Gamewell Press Blog

Bye Bye Love

Wow, it's been an embarrassingly long time since my last post, but this has been an incredibly busy summer. I just got back from the Northwest where I met up with my parents, visited my Grandparents for the first time in 3 years, saw my Aunt & Uncle for the first time in 8 years, saw my cousin for the first time in 17 years (she was 6! now she's 23! that's kind of weird), and met her boyfriend's extended family. Yeah. We're not the closest family ever, mainly out of laziness, I think, since they're all great people. None of us are very good about calling or emailing or updating blogs on a regular basis.

Please note the "Lead is not Dead" shirt. I'm all letterpress, all the time.

We also spent a couple days at Glacier National Park in Montana, which is a beautiful, amazing place. You should all go and soon because they're now predicting that the glaciers will be melted by 2030 if we continue at our current rate of environmental destruction. And while thinking about how awful that is, I also spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out an alternate name for the park once the glaciers are gone. Because apparently I don't have enough of my own crap to worry about.

Even though it was August, there was snow in patches on the mountains and gorgeous wildflowers everywhere else. I took a bunch of pictures of flowers and hope to turn at least a couple of them into plates for cards or stationary. To do that I'm going to use this super-awesome and fancy and high-tech, of-the-minute tool that some of you may have heard of called Live Trace. Yeah, that's right, I've upgraded from Adobe CS to Adobe CS3 and from a 4-year-old pre-Intel iBook to a older, pre-Intel, but still better Powerbook. I'm still behind the times but way less so, and I've got Dreamweaver so I can finish my website and Live Trace in Illustrator so I can trace! in a fancy manner!

In other letterpress news, I finally got around to selling my 5x8 Kelsey, along with a bunch of excess basic start-up stuff that I'd somehow managed to accumulate, start-up lessons, and a type cabinet with 13 cases of type. Nice type too. I'll admit to considering holding onto almost all that type, but that was type cabinet number three and it had been wedged in between my kitchen table and my TV since May. I did keep some excess typecases that didn't fit into the cabinet and am now the proud owner of 14pt & 18pt Typo Roman Shaded and one 12pt & three 6pt versions of Copperplate Gothic.  I'm rather in love with Copperplate Gothic right now.

Anyway, the cabinet was between the table and the TV, and the 5x8 Kelsey had been sitting on the side table by my couch since March. We're talking about a very small room here people, and I was getting close to losing my mind. Gus, my shop cat, thought that it was super-fun to jump onto the kitchen table (where he's not allowed), clamber onto the type cabinet (which had 5+ galley trays of set type on top of it), and attempt to tightrope walk on the TV, so that didn't help either.

  Gus denies everything. You can see the type cabinet & kitchen table in the background

As you can imagine, I was sorely tempted to keep everything at first, especially the Kelsey, but after those cramped months I was so pleased to have the space back that there was very little sentimental sadness in selling my very first press. Okay there was some; when I think about all we accomplished together and how beautiful that little Kelsey is, I get a bit misty. However I'm thrilled to report that there is no letterpress equipment in my living room/kitchen for the first time since January 2008. NONE! Okay fine, that's not actually true. There are two typecases sitting on a kitchen chair, but those are totally temporary. My living room is basically a living room again. The letterpress stuff has been relegated to the hallway where it belongs. And the bedroom. And the bathroom.

Say Hello to My (Not So) Little Friend

Yes, that's right, I've pretty much officially lost my mind. I got a Pearl! Specifically a Pearl Improved #11. Now I know what you're thinking, and I know this because EVERY SINGLE PERSON I know has said the same thing the last few days. Yes, that does mean I have three presses right now. Yes, I do have a 200 square foot apartment. No, I did not get rid of the couch. I got rid of a dresser. Yes, that's right, it's in my bedroom.

Yeah, I'm a bit defensive, but seriously I've said this thirty times. And I know it's not ideal and of course I didn't plan to have three presses at once, but you can't always plan these things. I never actually meant to get the 6x10 Kelsey, but it kind of fell in my lap - you can't turn that down! I've been kind of lax in selling the 5x8 Kelsey because I've been using its roller springs on my 6x10 until the new ones come in, and also, it's my first press and it's pretty. I've been passively looking for a Pearl for a while and this one was in New York City. How often does that happen?

