More Albions.....

Setting off on Monday morning we had been commissioned by Janet Watson to move her Albion. We encountered a terrible accident on the M62 which left us stationary for over 2 hours. Subsequent hold-ups meant we arrived in the early evening instead of the afternoon and stripped and removed her press in a trice! We then were to install it the following morning but Janet decided to let us take the press back to the workshop for the repairs we found it needed. We then headed to the picturesque town of Lavenham in Suffolk to collect the late Yvonne Skargon's Albion press and deliver it to Sue Scullard in Kent. We also uplifted some furniture and installed the press in Sue's new studio at the bottom of her garden. The press went back together superbly and printed perfectly from the first pull. Her son Daniel described the press as "Awesome" and enjoyed being allowed to print on it. We then returned to London to strip a derelict press from the cellar of Conway Hall just near Holborn. After endless money in the meter we also were delighted to received a parking ticket from Camden Council for parking too long in the bay even though the ticket was valid! Working in Central London is almost impossible. Parking is restrictive and you have to constantly drop off your work to feed meters or elude the multitude of traffic wardens. Come on Boris, help us poor self-employed workers to get on with our day.!!!!

Out of the ordinary.....

Last week we travelled to King Edward's School in Birmingham and repaired their Albion which didn't work correctly. We replaced the spring and got the machine functioning but came to the conclusion that an earlier replacement piece was too short hampering the machine's downward stroke. We levelled it and replaced the straps. The press now works much to the delight of Bradley Spencer the head of Art there. We also serviced their etching presses. We then travelled onto Birmingham Printmakers to sort out a problem with their elderly Albion which we will return to finish shortly.

Next we were requested by Tim Prus to reassemble, de-rust and assess his American Hoe hand presses. Tim "discovered" these machines in Bogota, Columbia including a complete step-back-in-time printer's workshop. He leapt at the chance of importing all this back to the UK. We will be installing them in his workshop some time next month. They are probably the only American Hoe presses extant in the UK, and they cleaned up nicely. We will print test them after installation. Tim was pleased and I think he got a bit of a bargain even with the hassle of shipping and customs.

Friday morning last week found us installing a treadle Arab printing machine in Wimbledon, another job which required negotiating narrow doors and re-assembling. The client an American lady Cayce was thrilled with her new acquisition and will be putting it to work printing wedding invitations and personal stationery. The press originated from the pretty town of Presteigne just over the Welsh border near Ludlow. The owners grandson had to clear out the workshop where there remains a Heidelberg and a Wharfedale Stop Cylinder press. The access was tight and we worked there on a really hot day. However once the Arab press was degreased of 60 plus years of dirt it went back together a treat and runs smooth as silk.

More moving, more travelling

We installed Jenny Furey's 26" Rochat press at the beginning of last week in North London. The following day we moved Rosalind Whitman and Iggy Mascherena's similar machine from their house in Hackney. The press needed partial stripping then up a small flight of stairs and into their workshop at the bottom of the garden. Again the job went well. Giles and I then looked at subsequent jobs in central London before travelling back North.

It's been a while, but we've been busy

Its been a while, but business has meant we've been away from home for most of July. The picture to the left is of Mavina Baker's splendid 1844 Albion. We installed this about 3 weeks ago. It was another adventure having to drive the van across 2 fields to get to the top entrance to Mavina's house. We remade and brake for the front of the press and installed it in the outdoor workshop. It looks mighty fine in its new home.

We then motored on from Wiltshire to Ilfracombe to deliver a 26" Rochat etching press to artist Ruth Uglow. The press was bought diassembled and had to have major surgery. The top roller was out of line. The bed was damaged. A lot of parts were missing and had to be remade. The press caused us no end of heartaches, so we installed it and returned fresh the following morning and completed the task. The press has had a lot of abuse and we put countless man hours into restoring it. The outcome is that Ruth is printing on it and reports it to be working well.

Another week in

Having just about completed the lead scrapping (weeps). We have just delivered a 26" Rochat etching press to a client in North London. We also moved another exact same press for another client in East London. Both presses presented their own set of problems. The first press had to be collected in Rutland, edged out through a very narrow door and stored at our workshop. The second press was down a small flight of stairs just narrower than our lifting gear. A set of ramps and some inspired thinking and the press was safely extracted and re-installed at it's new location in a Summer house at the end of the garden. Today we left early and inspected an Albion for stock at a location on the way North. Weather was appalling on our return as it often is as soon as we approach Cumbria. Delivering more presses (another Rochat, another Albion) tomorrow returning Saturday. Busy bees we are.....

More type tipping

Well, we have now dumped over 3 tonnes of type metal. There are many wet and dirty cases sitting in the museum yard to be disposed of. It is an awful job, everything is covered in a fine layer of dust and debris and the smell after 6 months still hasn't gone. We've made a good dent in it all and hope to finish next week some time. Also got the the Rochat press back from David and the gears are off ready to deliver to the client. Simon Barber has made a new bed for the etching press that was in the fire here in Kendal. The client has been to see the restoration job and she is very happy. I will deliver it on Monday. Giles returns on Tuesday and we're back to work in anger from then on.....

Type Tipping

Well the end is nigh for the Printing House Museum. The envitable type tipping is finally happening. Steve and I dropped over 1000kgs off at Moss Bay Metals today. Everyone has had a fair crack of the whip concerning the museum inventory and what is left goes to the great foundry in the sky (or China). I am still sidelining anything interesting and will offer it for sale at some later stage. It is amazing what we've missed and also amazing that after so much clearing out by all the family there is still so much to clear. But we're getting there. It is a sad time, I hope my late Father isn't too disappointed. He's probably too busy printing something wherever he is to notice!