I’m going to make a series of posts to relate how I got started with this craft of printing and the experiences I’ve had along the way. I hope it might be both interesting and informative or if nothing else a useful tool to help those with insomnia.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, my only previous active experience printing was a junior high school shop class. So the first step was to learn more about this craft in terms of history, process, and equipment. The approach I followed was general in nature only, not a scientific formula. But it is one I’ve used effectively over the years learning other traditional crafts such as wood working, machine shop, blacksmithing, etc. I tend to do research first and purchasing second and my start down this new path began in this way. I had done some reading already when I first thought I wanted to turn to printing which had a lot to do with that decision. But now I would need to know a lot more and that of a more specific and in many cases technical nature if I was going to be able to get the things I needed without wasting either time or money and, even more importantly, would at least have a good chance of making the whole adventure a success.

I read what I could from the many excellent websites and mailing lists. I focused at first on what seemed to be a consensus on the standard works on printing and then started looking on Ebay and at other sources to pick them up. I had to be very diligent at this since my financial situation was and is such that I can afford little. But as someone once said: “Luck is where preparation and opportunity meet.” and “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” So within a couple months late in 2006 I had the books I needed and was preparing myself to take advantage of any opportunities I might come across. I actively searched for those opportunities daily using Ebay, Craigs List, and other Internet sources as the LETPRESS email list as well as weekly in the local classifieds and swap sheets.

I can’t really emphasize enough the need to do this kind of research before buying equipment whether for printing or anything else. Having the same impatient tendencies as anyone else that I must work hard to curb, with varying degrees of success, I started looking for presses and other equipment at the same time I was teaching myself what to look for. Fortunately I was able to restrain myself and it paid off both literally and figuratively. By the time I did find a press I could afford and that was close enough to pick up I knew what it was and how it worked, at least in a theoretical sense. I also had in my head the experiences of people who had used such presses and who therefore had informed opinions. My experience restoring antique machinery helped of course but as an example: early on I was considering a Damon & Peets Baltimorean jobber that has a bottom-hinged clamshell action before I knew to compare it with a C&P platen jobber with its superior action. Not that it would have been a bad press, but it was selling for $500 and at the time seemed the only thing on the horizon and I was sorely tempted to save up for it. But at almost the same time I learned the difference and decided to hold out and finally a C&P 8x12 OS became available and that’s the press I have today. But more on that and my further adventures later.