Info For Studio Use
To use the public studio you must first take our intro workshop or convince us of your proficiency on the press you intend to use.
Studio Hours: Please see the side bar.
Bookings:
Press time can be booked using the tab on the side bar of the website. You will need to create a user account. You can reserve any of the presses in our public studio for $20 per hour.
Be aware: All late arrivals will be billed from the start time specified in the booking. No-shows must be paid in full before a new appointment can be made. Bookings can be canceled up to 48 hours before their start time. After that time there are NO cancellations or postponements.
INK POLICY
We maintain a coop ink supply of Van Son inks from their Rubber Base Plus system. If you would like to join the coop and use these inks all you need to do is order one 1 lb. container of ink from this particular system and bring it in with you the first time you print. We will add your name to the list and you can use any of the ink in the communal supply. If you prefer to keep your own inks you may do so, but you must store them at home. You can order ink from the “Rubber Base Plus” ink system here.
Inks we have currently:
Black
Opaque White
Transparent White – low!
Reflex Blue
Brilliant Blue
Delft Blue- low!
Process Blue
Pantone Orange
Pantone Warm Red
Rubine Red
Rhodamine Red
Dutch Fireball
Flame Red
Red 032
Pantone Green – low!
Amazon Green – low!
Forest Green
Ivy Mint
Emerald Green – low!
Pantone Yellow
Pantone Violet
Pantone Purple
Chocolate Brown – OUT!
NOTE: If you do not bring ink it will cost $45 to join the ink coop. This money will be used to order a can of ink for the coop supply in your name.
Using The Type Collection at The Arm
Users of The Arm can now set and redistribute type any time during our posted open hours without a press booking. In order to keep our type collection in good order we will require that a $50 check be held as a deposit to insure that type is properly redistributed at the completion of a project. This check will not be deposited unless 30 days passes from a user’s last visit and the type has not been put away. At this time the type will be redistributed by our staff and the check deposited. If you set type, print, and redistribute your type in a single day you do not need to have a check on file.
Users interested in working with type will be assigned a galley tray for the duration that they have an un-cashed check on file. They can empty their galley and request the return of their check at any time. Stay tuned for more type to be added and for a full inventory of the type collection to be added to our site.
If you have any questions about this policy please feel free to ask.
Photopolymer Plate Printing:
If printing from photopolymer plates please remember that our Boxcar Press plate bases use Boxcar’s standard thickness plates. I recommend their KF95 plates. Order plates at Boxcar.com.
On the Vandercooks…
Don’t forget that the Vandercooks need a half an inch for their grippers at one end of your sheet. If your paper is trimmed to size and you don’t have this margin beyond your artwork you are going to be in trouble!
Gauge Pins:
Those using a C&P Pilot press will need a set of three gauge pins. You are responsible for having your own set. They can be purchased at The Arm ($15 for a set of three) or from American Printing Equipment in boxes of a dozen (see link below).
Coasters:
The Arm stocks packs of coasters in a variety of sizes and shapes. See the GOODS section of our site to buy these, gauge pins, and other supplies.
RESOURCES:
Briar Press – online letterpress discussion, classifieds, museum…
Boxcar Press – photopolymer plate making service
Owosso Graphic Arts – magnesium cuts (print blocks) for letterpress
Van Son Holland Inks – letterpress inks
NA Graphics – letterpress supplies and Vandercook press parts in Colorado
American Printing Equipment & Supply – letterpress supplies in New York
Letterpress Things – John Barrett’s warehouse full of presses, type & supplies in Massachusetts
VandercookPress.info – Paul Moxon’s website on the Vandercook
The Dale Guild Type Foundry – Makers of real foundry type (Dan & Micah!)
Amax Printing – Amax can cut your printing to size once you have printed if you include cutting marks in your plate. They are a block from The Arm.
Schulman Paper – These guys are located in the city and stock Crane Lettra. They are willing to sell smaller quantities and cut to size. BE AWARE- Crane has recently been sold to Neenah and their prices are rising faster than I can keep tabs on them. Lettra is not the only paper you can use!
Reich Paper – Brooklyn based Reich Paper sell a paper called Savoy that is an alternative to Lettra. Contact them for samples.
Holyoke Fine Papers – This company offer another cotton rag Lettra alternative. Holyoke also sell paper cut to size for printing business cards as well as coasters. Unfortunately they charge for samples, but they are a very small company.
French Paper – French are a small paper company with some really interesting papers. Their mill is wind powered and they work with recycled content. They also have really amazing sample books!