DIY Etching Press: From Memory

If you are interested in doing some printmaking and you are close to Hoboken, we offer an inexpensive way to get press time. Our at-large studio membership, The New Collective, provides access to our printmaking area as well as the wood shop, photo studio, spray booth, and Clay Studio. Our printmaking setup is very simple, with only one etching press, however, it can be modified and grow to suit. As always, we follow where the artists want to go.

The Martek Press

The new (used) etching press has arrived. Remo and I unloaded it about a week ago and I finally got around to really cleaning it up and setting the micro-gauges so that I  can actually use it. I still need to level it, but the floor is so uneven, I will probably just put blocks under the feet. I apologize for the photos, I took them with my iPhone under fluorescent lights. I did all this setup from memory, and the last time I put a hand on a press was almost 10 years ago. I have my Dad’s awesome printmaking book, but I have not taken it out yet. The press itself is a joint venture between Kivetz, Ian Williams, and myself. Here is a little description of what I did to fire it up.

Step one: Get yourself an etching press. I guess you could build one, but it certainly might be faster to buy one! To build one you are going to need a GTAW machine, Engine Lathe, and Milling Machine. You can probably buy most of the bearings pretty easily, but I digress. I bought a used one from a guy up in Teaneck. It was in his garage, just about completely walled in with junk. It was a pretty serious job extracting it. Remo had a good time because he appreciates humorous situations. We loaded it on my trailer, took it down the turnpike, and then rolled it right into the shop on a pallet jack. This press has a 28″ x 48″ bed. Not too shabby, but the real nice thing about this press is the size of the rollers. It also has a gear reduction crank case and no captain’s wheel. I am pretty sure I can make a big wheel for it, but I am not sure if I can secure it without removing the crank case. I would like to keep them both if possible.

Step 2: Polish that old hulk. I cleaned up all of the visible metal on the press with non-woven abrasives and steel wool. I removed some pieces to better clean them, but I didn’t go crazy. W-D 40 all around. The blankets are from the previous owner, and they are pretty moth-eaten and there is no sizing catcher. Add blankets to the shopping list. Also, the Martek label fell off.

Step 3: Zero out the press by bottoming out the top roller against the bed. Once you hit the bed, take up the slack in the threads so that all the play is out, but the roller is not lifted. I am talking about maybe a half turn or less. You can now move your gauges to the zero mark and lock them down.

Step 4: Cut some grid paper and cover that newly shined up bed. You could be all 17th century and leave the bed exposed, but let’s make it easy and register everything on a nice sheet of 1/8″ grid.

Step 5: Get a sheet of Lexan and cut it to the measurements of the bed. Cover the grid paper to keep your grid and your final print media clean. I just used some clear packing tape to secure it to each end of the bed. Note: Lexan is not all that easy to work with. You are also going to have to be aware that you just added thickness to the bed, so your zero mark is not zero any longer- not that it matters.

Step 6: Run a few test prints to get your pressure set. I don’t have a sizing catcher, and the pusher blanket is in pretty bad shape, but I was able to get a print. The main issue is that the studio is a sculpture shop, and I don’t have everything for proper printmaking yet. I was not able to soak my paper, so I just spritzed it and blotted it. Apparently not enough sizing was removed and the print was pretty light with a good amount of ink left on the plate. I am pretty sure my pressure was good, but it probably could have been a bit higher. Having proper blankets would have probably helped also, but I am pretty sure this was a paper issue. I was happy just to smell the ink again.

Here is the print. Again, lousy iPhone image, but you get the idea. The plate is a “full sized” Revere zinc plate that has been exposed to the elements for about 10 years or more. It had cardboard against it at one time, so it etched naturally. I am working the image very slightly, adding dry-point marks. Eventually, this will become the substrate for an image of the American Bantam rooster, or maybe not. I am planning some Bantam prints no matter what. I just never know what any plate is going to look like when it is done.