Etching Press Showcase

Wood Side-Rail Designs

Other Showcase Categories
Steel Side-Rail Press | Wood Siderail Press | Small Bench Press | Customized Designs

The following press designs incorporate wood as part of the frame and bench design

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Ric's Press

Well, the project has been successfully completed. Considering the amount of time and research in getting all components together, and detailed drawings to suit locally available components I decided to construct two presses, as another family member needed one also. 
The general roller specification is 600 mm long at 165 mm dia. each, of thick walled cast steel. Side plates are 12 mm oxy profile cut steel. The rectangular press frame is structural grade laminated plywood with aluminum internal angle brackets and threaded rods to  form a relatively rigid and light structure. the press is mounted on a separate wheeled box unit,
also of structural grade plywood and solid timbers.
The press top tie rods and tubes are spaced wider than the roller diameter, to permit removal of top roller if required. The outer 6mm thick chain cover plate is mounted on a series of stud bolts firmly tightened to side plates using hex "rod joiner' threaded units and nuts as spacer pieces.
 
We now look forward to many printings with these robust units.
 
Thanks,
Ric,
Sydney, Australia.

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Eric's Press

Would just make you want to go over and be his best friend wouldn't it!

Here is the skinny on the press.
The rollers are about 36 5/8 in width, for large format posters. The press plate is about 48x37. The entire press is enclosed by birch plywood with drying racks for about 27-54 posters (depending on size). I move a lot so the table was built in about five pieces that fit together. The shelves on the bottom are 3'x3' cubes that bolt easily together.
There are large wood pieces that fit over the top that allow me to use the press as a work space when I am not using it.

Eric has been kind enough to share the plans for his great press bench design...

Download Plans

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Chris's Press

I would like to quote a rather famous Canadian Red Green he once said "If your wife don't find you handsome, she should at least find you handy" I don't know if the first part of this quote applies I've never met Chris but I certainly know the latter part does. Great job!

A few notes from Chris:

Roller length is 30", the bed is 34"x34" and total length is just over 60". I doubt my wife will ever pull a print that large but who knows? Feel free to use the photos. As far as hints, I made the project tougher than it needed to be. My wife was very skeptical of the project so I over engineered some of the materials. Thicker steel plates etc. It was overkill. The size of the rollers and plates make it heavy and awkward to put together. I should have followed your plans to keep the weight down. I work for a newspaper and have access to a machine shop. So I really was able to keep the cost low by machining the plates and rollers myself from scrap that I purchased at a yard. Total cost was about $800 and most of that was for gears and take up bearings. The table is made from fur 2x10's and fur 4x4 posts. I turned the posts on a lathe and mortised the 2x10 sides into the posts. My wife insists that it is better than the Takach she used to borrow at a friends studio. The plans were great! Thanks for saving me about $5,000.

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George's Press

Hi Doug,

Finally finished my etching press after downloading the plans last year. It took awhile, but the result is pretty good I think. The machinist who made the press made a suggestion which you might incorporate in your plans, to add a stiffener inside the roller, so as to prevent bending the axle. Mine is 30" and it works like a dream!

Regards,

George

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Georgina's Press

Hi Doug,
At long last the press we were building is finished. I had promised to send you a picture a while ago when I found there were problems using a cushion blanket: we simply could not make prints when using one. The solution was to use a thin pure wool sizing catcher and a pusher only. A wool and rayon sizing catcher did not work because it was too stretchy and seemed to slip around.
The flywheel we had was not big enough to give sufficient torque when moving the press bed, so the handle was extended, and it became much easier to turn.
We used a remnant of Paperstone counter top for the press bed, the flywheel was found 20 years ago in the woods it has been waiting for a good use! The chain and gears are boxed in for safety when young kids visit. It works like a charm now, and we are so grateful that the plans could be obtained.
Georgina Grenier

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Medhat's Press

Iam oredy build your  press from many years ago and it is very good one I used in my center (alex work shop center) it work in many international work shop but now Ineed one more larg format
around 72 /140 cm can iuse the same blan only to large the clender and the bed or every thing must largest
 
best regards
medhat nasr
 
 
alex egypt