(WORK IN PROGRESS!!!) Finding and purchasing your first letterpress machine can be a daunting prospect. This guide is intended help you avoid some of the pitfalls.
The majority of tabletop letterpresses to be found in the UK are ADANA presses. There are a number of different ones that have been manufactured:
There were quite a few printing press manufacturers supplying tabletop presses alongside of their jobbing presses to the UK market. However due to the dominance of ADANA if you do decide to purchase a press made by Model, Golding, Pearl, Ideal etc etc. you will find it more difficult to source parts and accessories.
There are various types of presses:
Lever Press
The lever presses renge in size from ones that can just about print a business card (2" x 3" chase) to ones that a couple of people will struggle to lift into the boot of a car (11" x16" chase). Lever presses are the doorway into the world of letterpress for many hobbyist.
The early lever presses were hand inked. The operator would ink up the type using a hand brayer. These were superseded by the self-inking models that we mainly see today with rotating ink discs and rollers.
Lever Press Manufacturers:
Acme
Adana
Models: (see above)
American
Baltimore
Boston
Caxton
Centennial
Chandler
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