Letterpress info

July 12, 2005 9:00 PM

I own a printing company and someone has offered to give me a Heidelberg letterpress. I want to find information on letterpress work. I want to find a newer way to make the dyes that stamp the paper. And I would like to figure a way to turn it into a foil stamping machine...any ideas
posted by aisleofview to media & arts (6 comments total)

Wow, give you a Heidelberg letterpress? There's tons of info on Google for the dies, but you have to spell it that way. Good luck!
posted by letitrain at 9:35 PM on July 12, 2005

If you have space and it works, take it! I use Briar Press as a reference. Often. Good luck!
posted by shoepal at 10:11 PM on July 12, 2005

I assume you are talking about a Heidelberg Windmill. Email me - [e-mail] - as I can hook you up with some folks who can give you some insight into converting it from ink to foil stamping/die cutting. It certainly is the best machine for doing these things (as well as embossing/debossing, and I think you can even do engraving work with these).

Jump at this opportunity - it's hard to find one of these in working condition for several thousand dollars, let alone free. I spent a year rebuilding and repairing the Windmill at CSU Sacramento only to come back to school my senior year and find out that they had knocked down a wall and sold it to a private fine-press printer nearby.
posted by luriete at 10:47 PM on July 12, 2005

wow, luriete, you're in sacramento and do letterpress work? I'd like to get in touch with you, just for kicks ...
posted by fishfucker at 11:05 PM on July 12, 2005

Recently I was walking past a small printshop in an old shophouse and noticed a Heidelberg inside with a small metal nazi swastika badge on it. I went in, collared the owner (who was printing concert posters at that moment) and told him the smell made me nostalgic for my days in the newspaper business. He told me the press had been standing on that very spot since he acquired it in 1947. Then he took me through to the back and proudly showed me a Heidelberg platen press, also hard at work. "Who fixes these?" I asked. "They don't break," he said. I'm fixing to go back and interview him on camera, make a little featurette.
posted by planetkyoto at 1:32 AM on July 13, 2005

Wayside Press has a letter-press from days of olde, and very friendly staff. They might be able to help.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:16 AM on July 13, 2005