I'm probably also a little touchy because this purchase has kind of scared the shit out of me. This is a big press (relatively) and a big change for me (and I really loved that dresser). I do think it's the next logical step in my growth as a printer and I've pretty much decided that I would like to make some money off this someday. It would be nice to be a part-time librarian and part-time printer (of course, this is talking long term). But it's a step I've been wary of taking. To that end, I've been keeping my eyes open for Pearls and other small treadle presses, but I never placed an ad seeking one or otherwise actively looked. I've had a few leads and near misses, and each time it didn't work out, I was a tiny bit relieved. But I've also been wrestling with my jealousy over newbie questions on Briar Press from new Pearl owners. I'll read the questions and part of me will think, "Pick up a copy of General Printing for god's sake! Take a class before operating 500 pounds of machinery, dear god! You don't deserve a Pearl, sob, sniffle. Oh, why can't I have a Pearl? Sob." And then I would slap myself for being so catty and remind myself that I could always start actively looking for a Pearl.

Sorry, but I did not take pictures of the move because I had this superstitious idea that if I brought my camera something would go very very wrong. Thankfully everything went fine. I know a wonderful guy, Jony, who owns a moving company, JP Carrier, Inc., and he gave me a good deal on his muscle and expertise, truck with a lift gate, hand truck, fancy straps/ropes, etc. On the seller's end, Glendon and the seller helped Jony, and back in Brooklyn, I recruited my friend Ben and my neighbor David. Since my upper body strength is a joke, my role was mainly carrying typecases that came with the press and wringing my hands. We decided not to remove the press from the base mostly on John Barrett's advice, and the fact that this is a smaller press, relatively.

What we did was pretty basic. We removed the flywheel, feedboards and ink disk and tied the platen closed. Then we strapped the press onto a hand truck (with me moaning that the press is extremely top heavy! Extremely! Top-heavy!) and Glendon and the seller helped Jony (who might be the strongest person ever) tilt the hand truck back. The seller's building has a ramp, so he just wheeled it (with Glendon spotting him) down to the street and onto the lift gate. Jony and Glendon held it while it was lifted up and into the truck. We packed blankets all around it and secured it to bars running along the truck with those special movers straps that have those adjustable winch-like things. After that, the press was actually resting on its back legs which seriously freaked me out, but everyone thought it would be fine. And it was though it still freaks me out to think about it. Then we drove from Morningside Heights to Clinton Hill and I cursed this pothole ridden city and composed angry letters to transportation officials in my head. Seriously, New York City streets are awful. We did so much bouncing around that I was SURE that the press couldn't have made it unscathed. By the time we pulled up at my house, I was literally positive and trying to resign myself to it being broken in some way, but it was just fine. We put the press back on the hand truck and took it down the lift gate off the truck and then we were faced with the five steps up to my apartment building's front door. Of course when I say "we," I mostly mean Jony and Glendon. Each of the four guys took a corner and I held the doors and they pulled/pushed the press on the hand truck up the stairs, though the hall and into my apartment. Then we had to wiggle it down the hall to my bedroom and maneuver it onto its new wood base (don't worry - we examined the beams, etc. under the floor). So that's how it happened and it went swimmingly. I would not want to move a bigger press than that though, and I'm pretty sure I won't ever have to since the apartment is at maximum capacity.

Apparently that old adage about when it rains, it pours is true. I bought the Pearl two weeks ago, and then we went to Louisville for that wedding, and while we were there, I saw an ad for a Pearl in Louisville, KY on Briar Press. I totally could have rented a UHaul and taken it home. Kind of funny. And to top things off, Elisabeth made the nicest offer ever of one of her Pearls that she's de-accessioning. So maybe now when people comment on my three presses, I should just say that I'm proud of myself for not having five.

So I haven't yet printed with the Pearl since it had some issues I needed to take care of and it came with some other stuff that I'm trying to organize to sell with the 5x8 Kelsey (which dear god, I need to get out of my tiny house!). And we went to Louisville (which is really nice - you should go) and I finally quit my second (part-time) job, and basically I've been doing that stupid thing I sometimes do where I want everything to be perfect. But when I do print, you peoples will be the first to know - and care.

PEARL!

