Views remarks at my shop

Over the past few weeks I have had two people that I wanted to show my shop to. One was a lady what is a head of a depart at one of the major university here, and about is a leasing agent for the new location I want to move to.

I have a C4, V-50, 8x12, ludlow and composing saw and linotype and ludlow slugs on tables.

I have showed them the equipment and how it works. But both people was so taken back about the 8x12. That all they wanted to talk about. Looked watching it print, etc.

What is it with the 8x12 that everyone just loves? My brother thinks it because they see the 8x12 type of press all the time in movies and on TV. So, now they can see a real one up close. Is that it?

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I think, of the machines in your shop, the 8 x 12 (or any hand fed platen) is the most obvious in function and and operation. A Ludlow does neat stuff (as does an Intertype) but certain processes are not out in the open, and hence attain are alienated for the idea of a “making”—so are treated much more like a copier than a machine of craft.

Is it an Old Series 8x12? The curly cast iron screams ‘antique’, and people love antiques.

What I’ve always found interesting is that if I’m at the gas station with a Linotype on a trailer, the first guess folks have as they walk by is that it is a printing press.

about 10 years ago a paper boy walked into my shop to try and sell me the daily paper, he was about 12 years old, my shop is in a 4 car garage next to my house, the boy asked what all the machines were, I told him they were old printing presses, I think I was running my kluge and windmill, he told me they were not that old and if I wanted to see old presses I should stop in mr. Wilsons garage, now he has some old printing presses. I knew him quite well, he had a Ryobi and a nice offset shop just down the street from me, I did all his numbering and die cutting for him.

Kellan-

I have to ask, just HOW OFTEN are you at the gas station with a Linotype on a trailer?????????

Speaking of Linotypes on trailers, Larry Raid’s modus operendi used to be (maybe still is????) to run a Lintoype on a trailer through a car wash before ending up back at his place. Hard to fathom, but true.

We have lots of old presses in operation at Printers’ Hall and the thing that usually draws a crowd is to simply see these charming old relics clanking along in what can best be described as “monkey motion.” You can see all the gears and wheels turning. The crowds appear when a machine goes into operation. We have hand-pulled, foot-treadled, and even a few pieces that are powered by steam engines. We also have three Heidelberg “windmills’ as well as a 15-ton Miehle Model 00 that is run at reduced speed so people can better appreciate all the mechanical action of this incredible machine.

Rick

Rick