Bill Ritchie Design Work in Colorado
 
in the

Jackie & Mike Hobbins Collection

 
Active and passive sides of Jackie's family Mini Etching Press

Mini Etching Press No. 6273

Specifications: Most unique are the beautiful side plates made of polished black walnut attached to the steel body with eight brass barrel cap nuts. The rack-driven bed is black actal measuring 3/8” thick, 6” wide and 14 1/2” long. The 8” stainless steel wheel drives the gear chain system and driving shaft with a spur gear meshes with the bed’s rack gear. The top and bottom rollers are 1 - 1/2” steel on roller bearings. Synchronized pressure screws raise the top roller and the synchronizing chain keeps the top roller level, assuring uniform printing pressure across the width of the plate. The press is designed for intaglio (etching, engraving, drypoint, collagraph, etc.), vitreograph (i.e., quarter-inch or more plate glass), stencil methods, and from relief plates from 1/8” to type-high letterpress or mounted linoleum blocks. Thick intaglio plates present challenges, therefore 22 to 35 gauge plates are recommended, but typical 1/16" plates work fine if generously beveled. Two felt blankets are included, and two allen wrenches in the unlikely event any set screws become loose.

Bill Ritchie 's comment: Jackie saw Ethan Lind using a Mini Etching Press at Seattle's Pike Place Market and contacted me about getting one. She said, "I've been making cards since my first year of college in 2004, but always silk screen or wood bock, never intaglio. ... I just love kids being able to experience things that are usually reserved for adults. I think it helps them see their power in the world and that's a really special process." She works for the WOW! Children's Museum near Denver.

Video: When another owner, Ed Wyche, bought a Mini Etching Press (No. 6276) and for him Bill demonstrated printing a type-high relief linoleum print Ed sent to prove it works for his project. Click here

See the Patron's List for more peoples' collections - click here

email Bill Ritchie

?