Category: Letterpress for beginners
Later topic: Would it be crazy to purchase this....?
Earlier topic: press type question/book/research?

Windmill Impression

  • Kobes
  • on 10 Dec 10 (16:17)

Hi all - just wondering who does one see what impression setting there windmill is on?

I’ve looked everywhere on the impression lever and can’t see any digits or indication of a setting….actually i’m not even sure how to change it if i did. I noticed there is a raised metal grid like texture mid way on the lever which turns - is this what i turn to change the impression?

So confused…..

Thanks for your help

Log in to reply   6 replies so far

The raised textured part is what you turn. There are two parts and they lock together. If you don’t have any numbers you’d probably be smart to back the impression way out and turn back in a little at a time as you check your impression. That way you won’t damage the press. Turning to the left backs the impression out and to the right turns it in. Hope this helps. Ron

The inner part you turn in or out to adjust impression, the outer part just locks in in place.

  • Kobes
  • on 11 Dec 10 (04:13)

Thanks so much for replying guys. Not sure how i missed the digits but went out to the garage turned the lever and low-and-behold there are the digits. It was sitting just before #1. If taken it back to the lowest possible 0.

Two quick questions though:
1. Should it be hard to turn? I tried for a bit to get it past 1 but i really had to put some muscle in it. The press hasn’t been “printed” on or the impression turned in since i’ve had it - nearly 12months and before that i don’t think it had been used for a while. Hard or just caked full of dirt and grime?
2. What impression setting should one use for a “general” print run? I have read some horror stories on here about things breaking and snapping when the user is trying to get a deep impression. I’m not up to replacing parts or welding things together just yet.

Cheers and thanks again.

If it’s hard to turn, turn it clockwise to about mark 4 run some penetrating oil around the shaft as close to the adjuster as possible,then leave overnight, then screw anticlock and it should get freer.
Setting should be as low as possible and depends on the size and density of the print area.
Heidelbergs were designed for a kiss impression, as all good traditional letterpress printers know.
Deep impression is a fad of the hobbyist,has no place in traditional letterpress.

Backing out to the 0 may seem like overkill but just to be safe I’d start there and work in. It’s better than damaging the press. It’ll vary depending on the job, packing, stock etc. When running some jobs with a die cutting plate and scoring matrix it’s neccesary to back out past the 0. Ron

It’s always standard practice to screw back the impression lever to the O. This prevents any damage to the forme and packing. If you’re printing a thick board, such as a 6 sheet, then take a reduce the packing accordingly while still leaving machine on minimal impression.

Kev