Adana 8x5 Hot Foil Press

Sago on Tuesdays
on 22 Feb 12 (16:39)

Hi there all,
I’m new to the group (greetings!) and I am a bookbinder in Australia. I love the idea of complementing my work with some letterpress, but also need a hot foil press, and the Kwikprint is just too expensive from here in Oz. I have had the offer from a fellow to sell me this Adana 8x5 Hot Foil Press for $550 plus shipping (about $50). I’m just wondering, if anyone wouldnt mind sharing, about:
Does everything that’s required seem to be there?
Is that price about right?
Is the foil press in this vertical format tricky to use?
Anyone with experience using it?
Is it a permananet machine, or can it be reverted back to a straight 8x5 press?

He is also offering the regular 8x5 next to it for $750. How’s that one look?

My apologies for all the questions, and thanks for having me here in the group. I’m loving it already.

Cheers,

~Sonya~

Adana hotfoil and printer 3.JPG

Adana hotfoil and printer 4.JPG

Adana hotfoil and printer 5.JPG

Adana hotfoil and printer 1.JPG

Sago on Tuesdays
on 22 Feb 12 (16:40)

oops, please excuse the typos - haha
~Sonya~

dickg
on 22 Feb 12 (18:09)

i have a kelsey 5x8 with a foil unit on it, i have been more than happy with it.

Lasimp
on 23 Feb 12 (02:53)

I’ve never seen a Hot foil Adana 8x5 but it looks neat. What about consummables? The standard 8x5 looks good. I have and use two on a near daily basis and they are quite a nice little press. Verstile and light so I can take it to market stalls etc. I have two floor platens C&Ps and a windmill but I must admit the Adana is getting more use and makes a lot of money for me too!

Pressingtheadana
on 23 Feb 12 (04:31)

Updated 26 May 12 (23:42)

Peter Luckhurst
on 23 Feb 12 (05:15)

You can get your consumables through loads of bindery suppliers even adana themselves or subsidiary “caslon” supply foil and such .

oprion
on 23 Feb 12 (12:16)

Updated 23 Feb 12 (12:18)

@dickg

Can you post a picture of the foiling unit on your Kelsey? I’ve read about it in the catalogs, but haven’t encountered any pictures this far. I was considering making one myself, and could use some inspiration.

dickg
on 23 Feb 12 (13:23)

i’m not so good with posting pictures, i’ll try.

Sago on Tuesdays
on 23 Feb 12 (18:09)

Thanks for your input, everyone. I’ve decided to buy the foil press and leave the other one for now… It’s a ‘want’ not a ‘need’.

Is there anything other than quoins and foil I should ask about?

Would it blind emboss on leather and bookcloth?
Would I need brass type for use with heat and foil?

dickg
on 23 Feb 12 (18:34)

the foiling unit heats the type, if you use regular type you will wear it out very fast, i use ludlow type so it don’t matter and i recast it a few times. brass type is the best but very expensive, you could use mag dies, copper dies work better but can be expensive. you will need a fiberglass board instead of a standard packing, if you buy foil the supplier should be able to help you, when i first started i asked a million questions and drove my foil supplier nuts, but they were a big help.