tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-138377902024-03-08T00:18:12.534+00:00An Albion StoryAndy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-67968881412160647322012-10-04T17:51:00.001+01:002012-10-04T17:51:12.810+01:00Re-Covering "Red"The heavy brown paper tympan cover that I made for "Red" (see <a href="http://albionstory.blogspot.co.uk/2007/07/covering-tympan-of-1902-albion.html">HERE</a>) was worse than tatty and so it was all stripped away ready for a new one. This time round, I decided to try a fairly smooth bookcloth, which I hoped. The general principle was the same - to soak the cover before fixing it to the tympan frame so that it dried as tight as a drum. We sponged the bookcloth on each side and then on the first again so that it was soaked but not so wet that water pooled on it's surface:<br />
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I laid the bare frame on the wet bookcloth:<br />
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I then started to cut tabs of cloth which were covered in bookbinding paste, pulled tight and glued down. A bone folder was used to push the tab under the frame (see later):<br />
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The tabs look rough but they can be trimmed once the cover has dried.<br />
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The same procedure was carrid out with the inner tympan frame:</div>
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This detail shows hoe each tab is pushed under the frame to keep it secure and tight:<br />
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The two parts of the tympan were left to dry thoroughly in the studio:<br />
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The next morning, both parts were dry, tight and drummed in a very satisfying manner when tapped. I trimmed the excess tabs, packed and reassembled the tympan and reconnected it to the press. I made the top neater with some heavy brown paper:<br />
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Red is looking rather good... <br />
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... and is back to work again:<br />
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Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-44782726486739431712009-03-28T09:52:00.003+00:002009-03-28T10:00:53.873+00:00Both handpresses have been in constant use since the last post and they are both running extremely well with just a little routine maintenance. I still need to get a handle cast for the 1865 Albion but it certainly works as it is. My next job is to recover both tympans - this time, I think, with cloth as the strong brown paper has ripped in a few places.<br /><br />Here is a photo of "Red" in an untidy studio:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kmkcP-fYAAzJkzzUe91of4iPfXYwhILPjV5reijSxgqzQbLHg2lQeaEuw4rUZXMFfQa_gjPcG1yy4ehO4nUbQR3qCEaaR15A7RaUaq8sQHz7WSaAcInvfZILCOn6rGHaShVC1g/s1600-h/DSCF1422.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kmkcP-fYAAzJkzzUe91of4iPfXYwhILPjV5reijSxgqzQbLHg2lQeaEuw4rUZXMFfQa_gjPcG1yy4ehO4nUbQR3qCEaaR15A7RaUaq8sQHz7WSaAcInvfZILCOn6rGHaShVC1g/s320/DSCF1422.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318175366830833938" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">*Click* on the photo to enlarge it<br /></div><br />I am printing engravings for a special edition of a chapter from Philip Pullman's "Northern Lights". Here is the title page block in place:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ_m0H4rdXK51Ng8Q_d2jytESa8LhpoQYFUxOaFd25cz5YchAXO_n5TupZIkHG1Aum6trdxeMyplyr848mpCI8lMNHWcWck1wcsOeTd2U23G_lcXP9UDYYvkwytaD27YdASip9Q/s1600-h/DSCF1423.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ_m0H4rdXK51Ng8Q_d2jytESa8LhpoQYFUxOaFd25cz5YchAXO_n5TupZIkHG1Aum6trdxeMyplyr848mpCI8lMNHWcWck1wcsOeTd2U23G_lcXP9UDYYvkwytaD27YdASip9Q/s320/DSCF1423.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318175371051046098" border="0" /></a><br />Here is the inking table:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOAojTaZgVZhr-kjQ-feg_v7-it2O191t09QcbnZhn4RkdkGu7zGXB-W-BSsgeIGeybyEn4uKX8gCfTgEXC7OcryTEc5Z3RY-jO1ggQsbwmrfN_O40oRPMuB0yN6SZEGt_6nVsg/s1600-h/DSCF1424.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOAojTaZgVZhr-kjQ-feg_v7-it2O191t09QcbnZhn4RkdkGu7zGXB-W-BSsgeIGeybyEn4uKX8gCfTgEXC7OcryTEc5Z3RY-jO1ggQsbwmrfN_O40oRPMuB0yN6SZEGt_6nVsg/s320/DSCF1424.