progress report.

Until you start seeing some printed cards, this blog is all a lot of talk. Still, process being what it is, there is so much to learn.

Current accomplishments:

1. The chase has arrived! With the help of Sherwin at Craftsmen Machinery, we were able to identify my press as a Craftsmen Superior 6.5 x 10. The serial number had been painted over, so we measured each part. The chase is actually a bit smaller than the above measurements and it is, basically, the frame that holds the type or graphics in place. Everything is set very, very tightly within the chase, and then the chase is locked into the press. It's approximately the size of a license plate, and mine is brand new and surprisingly lightweight. When it arrived, I immediately tried locking it in place and... it fits!


2. Crane's Lettra paper samples also came in the mail the other day. I had previously taken a (disappointing) little lunchtime excursion to Kelly Paper on 10th Street, south of Market, and learned that they mainly stock and sell standard 8.5 x 11 paper for business use: letterhead, copier & printer paper. They do, however, sell rubber-based ink. The man helping me advised me to check out Arch, which is one of my favorite art supply stores, so I will definitely follow through. Any excuse to go to Arch...!

In the meantime, I tried to start thinking about how one orders wholesale and it (finally) occurred to me that I could request samples. Crane & Co. carries a line of paper specifically for letterpress printing. They sent me a variety of shades of white, in all different thicknesses:



There is something about plain white paper that I love. To a writer, a blank sheet can be intimidating. It stares you down and dares you to write something that doesn't suck, but if you knew that the paper might one day carry someone's handwriting - that of someone you cared about, who might say thank you, or express love - that's altogether different.