Pictoral Ode to Builder Boyfriend on His Birthday

I've written about my boyfriend, Glendon, every once in a while on this blog. I'm not particularly (okay, at all) mechanically or building inclined, and he's always had a knack for that sort of thing, so he often helps me out - sometimes more willingly than others. Usually you catch glimpses of him lifting and carrying, fiddling and jimmying, and of course, building. Since today is his birthday, I wanted to post pictures of all the amazing things he's made for me since I seriously got into printing. Without his knowledge and help, I would have spent a lot more money and a lot more time trying to set up my little shop. I just want to thank him a million times for all his help and patience.

First and foremost, my beautiful type cabinet slash work surface. I love this thing, and as I've mentioned, it holds any size 2/3 case (quite a feat).

A couple months after that, he built me a snazzy type sorting tray. He even got school credit for this! Since I think I'll probably be sorting type until I die, it comes in quite handy.

This is my book press. Without this, no one would have gotten Christmas presents. Not only do I use it for making book covers, it is also handy for notepads and flattening paper.

You might think this is silly, but it was Glendon's idea to put these nails up for the composing stick and quoin keys. I would not have immediately thought of this, and it saves so much room and is very convenient. This is really indicative of how Glendon helps me (and perhaps how I help him?). I think we approach problems differently, so sometimes we can really help each other just by pointing out what is, to each of us, obvious.

Yes, I'm capable of putting up shelves, but I don't want to and he doesn't mind (and honestly I once had three of them fall of the wall 6 months after I put them up so perhaps I'm not capable of putting them up after all). Also, they were originally positioned differently, but I had to move them when I put the cabinet and press in that corner, and my neighbor, Carrie, and I tried to move them and could not get those stupid black things back in the slots - oh my god that was maddening. Anyway, when Glendon got back in town, he did it. It was awesome.

This is my mini furniture cabinet. I don't actually have room or need for a full sized cabinet, but I needed something to hold all the furniture I do have.I had been storing it and leading in 2 galleys (which is how you buy them from Letterpress Things), but when I got a third galley's worth, I realized that it was getting ridiculous. They weren't accessible and blech. So I bought this very small square shelf from John for $4, and Glendon cut it diagonally to make it look and act like a traditional cabinet. This is the type of thing Glendon does that just makes things easier for me. The original plan was for me to stuff it with foam so as to have the different lengths of furniture all fit the same way. That would have worked fine, but it would have been a pain and the case still wouldn't have fit on my bookshelf. This way is so much better.

This may seem a bit counter-intuitive - showing all the things Glendon has given me on his birthday, when he should be getting all the presents, but oh well. One of my presents to him is my gratitude and also bragging about his awesomeness. So thank you, Glendon. Happy Birthday! I'm glad you were born. Um, can you help me reattach my gripper spring after we eat cake??

Same Great Taste

So I finally got around to redesigning the blog a bit. It only took half a year, but I did also have to choose a logo, etc. One of my sisters is a graphic designer, so my logo, my "branding" was a Christmas present from her. Then she also gave me a metallic Pantone book too! She's a very good sister, my sister.

She designed the Gamewell Press logo, and now that I've picked a color combination and put it up on the blog, I guess I ought to print some new business cards and prop cards too. But maybe I'll change up the colors for some of them. Are you allowed to do that or do I have to become married to these colors? Branding is still a foreign concept to me, and honestly, I don't think following the standard practices is that important for me right now anyway.

Please let me know how the new blog design looks on your monitor or browser - if there are any problems or anything you CANNOT STAND. I tried it on a few different computers, but I just want to make sure.

In other, slightly sad news, it looks as though I will not be able to pick up the new press this weekend after all. John Barrett is being his usual awesome self, going out of his way to help me out, and when I do pick it up (March 14!!!) it will be even better. It's those damn roller hook springs, you see. They are really turning out to be a bear to find or fabricate. On the bright side however, it turns out that the part we thought needed to be fabricated and machined, doesn't! According the guys at the machine shop, it'll be just as good if I simply fuss around with some electrical tape or something. Hooray for saving money!