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318175372925625458" border="0" /></a><br />And here, proofs are drying on the ceiling rack:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSB2Tx0X0qybv3j6t0WUuTwRuj77qCLzyFUUHoKpUpWvys8FJnzmm7zGql262jhdIIgR3wvxQ2BKFmcLiaxq2hf272qqnqiCtIqWYqCwK06Vmhj2miaisa7wUa_fhzdPMFiLRmBg/s1600-h/DSCF1425.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSB2Tx0X0qybv3j6t0WUuTwRuj77qCLzyFUUHoKpUpWvys8FJnzmm7zGql262jhdIIgR3wvxQ2BKFmcLiaxq2hf272qqnqiCtIqWYqCwK06Vmhj2miaisa7wUa_fhzdPMFiLRmBg/s320/DSCF1425.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318175381571778418" border="0" /></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-64165550122678153812008-01-10T11:19:00.000+00:002012-10-04T17:58:21.725+01:00<span style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="color: #cc6600;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">New Year Maintainance</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="color: #cc6600;"><span style="color: black;">The small 1865 Albion has has a great deal of use during the last year - I have used it for almost everything that I have printed; most jobs in an edition of at least 100 prints. With all but the smallest blocks, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="color: #cc6600;"><span style="color: black;">I brace myself against the rails to add power to my pull. As a result, they have gradually slipped and I need to sort that out with much work lined up in the studio. The first photograph shows the problem:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="color: #cc6600;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20s5rMpy_NalR68eR0t4S5_gQmlT8YRz9l4jDJEjykXJrRZJI9kEc55Q0ivg6cHrWrgFqEXOWI1XBNE2L-1kU9Ga-xDIwRneaQPELeonO_uTf45P3MPTSqLhz20tmPVo1_ehgUA/s1600-h/DSCF6494.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153807440577044898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20s5rMpy_NalR68eR0t4S5_gQmlT8YRz9l4jDJEjykXJrRZJI9kEc55Q0ivg6cHrWrgFqEXOWI1XBNE2L-1kU9Ga-xDIwRneaQPELeonO_uTf45P3MPTSqLhz20tmPVo1_ehgUA/s640/DSCF6494.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a><br />
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The main body of the press if facing the camera squarely. The two rails at the front are distictly turned to the right. Here is the rather worn tympan which will be removed first:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi391qhsYACaC9XTmZ98aWyThyphenhyphen_bn-1sLZoI-yq2K_Tst2h811ZOAXnmEa9x-9JkDTLls67nmh0zc4-7EH-aP6bMYz2DsjXlo2mFcwhwJJXw6GuU0us-5yZGlV_PwIuD3l2tvTktg/s1600-h/DSCF6498.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153808312455406002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi391qhsYACaC9XTmZ98aWyThyphenhyphen_bn-1sLZoI-yq2K_Tst2h811ZOAXnmEa9x-9JkDTLls67nmh0zc4-7EH-aP6bMYz2DsjXlo2mFcwhwJJXw6GuU0us-5yZGlV_PwIuD3l2tvTktg/s640/DSCF6498.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
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After removing the tympan, I can undo the turning tapes, carefully lift the bed of the press off the rails and then remove the turning mechanism.<br />
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The rails easily pulled back into position and I could tighten them some more. There is a balance to be struck here - I wanted the rails to be tight but I don't like to overtighten these Victorian bolts. If the rail still moves a little over the next few months, I can always repeat this procedure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPuNr3c0nxU4coMS0xAOWGiB70lDvhjjcRyONyLJOkW5d-PABNr7KWBum7Rn1uIDt90VTevNCWFVKL8_59ikIBhIYqP4k2n-a05WTEqbV5gvdI2eRdOSv7S84S3j5oxLb3uFEZw/s1600-h/DSCF6505.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153810069097030082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPuNr3c0nxU4coMS0xAOWGiB70lDvhjjcRyONyLJOkW5d-PABNr7KWBum7Rn1uIDt90VTevNCWFVKL8_59ikIBhIYqP4k2n-a05WTEqbV5gvdI2eRdOSv7S84S3j5oxLb3uFEZw/s640/DSCF6505.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU38JU8209jBBVA9QcVaaipTQiAkoxvnwcr0b1-xrrwtH4xJ4fw2W0vhGKD5oJMwHLHuo295BsBBouGmkfx-1e0B6ML2yL_Tw3V0CKhBvn91MMr8aH1vddAGNiFZ4QZLI7t5ozQ/s1600-h/DSCF6506.