Monday, November 16, 2009
Our biggest day. So far.
We have big news--literally! We got a new press!!
Carrie and I drove to Iowa with my uncle Richard yesterday and picked up our new press. I can't tell you how excited we are!
Here's how it all went down: I saw a listing on Briarpress for a small Golding Pearl. That would have been awesome because they don't take up that much space. Alas, it was already gone before I could get in touch with the owner. He was a super nice guy, though and gave me the phone number of another pressman also in central Iowa.
After several several phone calls, we figured out that he did in fact have a press for us. It was a 10x15 Chandler and Price, and he agreed to put a motor on it and clean it up for us.
Lucky for us, my uncle Richard has a big ass truck. And he is a candidate for sainthood, because he drove all the way from Kansas City to pick us up, and then all the way to BFE Iowa, and back. Oh, yeah, and he did a lot of the lifting and moving. Carrie and I never could have done that ourselves. He's a saint, I tell you!
A few words about the state of this little print shop: holy crap. It was like a printmaker's boneyard. There were parts and pieces and rollers everywhere, presses in all stages of disrepair, and some things fully assembled.
The owner is retiring to start up a small-town newspaper using his linotype machine that you see here in the front window.
After much pushing and pulling back and forth, we got the press in the truck and started back home.
Around 6pm, we arrived at our new destination. Carrie's mom and dad met us and forklifted the press off the truck at their barn and put it in place. Forklifts come in handy, I've realized.
I'll have to take some more photos of the big red barn where we'll be printing later.
Here it is in it's new home! And here's a quick video of it working:
Labels: letterpress, printing
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That's just great. Y'all are gonna love that thing. Congrats!
Wow, that is very cool!! Your uncle is a nice man! :)
-greg
Congrats to you and Carrie. I can hardly wait to see the stuff you two put out now!!
Wow....that is exciting news. Congrats and good luck on your expanding ventures.
All I can say is AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
If you were not crazy before, you are now because in my book crossing state lines to pick up equipment makes you certifiable!
Tom wants to know when we can come up to see you...