3) If the collar that the existing arms screw into is large enough, and if you have the equipment to drill and tap metal, then you could just drill and tap four more holes in the existing collar, one between each of the existing arms. Then just screw in 4 more arms, giving you 8 arms in all. I am not sure what your existing arms are made of, but you would have to make four more similar arms.
So here are a few suggestions ... hope something helps. Mike is very inventive ... maybe he will have some suggestions as well.
Cheers ....... Charles
I would want things to be cheap and easy. For non-cheap, non-easy, you could go to a machine shop and ask them to make a wheel out of tubing that could be clamped to your current arms.
But before going to that extreme, I would experiment with some other possibilities.
1) Check out making a square instead of a wheel. Just cut four pieces of 2 x 2 inch wooden stock (it is really 1.5 x 1.5 inches) to be a few inches longer than the distance betwen the arms at their ends. Then you are going to make a square out at the ends of your arms by clamping the wooden bars to the arms. There are a variety of ways to clamp the wooden bars to the arms. I would consider just going to the hardware stor and buying 4 large diameter hooks ... get them with a 1/4 inch threaded steel shaft long enough to go through two of your bars. If you can't find the hooks ready made, you can easily make them yourself ... just buy 1/4 inch threaded ready rod ... cut off four appropriate lengths, and using a piece of pipe for a form a good vice and a hammer, bend one end of each rod in the shape of a hook. Then drill holes at appropriate places at each end of each wooden bar. Insert the shaft of each hook through two of the bars to make a large (floppy)
square. Hook the hooks over the arms from your press, and tighten the nuts on the ends of the hooks. This should draw the hooks up against the arms and clamp them to the wooden bars. This will give you a big square with the existing arms as diagonals on the square. You may then find it easier to turn the square "wheel" rather than using the arms. And the whole thing can easily be taken apart and put back together easily.
2) Go to a real bike shop that actually does bike repairs and has a stock of old bikes and parts ... not one of those crappy places that just sell cheap, new bikes. You are looking for a bike wheel that is essentially made of plastic or carbon fiiber. Instead of many little wire spokes, these wheels have a few large plastic or carbon fiber spokes. If you can get something large enough and cheap enough, just use hose clamps to clamp the big spokes to your existing arms. With a properly inflated tire on the bike wheel, you will have an instant wheel for your press. You can remove it by just loosening the hose clamps.
3) If the collar that the existing arms screw into is large enough, and if you have the equipment to drill and tap metal, then you could just drill and tap four more holes in the existing collar, one between each of the existing arms. Then just screw in 4 more arms, giving you 8 arms in all. I am not sure what your existing arms are made of, but you would have to make four more similar arms.
So here are a few suggestions ... hope something helps. Mike is very inventive ... maybe he will have some suggestions as well.
Cheers ....... Charles
Message 3
From: "Mark Mason"
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 20:27:15 -0000
Subject: [Baren 34786] Re: Blocks in the UK
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Quote: "I recall you were looking for suppliers for blocks in the UK. Have you found
anyone decent?" Unquote.
Hi David,
Mixed success with blocks. The Magnolia blocks from Intaglio Printmaker are nice, but are only quite small, the largest available size being just big enough for the Chuban Print Exchange (including Kentos). It cuts very nicely, and if you're careful you can get quite fine lines, depending on the grain pattern. I'm sure as I improve, I'll be able to get the lines finer.
Their other plywood appears to be marine ply, and the surface isn't finished.
Other than that I picked up a 8ft piece of American Cherry from a nationwide timber merchant, got them to cut it into 4x2ft pieces which I hand planed and finished for my Exchange 33 print. That was a lot of work though.
Since then I've called on the kind services of Barbara Mason and the Baren Mall, and taken advantage of the great Pound/Dollar exchange rate by ordering a box of Shina Ply which arrived so quickly from Japan.
I found McClains was a bit too pricey for international shipping, so for now, until the exchange rates change I'm going to be sticking with Baren Mall for some blocks, and Intaglio Printmaker in the UK for their Magnolia.
Cheers, and Happy New Year,
Mark.
anyone decent?" Unquote.
Hi David,
Mixed success with blocks. The Magnolia blocks from Intaglio Printmaker are nice, but are only quite small, the largest available size being just big enough for the Chuban Print Exchange (including Kentos). It cuts very nicely, and if you're careful you can get quite fine lines, depending on the grain pattern. I'm sure as I improve, I'll be able to get the lines finer.
Their other plywood appears to be marine ply, and the surface isn't finished.
Other than that I picked up a 8ft piece of American Cherry from a nationwide timber merchant, got them to cut it into 4x2ft pieces which I hand planed and finished for my Exchange 33 print. That was a lot of work though.
Since then I've called on the kind services of Barbara Mason and the Baren Mall, and taken advantage of the great Pound/Dollar exchange rate by ordering a box of Shina Ply which arrived so quickly from Japan.
I found McClains was a bit too pricey for international shipping, so for now, until the exchange rates change I'm going to be sticking with Baren Mall for some blocks, and Intaglio Printmaker in the UK for their Magnolia.
Cheers, and Happy New Year,
Mark.
