Category: Letterpress for beginners
Later topic: What are these?
Earlier topic: Identification basics

Windmill Packing

Posting here in beginners because I’m having to relearn how to print on a windmill after 20ish years away.

My first question is… Is there any reason I can’t use the same packing we use in the offset press? (to the correct thickness of course)

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  • ericm
  • on 26 Jan 16 (09:05)

i think you will find yourself using a variety of packing material to achieve different, desired results. experiment. windmills will not tolerate much as far as thickness goes however, so variety is key.

Here in U.K. generally accepted maximum packing thcickness as that which will still clear the underside of the Grippers,!
Posted many times on this site in back Posts/Archives etc

Generally not more than .035” (imperial) just shy of 1 m/m. (metric) and that with oiled *Manilla* Top Sheet.

With a compound of 1-2 sheets of news print, 1-2 sheets of thin stock, 1 sheet of acrylic, next to the Platen proper, (used negatives from Litho or photographic dept are excellent)

BUT never more than .040” the grippers are getting very close to the packing at that point. ***

*** As the Good Buddy above has implied… Experimenting but with the Max. at .040”

If you can find a manual, they have samples of packing just before the back cover which is a very useful guide.

Thanks guys for the quick responses.

You will find that on the the Heidi feeder one of the flat guides that you use to hold the pile straight has a slot at the top, that will give you the correct packing thickness but you must include the stock that you are using. it will be a little slot about 2cm deep with a tiny hole at the bottom, the hole is there to stop the slot from distorting. good luck I hope things work out for you o.k.

Heidelbergs rule was heavy on the bottom decrease packing heavy on top increase packing. Impression on the ball to get more all over squeeze. Very handy for kiss cutting labels. I was taught that soft packing was for solids and hard packing was for detail. This may be starting a long and heated discussion. I have been letter pressing since 1968 and have learned from some masters that I wish I was half as good as. And the packing gauge is on the right side of the delivery and it is a little slot with a hole on the bottom. Happy printing.

Chuck, what do you mean by “impression on the ball to get more all over squeeze?” Can you clarify this statement?

Turn the Red Ball to get more impression or over all squeeze. I’m sure that’s what it means

You have been letterpress printing since 1968 Chuck Ink and refer to it as letterpressing?
No street cred’ there, presumably you started with rubber stamps in ‘68.

I get you Chuck. I never used the word letterpress until it became all Martha Stewart. Used to be just printing.