Embossing old method

Hello friends, does anyone know the old method of embossing by soft cardboard and not like today we use a polymer against magnesium, thanks

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I know an old timer who uses masking tape. He builds it up layer by layer, making impressions until he’s happy with the results.

Haven’t done this in years, but find a couple sheets of “Stewart’s Embossing Board” with instructions, acquired from American and Inland Printer and Lithographer some decades ago. Fred W. Hoch, Handbook for Pressmen (1936) has a couple of pages on the “blotting paper counter,” as the simplest one to make. I could send a photocopy and a sample sheet if you send me your address.

Here in the UK a very old method involved using a material called Gutta Percha (and I dont know that it actually was!) in a warmed blob and the block was held on impression for a moment or two whilst it cooled, then there you were with a hard force. It certainly stood up well to several hundred impressions. but we are talking about 1958 or so

Old 78RPM records prior to the 45s and vinyl were made from a phenolic resin. A piece of this warmed well in the oven and then transferred to the tympan sheet and taped down served as the base for the counter. The form was brought to the resin piece and held on impression.
Get some ink on your shirt.

Yes Harrildplaten, l remember doing my one and only embossing exercise at college in the 60’s here in the UK and gutta percha was mentioned but as far as I can remember I used plaster of paris which was covered with tissue and lightly oiled to stop it sticking to the die. Recently I took up the challenge again using a polymer die and counter having first printed the image to be embossed again with a third polymer plate, all on a windmill, and it worked very well. The Heidelberg “Hints for Pressmen” book goes through making a counter both with plaster of paris and also blotting paper, its a useful reference point

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