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153810073391997394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU38JU8209jBBVA9QcVaaipTQiAkoxvnwcr0b1-xrrwtH4xJ4fw2W0vhGKD5oJMwHLHuo295BsBBouGmkfx-1e0B6ML2yL_Tw3V0CKhBvn91MMr8aH1vddAGNiFZ4QZLI7t5ozQ/s640/DSCF6506.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="color: #cc6600;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="color: #cc6600;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is the turning mechanism. The next job was to lift it and fix it back into position:</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="color: #cc6600;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mDZgMIY_3XUo7lRrkaNGXJqXAbCIxQoLeqUJ6FkqnOPetaEJsv-_RHE4SQY38yi2Cg1_dAPzeVfrT3cOMRA5RVAUukOGGWVGBhHlqOtEpmsGxOL6y_KOqbdwpGo277xeqoCm4w/s1600-h/DSCF6507.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153811778494013922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mDZgMIY_3XUo7lRrkaNGXJqXAbCIxQoLeqUJ6FkqnOPetaEJsv-_RHE4SQY38yi2Cg1_dAPzeVfrT3cOMRA5RVAUukOGGWVGBhHlqOtEpmsGxOL6y_KOqbdwpGo277xeqoCm4w/s640/DSCF6507.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGnsWMk200lzpkTKa4nyyVUbuYl7OuY8NXw5qY3SPsN5Y81IFqRdcfzzN8xedcV95G_zUjk3pkyQlCicHShtjFvXwNulnr2ApxUmYRQ5WSrjA6YiyH0UVJt5LDgTblPKXsw2gtg/s1600-h/DSCF6508.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153811782788981234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGnsWMk200lzpkTKa4nyyVUbuYl7OuY8NXw5qY3SPsN5Y81IFqRdcfzzN8xedcV95G_zUjk3pkyQlCicHShtjFvXwNulnr2ApxUmYRQ5WSrjA6YiyH0UVJt5LDgTblPKXsw2gtg/s640/DSCF6508.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
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I ran a thin line of oil along the rails before lifting the bed back into place. I am always wary of this as my foot is still marked from breaking the fall of this piece on the first day that I saw the press <span style="font-style: italic;">(see July 2005)</span>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLMtT4WmU2y7xFwx0TYHoUvc6bUupjiSVHTtHMDqc2s7apa3029cnpmgOHbcOz9WBtElXCxNOojzXB7p2sO4pNpPMdAwfsUxGRlCh8BR3Id6AMNHiD_Oq2qixkj3UT1ytC-kuOw/s1600-h/DSCF6509.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153812594537800194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLMtT4WmU2y7xFwx0TYHoUvc6bUupjiSVHTtHMDqc2s7apa3029cnpmgOHbcOz9WBtElXCxNOojzXB7p2sO4pNpPMdAwfsUxGRlCh8BR3Id6AMNHiD_Oq2qixkj3UT1ytC-kuOw/s640/DSCF6509.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
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The tapes were then reconnected to the bed. Experienced handpress users will note that, in my haste, I had not threaded them over the cross bar of the rails - I had to do this again after realising that the bed would not wind in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusHm9759BJ_oVvKVyGk3-cBuGj64YYAQfA411crrKLA0GU6gRK_ZAPa033fbUhzRQaAjjX3eJLJRAIfMHYOS50ow4FMjEUUEYTIRLX0KXnFrynQuQLZOrilgMFLIvx3G3mSEb-Q/s1600-h/DSCF6511.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153814376949228050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusHm9759BJ_oVvKVyGk3-cBuGj64YYAQfA411crrKLA0GU6gRK_ZAPa033fbUhzRQaAjjX3eJLJRAIfMHYOS50ow4FMjEUUEYTIRLX0KXnFrynQuQLZOrilgMFLIvx3G3mSEb-Q/s640/DSCF6511.JPG" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuqvp3wdwbTXebpvxqIccWFDYM032jNe50_2rZA5GSFHygm3pgDX890hBX7ACutFJOlOnXH398pbWvUUUNsi6YR3utXlvlWFc5_ShEZBg0Tj-xaFO9W1DHbwRoS6rQW9QciZxrA/s1600-h/DSCF6512.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153814381244195362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuqvp3wdwbTXebpvxqIccWFDYM032jNe50_2rZA5GSFHygm3pgDX890hBX7ACutFJOlOnXH398pbWvUUUNsi6YR3utXlvlWFc5_ShEZBg0Tj-xaFO9W1DHbwRoS6rQW9QciZxrA/s640/DSCF6512.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
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Once I wound the bed in, I could check the alignment of the platen against the line that I marked that I made on the tympan when I first re-covered it. As you see, the line is nicely parallel to the edge of the platen:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVKjlpIKQ43qOqiAd8nykbtI93OqsAfhG3Q7ioB9uafZpnfZxvbdiUSOlPTcVkiZn6w3KUlB4ssbuefB4IYGCCwopMBl7TnO1M3IXmObR9QMubYKESeh-f_P4G48YH93v-qkeKg/s1600-h/DSCF6513.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153814389834129970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVKjlpIKQ43qOqiAd8nykbtI93OqsAfhG3Q7ioB9uafZpnfZxvbdiUSOlPTcVkiZn6w3KUlB4ssbuefB4IYGCCwopMBl7TnO1M3IXmObR9QMubYKESeh-f_P4G48YH93v-qkeKg/s640/DSCF6513.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
