by Francine Walker
Since I was new to printmaking and didn’t know whether I would continue to seriously pursue my skills, I thought it best to make a press rather than investing in an expensive one. As it turns out, it was a good investment of less than two hundred dollars. It works well, is solid and easily transportable.
I went for a 15” wide platen which seemed an ideal width to allow slightly larger prints. If I use a wide paper, I find it’s a good idea to roll the side edges from the back of the paper to ensure good coverage of the sides. The length is irrelevant as I can move the register front and back and simply come down with the bottle jack a few times. Below is a photo of the finished product. Here is the link to a web site article (no press no problem) which gives all the dimensions and materials needed. All the materials which were used are available in Ottawa. The metal posts are available at Canadian Tire, Home Depot and Lowes.