Movin On Up

As you perhaps know, I've been wanting to get a bigger press for a while now. Ideally I want a Golding Pearl #11 or similar as it's the only treadle press that has a small enough footprint to fit into the tiny Brooklyn apartment I call home. Of course presses of that size are pretty popular and therefore scarce in the New York Metropolitan area. I haven't yet found one, but I'm going to keep looking.

In the meantime, fortune has paid me a visit from another corner. A friend of mine was over a few weeks ago, saw my press and said that his mother has a press just like mine but bigger. And she wants to get rid of it. I may have pounced on him like a cheetah with visions of 6x10s: pilots, sigwalts and kelseys dancing in my head. Long story short, I got in touch with his mother, the press is a 6x10 Kelsey Excelsior (exactly like mine but bigger, just as my friend said), and she said I could pick it up from her in Saugerties, NY. Now I must admit that I was kind of hoping it would be a Sigwalt, but you know, a bigger press is a bigger press, my Kelsey has served me well despite the undeserved bad rap it gets from printers with big fancy presses, and most importantly free is free (well free plus car rental and rollers).

Basically the current plan is to get the new Kelsey in working order, sell my current little press to recoup the cost of rollers, etc. Save the rest of that money until such time as I can find a Pearl or similar and then sell the larger Kelsey to finance the rest of the Pearl purchase. I think it's a pretty good plan so if you have or hear about a Pearl, give me a call! Or, if you want to buy a lovely 5x8 Kelsey also give me a call.

We (me and the long-suffering boyfriend whose muscle and navigation skills are ruthlessly taken advantage of - is it awful that I'm scared to drive in NYC alone?) went to pick up the press last weekend. Since we were already going to drive North, I decided that we would go from Saugerties to Chicopee, MA and have John Barrett take a look at my new acquisition. We drove up to Saugerties on Friday evening and picked up the press, and while we were there looked at my friend's mother's new acquisition, some sort of crazy old etching type press. I took some pictures of it, which I'll post here and on the Letpress listserv later since she wants more information about it. Then we had a very nice dinner at a little cafe in Saugerties and picked up a bottle of wine to drink later at the hotel. We needed a screw top bottle, and the wine shop had two choices, one of which was called the Excelsior! How auspicious is that? So we got the other bottle. No, that's a lie.

Then, with the snow beginning to fall, we headed up the interstate to Massachusetts so that we could be at Letterpress Things first thing Saturday morning. It's important to note that there had been no forecast of snow in the weather report, but boy did it snow. The snow forecast is something I check before driving anywhere because I grew up mostly in TEXAS and therefore have NO EXPERIENCE driving in SNOW. Now I do. It took us about 3 hours to get to West Springfield instead of 2, and I was briefly concerned that my knuckles would forever remain white and the look of terror might never come off my face, but we got in okay.

The snow drive of terror was well worth it though because we got to Letterpress Things pretty close to the 9am opening time and had John all to ourselves for over an hour before anyone else showed up. John poked and prodded the press while I anxiously looked on but it turns out that the press is in pretty good shape. It needs new rollers, cores and trucks, which I've ordered from NA Graphics. The bed of the press is missing this little tab that John's going to try to get machined, and I left the press with him for that and a good tune-up. The only other problem is that the press came with 2 Kelsey 6x10 roller hooks and springs and 2 Kelsey 5x8 roller hooks and springs. They are not compatible, and I'm having some trouble locating 2 more 6x10 ones. John actually has 2 roller hooks but no springs, so I've tried to buy either 2 sets of both hooks and springs or just 2 springs, but neither NA Graphics nor Dave Churchman have any in stock. I sent an email to Rich's friend at the Excelsior Press and I need to post on Briar Press or the listserv, but it isn't that big a deal. I can always buy the 2 hooks John has and he and Glendon feel that it'll be pretty simple to order the proper spring from a spring manufacturer?!

So we'll head back up to Letterpress Things in about a month to pick up the press and this half height 2/3 type cabinet that I kind of accidentally bought and whatever else I may accidentally buy. That will be the weekend of my birthday however, so it's okay. Honestly, if I'm going to undertake the expense of renting a car and driving up there, it only makes sense to spend some money while I'm there. That's right ladies and gentlemen: buy more to save - the great American way! This time I did pretty well: a free press, a lot of spacing of various sizes, some really cheap paper, two blank type cases, three caps cases, and a couple old cuts. Not too extravagant.