Water damage//experience & advice?
Hello folks! I’m writing a short message about a big mess: I manage a small studio (two Vandercooks and several hundred cases of type) at a small college. My space is in a mixed-use science building. Last night, an upper-story lab experienced a plumbing issue that sent about 18 hours of water into my space over night. It seems to have run down an internal wall. I came in to the studio today to find standing water, and several cabinets filled with water (every compartment in every case full to the brim with water).
The good news: I was able to separate the dry from the wet pretty quickly, and get fans and dehumidifiers running, and shop-vac the standing water. Some wood cabinets stood in the water, but I was able to removed the lower cases and air out the “feet” of these cabinets so they didn’t wick and moisture upwards. None of my wood type was affected; one press had water on the bed and has now rusted, but this can be easily cleaned.
The bad news: about five full cabinets of type (maybe more) were simply filled to the brim with water overnight. Every compartment in every case. I was able to remove most cases, remove most of the water, and spread the cases in another room (under fans and dehumidifiers). Many cases are unsalvageable due to warping of the bottom of the cases. Cabinets, too, may now no longer be usable, since they’ve warped significantly (they were oak).
My question: other than these first few hours, where my efforts have been to remove type from standing water (fonting type into galley trays when necessary), and to dry out type and the wood cabinetry, are there issues I’ll need to watch for once type has dried? I’m deeply concerned about oxidization (lead oxide/lead carbonate)—has anyone dealt with catastrophic flooding? In anyone’s experience, how soon might this occur after an overnight bath in tap water? What a terrible question…!
I’m bracing myself to discard as many as 100 cases of type in various sizes, and will monitor over the next few days and weeks as we rebuild the space. Any advice (or commiseration!), from anyone with experience in this regard, would be much appreciated.
Thanks, as always, for this community!
Best,
Andrew
I think if the type is dried quickly oxidation and corrosion should not be an issue. If you can obtain or make a “transfer case” or two to match the type cases with “underwater” type the transfer cases would permit air to circulate through the type in them, maybe heated air from a space heater to accelerate the drying. A transfer case is basically an ordinary California case of the kind used, with the bottom removed and the sides planed down a bit so the tops and bottom surfaces of the dividers and sides are all in the same plane, and window screen wire (copper is best) is attached securely to the former top side. The transfer case is placed on top of the case to be transferred and then the pair are held firmly together and inverted. The type can then be transferred to another dry clean case all at once.
Bob
Many, many years ago, I faced a similar situation. You are facing a lot of work ahead but the excellent suggestions from Ad LibPress will remedy your concerns. Every shop should have a cleaning case (transfer case) and, as you have some damaged cases already, removing the bottom and installing screening should provide ready tool. A metal mesh would be ideal, but some of the more robust plastic screening would probably serve in the short term. But here is where the eco-nutsos will clutch pearls. I immersed each case in kerosene to both displace any water (especially held in the counters) and to lubricate the type as well. I should think WD-40, although more expensive, would have the same effect today. Plus being more convenient in use.
As to the warped wooden cases and cabinets, well, they can be addressed but that depends upon your skill as a wood worker and your willingness to trade patience with cost. In my day, used cases sold for as little as a dollar and were plentiful; in today’s world of ‘studios’ and ‘artisan gallerys’ those same cases fetch upwards of one hundred dollars and more! Again, consider patience/cost. Best of luck and always remember: “This, too, shall pass.”
I still think kerosene is one of the best solvents for letterpress printing, more difficult to obtain now but available as “lamp oil” and in bulk in some filling stations. It has the advantage of evaporating slowly and leaving a slight film of oil, so that future corrosion is much reduced. I used to mix it with a little “white gasoline” to wash up the press, to make it evaporate more rapidly. The idea of dunking the cases in it seems ideal, as it will displace the water and eventually dry and the slight oil residue will protect the wood. (That would probably also be true of wood type!)
Bob