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Here is the "after" photograph to compare with the first. The rails are now back in their proper place. Notice that the platen is slightly askew. This is very common in Albions. Since it does not affect the printing process, I am happy to leave it be.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0wbjh1F1MzWufVshFTeN2nnqJ1rF5I5XaoOL17EW65tbnd__vuxXonBHn0Qe0p90gCqJlHbBVxoOaHUyWdvzfJR6m2C16jZM4s4J8mY-RpAlTZbMEJCkh8lEfhsX9RDK_DcaIQ/s1600-h/DSCF6514.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153814394129097282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0wbjh1F1MzWufVshFTeN2nnqJ1rF5I5XaoOL17EW65tbnd__vuxXonBHn0Qe0p90gCqJlHbBVxoOaHUyWdvzfJR6m2C16jZM4s4J8mY-RpAlTZbMEJCkh8lEfhsX9RDK_DcaIQ/s640/DSCF6514.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a><br />
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Job Done! The Albion is back in operation and I am covered in oil. Does life get better than this?Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-75611920258209325292007-07-03T22:15:00.001+01:002007-07-03T22:27:30.001+01:00<span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Covering the Tympan of the 1902 Albion Handpress</span><br /><br />I have rather neglected the large Albion press recently. It was a question of making time to cover the tympan; there was always something else that I had to do.<br /><br />Finally, I needed to print from some larger blocks and so I could delay no longer. Here we go...<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DW65DnDr6G8"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DW65DnDr6G8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-21142177541272155252007-06-16T11:11:00.001+01:002007-06-16T11:20:10.259+01:00<span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Catching Up</span><br /><br />Its such a long time since I posted to this blog. The small Albion is in regular use for day to day printing from engraving blocks. I have made some small improvements which I will highlight soon. In the meantime, I made a short "peepshow" style video of the printing of a bookplate.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Notes</span><br /><br />1. I am using lots of layers of very thin ink to get the result I want with this block.<br />2. I use sections cut from clear plastic folders to hold the paper during printing.<br /><br />Now... on with the video<br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xn9Q9n1-EiQ"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xn9Q9n1-EiQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1157578818138997952006-09-06T22:32:00.000+01:002012-10-04T17:56:12.068+01:00<span style="color: #ff6600; font-size: 130%;">A Bigger Press </span><br />
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My new Albion arrives on Monday. I am buying this unseen, though I have received a photo of part of it:<br />
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<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2386/1199/1600/Albion1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2386/1199/320/Albion1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="440" /></a><br />
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This is much bigger than my current Albion and the idea is that I can not only edition current large blocks but also plan larger images for the future.<br />
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This has all set a flurry of activity; I need to clear space in the studio and also find the money to fund this purchase; thesepresses are not cheap! I will continue to work on the money tomorrow but the current task is to dis-assemble the Arab press to point that it will get through the door. This Herculean task continues tomorrow.<br />
Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1130579330961670562005-10-29T10:47:00.000+01:002005-10-29T10:48:50.976+01:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">October 2005<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Here are some photos of the press as it stands at the end of October 2005. It is working well but still needs a little work.</span><br /></span></span>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1130579215348740212005-10-29T10:46:00.000+01:002005-10-29T10:46:55.353+01:00Here is the press as it stands at the end of October 2005, nearly a year after receiving it. The tympan works, but needs a new cover - and there is a bright new counterweight. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/102/6384/640/DSCF8163.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/102/6384/400/DSCF8163.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1130579110567382402005-10-29T10:45:00.000+01:002005-10-29T10:45:10.576+01:00Here is another view of the repaired hinge bar. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/102/6384/640/DSCF8156.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/102/6384/400/DSCF8156.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1130579057315007422005-10-29T10:44:00.000+01:002005-10-29T10:44:17.323+01:00Here you can see the new counterweight and the bar that fixes the tympan to the bed <a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/102/6384/640/DSCF8155.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/102/6384/400/DSCF8155.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1130578941917011312005-10-29T10:42:00.000+01:002005-10-29T10:42:21.926+01:00Here is the new metal counterweight. I have decided to keep the bright metal, rather than paint it. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/102/6384/640/DSCF8154.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/102/6384/400/DSCF8154.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1127395358536040042005-09-22T22:21:00.000+01:002005-09-22T14:22:38.600+01:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">More Parts Arrive</span></span><br /><br />After a brief exchange of emails, I met up with Jeremy again and received two more parts. The first of these was the repaired bar that fixes to the front of the bed and receives the tympan. The second was a beautiful hand-turned metal counterweight that fixes onto the tympan. These arrived in time to print some of the proofs from the larger blocks of theShakespeare illustrations I have been engraving for Barbarian Press. Everything worked like a dream. I definately need to recover the tympan but things are working well.<br /><br />I am only short of the drop handle now. I will pass the details to J who thinks he can "fettle something". Firstly, I need to get another batch of work on eBay to finish paying for these latest pieces and to save for the handle.Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121947102705307702005-07-21T12:57:00.000+01:002005-07-21T12:58:22.706+01:00<span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Periodic Welcome</span></span><br /><br />This is just a regular note that I will post to remind new readers to read from the bottom to the top.Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121946961058498212005-07-21T12:22:00.000+01:002005-07-21T12:56:01.063+01:00<span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">July 2005</span></span><br /><br />The press is working well at the moment, despite the fact that I still need several parts:<br /><br />Repaired hinge at the front of the bed.<br />Counterweight for the tympan<br />Drop handle.<br /><br />The first has been done and the second needs to be finished before they are both sent. The third is more of a problem and I am considering having one cast from an existing handle.<br /><br />This hasn't stopped me from using the press. The bed is light enough to be pulled in and out by hand. There have been one or two concerns. A squeak developed recently but a spot of oil seems to have smoothed that out. I am more concerned that the handle is a little loose and so I am going to stop trying to print larger blocks that need great pressure. The trouble is that the Arab press is waiting for a repair and so I am going to go out and borrow a larger handpress to edition bigger works. Deep down inside, I know that I need to replace the Arab with a larger Albion!Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121944827359156062005-07-21T12:20:00.000+01:002005-07-21T12:20:27.363+01:00I am starting to sort through the type I have accumulated over the years. This was my first attempt at letterpress on the Albion, following a weekend with Claire Bolton at the Alembic Press, near Oxford. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF4624.