Bill Ritchie Work in California

in the

Ed Wyche Collection

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

Mini Etching Press No. 6276

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: Ed planned to reprint his mother's linoleum blocks, fifty of them, which were her Christmas Cards. He bought his Mini Etching Press on eBay on the last day of 2023. I asked him to send a sample block to be sure his idea wol work, which he did, and I made a video demonstrating the best way to print type-high relief blocks using a frame called a "chase."

Video: See Bill demonstrate how he used this press to print type-high relief linoleum print Ed sent to prove it works for his project. Click here

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