Message 4
From: eli griggs
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 12:45:08 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 34787] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V42 #4180 (Jan 8, 2008)
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Lynn, you might try having a wheel cut from a sheet of
heavy hardwood plywood.
After the circle is cut for the wheel, make cut-outs
for a more wheel-like look and handling.
The only thing you might have to spend some time on,
besides sanding the edges, is finding the correct
fitting to mount to the drive shaft, but chances are
pretty good the local hardware or home-center will
have something that'll work. Find the hardware first
to save aggravation.
Use a 1/4 steel or iron plate on the opposite side of
the mount and qualitycarriage screws and you should be
good to go.
Cheers, Eli
Message 5
From: David Harrison
Date: Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:16:21 +0000
Subject: [Baren 34788] Re: Blocks in the UK
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Mark Mason wrote:
> Quote: "I recall you were looking for suppliers for blocks in the UK. Have
> you found anyone decent?" Unquote.
>
> Hi David,
>
> Mixed success with blocks. The Magnolia blocks from Intaglio Printmaker are
> nice, but are only quite small, the largest available size being just big
> enough for the Chuban Print Exchange (including Kentos). It cuts very
> nicely, and if you're careful you can get quite fine lines, depending on
> the grain pattern. I'm sure as I improve, I'll be able to get the lines
> finer.
>
> Their other plywood appears to be marine ply, and the surface isn't
> finished.
>
> Other than that I picked up a 8ft piece of American Cherry from a
> nationwide timber merchant, got them to cut it into 4x2ft pieces which I
> hand planed and finished for my Exchange 33 print. That was a lot of work
> though.
>
> Since then I've called on the kind services of Barbara Mason and the Baren
> Mall, and taken advantage of the great Pound/Dollar exchange rate by
> ordering a box of Shina Ply which arrived so quickly from Japan.
>
> I found McClains was a bit too pricey for international shipping, so for
> now, until the exchange rates change I'm going to be sticking with Baren
> Mall for some blocks, and Intaglio Printmaker in the UK for their Magnolia.
>
>
> Cheers, and Happy New Year,
>
> Mark.
Thanks, Mark!
The Baren Mall/Shina route sounds pretty handy...
Someone at a local timber merchants mentioned offcuts of cherry, maple, etc,
late last year but with Christmas, flu and the 'Happy Event' I haven't been
back yet.
I obtained quite a few pieces of cherry from local wood flooring companies,
but their idea of 'untreated' seems to involve layers of rock-hard
polyurethane varnish :-)
Hand-finishing blocks does sounds like a tough way to go about it. I'd thought
about planing but would need to practice on a lot of scrap before going near
an expensive cherry or maple board! Then again that sort of work is
therapeutic after too many hours a week at screen. Might give it a go.
I had wondered what wood those blocks from Intaglio were! I have a few in the
garage that should have cured nicely after last summer's dip in linseed oil --
I will try them alongside a couple that were left untreated and let you know
if they cut differently.
Happy New Year,
David
> Quote: "I recall you were looking for suppliers for blocks in the UK. Have
> you found anyone decent?" Unquote.
>
> Hi David,
>
> Mixed success with blocks. The Magnolia blocks from Intaglio Printmaker are
> nice, but are only quite small, the largest available size being just big
> enough for the Chuban Print Exchange (including Kentos). It cuts very
> nicely, and if you're careful you can get quite fine lines, depending on
> the grain pattern. I'm sure as I improve, I'll be able to get the lines
> finer.
>
> Their other plywood appears to be marine ply, and the surface isn't
> finished.
>
> Other than that I picked up a 8ft piece of American Cherry from a
> nationwide timber merchant, got them to cut it into 4x2ft pieces which I
> hand planed and finished for my Exchange 33 print. That was a lot of work
> though.
>
> Since then I've called on the kind services of Barbara Mason and the Baren
> Mall, and taken advantage of the great Pound/Dollar exchange rate by
> ordering a box of Shina Ply which arrived so quickly from Japan.
>
> I found McClains was a bit too pricey for international shipping, so for
> now, until the exchange rates change I'm going to be sticking with Baren
> Mall for some blocks, and Intaglio Printmaker in the UK for their Magnolia.
>
>
> Cheers, and Happy New Year,
>
> Mark.
Thanks, Mark!
The Baren Mall/Shina route sounds pretty handy...
Someone at a local timber merchants mentioned offcuts of cherry, maple, etc,
late last year but with Christmas, flu and the 'Happy Event' I haven't been
back yet.
I obtained quite a few pieces of cherry from local wood flooring companies,
but their idea of 'untreated' seems to involve layers of rock-hard
polyurethane varnish :-)
Hand-finishing blocks does sounds like a tough way to go about it. I'd thought
about planing but would need to practice on a lot of scrap before going near
an expensive cherry or maple board! Then again that sort of work is
therapeutic after too many hours a week at screen. Might give it a go.
I had wondered what wood those blocks from Intaglio were! I have a few in the
garage that should have cured nicely after last summer's dip in linseed oil --
I will try them alongside a couple that were left untreated and let you know
if they cut differently.
Happy New Year,
David