Within every letterpress print shop. . .

are a variety of tools, equipment and supplies basic to the letterpress printing operation. Numerous books, sites and resources for information on “how to” are available.  Print supply house catalogs of yesteryear have great illustrations and descriptions of the many items used by the letterpress printer. But for the newcomer learning what all the “things” needed are can be as challenging as actually finding them.

The following is simplified list of the “things” needed to equip a letterpress printing operation.  It’s set up in a “shopping list” format beginning with “the press” on through a natural grouping of items .  Where appropriate a brief description is given.

The press w/accessories;  (The accessories the press should have/needs to be functional)

Rollers  (Or at least the cores)           

Trucks   (Round “wheels” that slip on end of roller) 

Grippers  (The fingers that keep the paper from sticking to the type)     

Chase  (Metal frame the type and furniture are locked up in)

Lockup items:  (Items needed for locking up the chase prior to insertion into the press)

Stone  (Smooth level surface for preparing the chase on)              

Furniture  (Wood/metal blocks of various widths/lengthens to fill in chase for lock up) 

Leads/slugs  (Lead strips of various widths/lengthens for final spacing in chase for lock up) 

Quoins (Locks for tightening/locking up chase) 

Key (T-shaped tool to tighten quoins)

Planer (Small wood block for leveling type prior to locking up)

Make-ready items:  (Items needed to prepare for printing)

           Line gauge (Ruler, generally 12 inches with picas opposite edge)

Tympan  (Smooth hard top sheet inserted/locked up on the platen) 

Pressboard  (Hard cover sheet placed beneath tympan) 

Packing  (Various thickness’ of paper from tissue on up to adjust impression) 

Tympan knife (Utility knife to cut slits in tympan) 

Gauges  (Set of three guides fastened on the tympan to hold the paper for printing) 

Print supplies:  (Items needed for actual printing and clean up)

Paper               

Ink

Wash-up fluid  (Solvent for cleaning type and press  -- NOT gasoline) 

Wash-up container  (Small airtight container for wash-up fluid) 

Brush  (Horse hair or soft bristle brush) 

Typesetting:  (Items used for setting/distributing of type)

Composing stick  (Hand held tool that type is set into) 

Tweezers  (For picking up little “things”) 

Quads/spacers/thins  (Various widths of lead, copper, brass for completing typeset lines) 

Type

Fixtures/Storage:  (Various tools, tables, cabinets that round-out the print shop’s equipment list.  Not all are needed initially but all will eventually find their way in)

Press stand  (Some form of table for table top press) 

Composing table  (A work bench of sorts where your stone will be placed) 

Furniture cabinet  (Cabinet for wood/metal furniture) 

Lead/slug cabinet  (Cabinet for leads/slugs) 

Rule cutter  (Tool for cutting leads/slugs) 

Type cabinet

For additional information telephone (413) 222-9029.

Fax (413) 732-2146    E-mail   letterpressthing@aol.com