Category: Letterpress for beginners
Later topic: Paper
Earlier topic: metal v. wood type ?

Heidelberg “Ultra” (roughly 1948) T Platen

  • meaghan
  • on 10 Sep 07 (05:13)
  • Updated 10 Sep 07 (19:17)

Dear Briar Press subscribers,

What a wonderful resource! I live in Australia and have recently accquired a Heidelberg “Ultra” T Platen. I have learnt that it is an older press, will it work ok? I want to use it to print letterpress and for embossing/debossing. I just wanted to know if it will give a good impression in the paper. I am pretty sure the condition of the press is in good working order.

Please let me know what you think?

Log in to reply   9 replies so far

Hi, the Press is a great piece of machinery. Since it was not designed to be hand fed, it may not be too suitable for your purposes.

I am attemping to set up a small letterpress business here in Melbourne. So I hope to do small to medium size print runs for clients. So you think a hand fed press is better for letterpress and embossing? What press would you suggest?

The Heidelberg is a great machine. It is probably the most advanced letter press ever made. What might have thrown me is the “embossing” requirement and my sense that you may have been more to the art side. I have done die cutting on them as well as perforating. Although I don’t recall ever doing embossing on them. For the general printing that you describe it is perfect.

Thank you - you have been so helpful. As I ask around it sounds like it is not really a press used for embossing. If it works I might post a couple of photos of it - wish me luck! Meanwhile I will give your impression guide a testing. Sounds like a great method. : ).

If I were going to test it, I would take the rollers off as I would for die cutting or perforating. (all 3 procedures really tear-up expensive rollers). On letters presses colored embossing usually requires the color to be printed first, dryed, then embossed.

GREAT! WONDERFUL!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

meagan, here is a link to a manual that covers many of your questions

http://www.boxcarpress.com/flywheel/manuals/heidelberg-hints.pdf

here is the manual

http://www.boxcarpress.com/flywheel/manuals/heidelberg-10x15-manual.pdf

HOW BRILLIANT! YOU HAVE MADE MY DAY! THANK YOU