I’m hoping all this learning, studying, discovering will give me some advantage in old age.

Today I’m reading about ATF type vs monotype. And then there’s Ludlow, which I bought accidentally. I now know that News Gothic made by one foundry won’t necessarily work with one made at another. I’m wishing I hadn’t tried to pinch pennies by buying a limited type set. I bought a set of News Gothic, but with only one letter of each, they are not much use. I also should have kept to a few type sizes so I wouldn’t have to buy spacing for so many sizes.

However, despite feeling like I’ve emptied my bank account and lost my mind, I am really moving forward. And even with my basic proof press I am better at inking, setting type, and printing. One day I’ll look back on all this and laugh.

#letterpress

 

 

I’ve been trying to gather what I need to print–to continue to learn–and to produce. I recently ordered a set of wood type from India off ebay. I wasn’t sure what I was getting, nor was I confident it would even arrive. It did. And today I tried printing for the first time.

Unfortunately, some of the letters aren’t cut well. But they are type high, and they’ll have to do for now. I am still missing quads and spacers. My lockup is pretty pathetic looking since I don’t have enough to fill in the spaces evenly.

I also realized today I should be locking my type up parallel to the roller. I’ve been placing it lengthwise so the roller moves across the type instead of “with” the time. I’ve got four hours to practice tomorrow so I’ll see if it makes a difference.

Some days are more frustrating than others.