What to Do with the Old Book Press??

The Old Book Press ~ closed

Here is a brayer rolling ink onto it on a piece of glass. Next to the brayer is the lineoleum (or other material that can be carved) inked up. The dark areas are ink and will transfer to paper.

Here is the block after the ink has been pressed on to paper. The block previously had brown ink left on it from a previous use a few years ago.

And here is the old book press open without any thing between the plates.

To use the press one first has a wood block or lineoleum block that has an image cut into it. The block is then inked using the brayer....different colors could also be painted on. I use a couple of pieces of felt as padding with one on top and the other on the bottom. So one would have felt, inked block, paper and felt. This sandwich then goes into the press and the plate is brought down. (The book press is extremely heavy!) Once pressure is applied, the plates are separated and the sandwich taken out...and a print is made.

I plan on trying out different ways to see what gives the best print. The paper used here was just typing paper....just to test it out. Better paper will be used for a good print as well as signing and numbering them.

This old press was found in an antique store several years ago...finally it will get put to use.

If anyone has any suggestions or knowledge of print making, I would love to hear from you.