*IMPORTANT: This is part *2* only of a 2-part training meant for those seeking membership certification at The Bindery. Both parts need to be completed for access to our letterpress shop. Part 1 needs to be taken first.
If you have not taken Part 1 yet, please sign up for it on our calendar here and pay $160, which covers the cost of BOTH classes. Then sign up for a slot to come back for this second part for free. (Again, they need to be taken in order: thanks!)
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Letterpress Technics is a two-part training that covers the ins’n’outs of printing here at The Bindery using our Vandercook No. 4, and Vandercook table-top No. 099. These presses can be used with our collection of wooden type, metal type, and Ludlow slugs--or they can be set to do other kinds of relief printing such as linocuts, wood cuts, or polymer plates for those that wish to bring their own!
This training is focused on the technical aspects of printing with these machines as a member in a shared-shop environment. The goal is for each student to be certified to print here independently, on-going.
This is a beginner level training with no experience necessary. Over the course of the two classes, students will learn:
- The terminology used in the shop to identify parts, accessories, and materials used.
- Locations of various items in the shop and how to work in our shared building successfully.
- Proper press set up including setting the roller height, the packing, and adjusting the paper guide and grippers.
- How to lock up a form (getting the letters set up on the press bed) using furniture, leading, reglet, quoins and magnets.
- Ink handling and how to properly ink up the press.
- Complete procedure for operating the presses safely and correctly to pull a beautiful print.
- Proper cleaning procedure and expectations for appropriate clean up in a shared environment.
**Note that as a foundational training this class will not cover certain details that students can learn and explore on their own (or take an additional lesson to dive deeper). Training will only briefly touch on hand-setting metal type, polymer plate [and other relief cut] printing, making multiple color images, and typecasting metal slugs of type. The focus is on the basic fundamentals.
Students who pass this class are elligible to be monthly members or fuller-time residents with access to a shared calendar to sign out the print shop to use exclusively on their own. We can't wait to see the wonderful things that will be created here!