Heidelberg Platen

It’s a very capable press. If you’re an experienced printer and planning to print several hundred copies of your book then it would definitely be a suitable press. However the learning curve is steep and it’s hard to tell what might not be operational on the press from photos alone.

I don’t know how you plan to typeset your manuscript, but that too is a huge undertaking. It sounds, though, like you have time to learn so if you have a place to put such a press and the determination to learn it’s quirks and features then you can’t really go wrong with a free press.

Best,
Bradley

I suggest back up a few paces, and think first about the book you want to print. What size (dimensions);pages are you thinking? How many pages? That press can if it is working right, can do a beautiful job of printing a 9”x12” book, or a smaller one, but it will be a steep learning curve unless you have operated Heidie platens before. Type - you would need a lot of the book face to print efficiently, but you can always print a page at a time. Or you could make photopolymer plates from computer composition - probably as costly as type or more so. Or you could have the book set on a Linotype or Monotype, at considerable cost. There are a lot of options, none cheap - a moderately large font of handset type, say a font of caps and a triple font of lower case - would let you print a page at a time, slower but definitely doable.

Lots of ancillary questions to consider. But all the Heidelbergs are work horses and can certainly print any book within their size capacity.

Bob

Hey - thanks Bradley n Bob

Appreciate the info. Happy the dive into a deep end and learn the Heidelberg, study and tinkering is fun - it will be a hobby rather then a business so less stress.

Had wanted to print to the maximum platen size - so that book size is good info to have.

With regards to typesetting and picture creation, that should be straight forward as I have access to laser cutters and industrial CNC machines, but more importantly I have access to a museum with an operational Linotype machine and draws full of type that I can access :) As this project will be over a couple of decades costs can be spread out.

Good morning,
I have run Heidelberg presses for a long time and think you can’t go wrong with a good one, especially if it’s free.
As you are planning on taking your time learning and understanding the press it seems like a good plan.
But, as far as I can tell from the pictures, this is a 10” x 15” press. I base that on there being 8 suckers instead of 10, and the bed of the press being at a right angle to the floor rather than being canted forward. Still a great machine but less tonnage/image area.
Stuart

If you or anyone else considering obtaining a Heidelberg press are interested, the upcoming Wayzgoose at The Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin will be offering the following workshop during their Nov. 8-10 event:

Friday, November 8th, 2024

Buying a Heidelberg platen: How to assess a machine for purchase
Instructor: Benjamin Jones
Cost: $75

Together we will go over the ways to tell if a Heidelberg Platen is in proper working order. We will assess operation and function of key systems, noting simple fixes and non-negotiables in a hands on way. Included will be a pragmatic discussion of actual costs to fix broken parts and when it’s best to walk away from a bad press. We will check out the overall mechanical condition of the windmill at Hamilton and use it as the basis for our discussions. Class participation will enrich the experience, so if you have a press with any issues please note them and we can discuss them. This class is ideal for the printer who is looking to expand their operations and buy their first Heidelberg but will also be valuable to the expert.

Go to www.woodtype.org for more details.
Click on Wayzgoose.