Heidelberg

Hi I am brand new to letterpress. I have been keeping my eye out for some table top presses, problem being is that live in New Zealand and there are NO presses over here. However today I saw this for sale and although it is most definitely not a table top I wonder if I should invest for the future seeing as machines are pretty much non existent in this country. Please any advice or any information on this machine would be most appreciated
Thanks
Pip

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Definitely not a table top, the GT in the photos weighs 2,2 metric tons, without a motor!

* Max paper size 33 by 45 cm. Min paper size 9 by 10 cm (although you can push these limits either way quite a bit)
* Minimum Footprint is about 1,5 meters by 2 meters - plan on a minimum 3 by 3 meters of floorspace to operate.
* Three form rollers, printable with two
* 2 HP motor 220 volt AC 3-phase or equivalent
* Capable of 60 tons pressure overall (divided by image area)

PLUS! The GT model can ink, as well as crash imprint through multi-part forms. With a steel jacket, you can score, perforate, die cut or kiss cut. Even without a heater, you can cold-emboss blind, or in registration over a printed image. Registration and production is optimum between 2500-3000 iph, with 1/4 point trap (0.0034 inch, or a little less than one tenth of a millimeter.)

MINUS! The impression strength is set in discrete steps from 0 to 20 (not infinitely variable, like the smaller T model.) Max Speed for the GT is 4000 iph.

Looks like it was built circa 1955 or prior, though the exact age is hard to tell from the two photos. Don’t let the age discourage you, these presses were built to last for centuries, with proper maintenance!

pippypipsta, how much do they want for it? Similar GT models in production are selling for around $4000 - $8000 USD here in the USA, depending on condition. Keep in mind that it may cost you quite a bit to move the press, professionally, and with insurance.

if you can afford it, move and have room for it you will not be disappointed by what this press can do. Definitely get a quote for having it rigged by professionals before committing.

Thanks for the advice. It’s going for $12,000 New Zealand dollars so $6300 approx in US dollars, which seems comparable. I really am considering buying it as an investment for future. It’s been a great week for me as since this got posted I have bought a Kelsey tabletop platen press for $400 and have already picked it up. I am stoked!! Then today I saw another heidlberg for sale, I’ll post a photo of it not had time to look into it yet, they really seem to be like buses this week, nothing for ages then 3 at once!

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OMG! This is a museum piece. No motor or drive belt included? Where is the washup tray? And what’s up with the clutch/flywheel assembly in this photo? Could this possibly be a pre 1933 model? Very rare and valuable, if you’re the curator of a printing museum.

Fortunately, a large percentage of the 175,000-odd windmills sold worldwide since 1913 are still in service, particularly the later models post WWII. Although one or two later models from New Zealand have been reportedly sold as scrap metal, exported to East Brunswick as steel ingots, and rolled into Foster’s beer cans. There’s a few molecules of the Heidelberg windmill in all of us. (urp ;-)

Again, you pays yer money, and you takes yer chances. In fair to good condition, this press certainly works better that I do. If you get a chance to take a closer look, I’d like to see more photos of the press sides and front. Take note of the serial number, to the right of the delivery table stamped on bare steel. My bet is the serial number has five digits.

I agree with Jim on this.
It certainly looks like a very early GT; although I’ve been retired some 15 yrs, those roller arms are not as I remember on my GTs, the ones in the photo will not take 3 inking rollers, and they remind me of a 1930s 15x10 platen we used to have.
I’d definitely state this is a museum piece, and certainly not a machine for commercial use.