Category: Letterpress for beginners
Later topic: Grippers on 8x12 C&P
Earlier topic: Mixing with opaque white vs. translucent white

Choosing my Boxcar Base

  • C4D
  • on 27 Mar 12 (15:54)

I don’t know much about letterpress equipment but have been asked by my boss to get this little proofer up and running, so apologies if I’m providing the wrong information here.

http://www.boxcarpress.com/boxcar-base/choosing.html

I’m looking into purchasing a Boxcar Base for our studio’s little proof press. My main question is do I purchase a deep relief or the standard? I can’t tell what kind of press it is other than the label that says it is from the Challenge Machinery Co. It looks like a vandercook but I’m not 100% sure if that’s the same thing or not.

Also, regarding choosing the size: the entire inside of our press is 15.25 X 33.25inches. So I’m guessing we would get the 13x19 and then put things around it to fit? Does this sound correct?

Again, pardon my ignorance of the subject. My printmaking experience thus far is all screenprinting and woodblocks (on an already set up proof press).

Thanks for any help you guys might have!!

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Log in to reply   2 replies so far

The press bed is .968, so you will either need a .050 bed plate or compose your forms on galleys.

If you are intending to do a lot of printing on this press, you may want to look at making a frisket assembly in the manner that many Poco proof press owners have, it will make it much easier to achieve repeatable results in your printing.

Are there other presses in your studio? That may drive what base system to get for this press. The deep relief base is primarily meant for platen presses. Since you will be hand inking forms on this press, you may be able to use the standard Boxcar Base.

accidental double post