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!

Comments

[Esz]

Oooh a nice new aquisition there. Don't worry about the thoughts of taking lessons before buying one - Ha! I got a Heidelberg 10x15 and I still dont know how to use it exactly. I'll figure it out right? Oh dear.

[Jen]

Oh, Maggie. You're the best.

[Maggie]

Esz - Wow, a Heidelberg! That's an impressive first press. At least with those, the company's still around and there are lots of manuals, right? I'm looking forward to following your progress. Good luck!

Jen - Oh, Jen, thanks, but why? Anyway I hope you're feeling okay and hopefully I'll see you soon. You have to come over and see the beautiful Pearl!

-Maggie

[Rich]

I'm so glad you were able to get this press! Don't have any second thoughts, it was absolutely the right move. You're going to be able to do so much more and do it better. I've nothing against Kelseys but you can't beat a platen press like this, and Pearls are really nice machines, especially for their size. You've got a larger chase than a Pilot, a throw-off lever, and a treadle so you can control the speed and which takes up less space than a motor. Of course, a motor is always an option. It's fantastic!

And just think of all the history behind it! All the jobs it printed! And it's not that big and well worth the sacrifice of a dresser.

So, what else came with it? Eh? Eh? I think I see Challenge high speed coins and trucks on the delivery table. Did it come with usuable rollers? What kind of type? Inquiring minds want to know. Are you going to turn it to a bit of an angle so you get better access?

Here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52X_X9sOMhA&feature=related

Congradulations!

Rich

[Rich]

Here's a link I think you'll find very interesting. I did and I don't even have a Pearl!

http://www.aapainfo.org/golding/BBSp544.jpg

[Rich]

Couldn't resist:

http://www.aapainfo.org/golding/ImpPerlDiagram001.jpg

http://www.aapainfo.org/golding/ImpPerlDiagram002.jpg

http://www.aapainfo.org/golding/