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF4624.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121944689033305722005-07-21T12:18:00.000+01:002005-07-21T12:18:09.040+01:00Here is a better view of the bed with everything in place. This is more or less the position that I am in now in Juyl 2005. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/PMpress2.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/PMpress2.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121944626293300052005-07-21T12:17:00.000+01:002005-07-21T12:17:06.296+01:00I am still waiting for the hinge that accepts the tympan to be repaired and returned. In the meantime, I am using hinged card as a temporary tympan. Iain Bain used this method when printing from William Blake's original engraved blocks. I find that it works well and may keep using it for small blocks, even when the press is repaired. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/PMpress.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/PMpress.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121944293903844722005-07-21T12:11:00.000+01:002005-07-21T12:11:33.906+01:00One of the very positive aspects of the new workspace is that I can engrave right next to the press, making it very easy to stop and take a proof. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF4141.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF4141.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121944199844524532005-07-21T12:09:00.000+01:002005-07-21T12:09:59.846+01:00I fixed a strip of wood to the front and back of the bed and used quoins to secure a chase. I will mostly use the press to print wood engravings from relatively small blocks and so I nested a smaller Harrild chase inside the larger ones. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF4142.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF4142.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121944020222950312005-07-21T12:07:00.000+01:002005-07-21T12:07:00.240+01:00I spent many hours of December 2004 and January 2005 converting part of a large garage building into a pressroom/studio. At last I could work in light and comfort. My local blacksmith repaired one of the cornerpieces at the front of the bed and I worked out how to fix a chase in place. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF4127.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF4127.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121900245679281472005-07-20T23:57:00.000+01:002005-07-20T23:58:02.553+01:00Further work, and then a couple of coats of paint, worked wonders. The press was starting to be transformed. <a href="http://picasa.google.com/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF4130.jpg"><img style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF4130.jpg" border="0" /></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121900092484340692005-07-20T23:54:00.001+01:002005-07-20T23:54:52.486+01:00Even the coat of arms started to reveal it secrets. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF3967.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF3967.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121900052590962782005-07-20T23:54:00.000+01:002005-07-20T23:54:12.593+01:00I continued to work on the surface, revealing a suprising array of colours. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF3966.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF3966.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121899870240894312005-07-20T23:51:00.000+01:002005-07-20T23:51:10.246+01:00The surface of the metal was already pitted with rust but the surface started to respond to the effort. With paint flaking off all the time, I knew that I had to carry on. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF3957.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF3957.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13837790.post-1121899744206061082005-07-20T23:49:00.000+01:002005-07-20T23:49:04.210+01:00The handle revealed its date; 1865. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a><br /><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/640/DSCF3954.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/102/6384/400/DSCF3954.jpg'></a>Andy Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13830200995808640334noreply@blogger.com0