Home >> Collecting >> Antiques

How Do I Operate a Washington Hand Press?

Johannes Gutenberg invented the first printing press in the 1430s, making the printed word universally available and ushering in a golden age of education and knowledge sharing. Since that invention, the printing press has evolved considerably. Samuel Rust invented the Washington hand press in 1821. While modern printing presses operate through a single push-button process, operating the Washington hand press involves several manual steps for successful paper printing.

Things You'll Need

Paper
Ink
Ink brush or paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare the printing page form (the page setup) by inking the letter-block types by hand. Set the letter blocks in the desired page format and brush a think layer of ink across the letter blocks. Fit the paper in place on the tympan (the wooden or steel frame that holds the stretched cloth), using the adjusting pins to hold it in place. Fold the frisket (the thin frame holding a cut sheet of paper) over the paper to hold it down. Fold the tympan down over the inked form.
- 2
  Turn the crank on the bed (where the printing plate is laid) to run the bed under the platen (the flat metal plate on which the form is located). Use the platen lever (on top of the platen) to force the platen down over the form.
- 3
  Release the platen lever. Springs will raise the platen up on its own.
- 4
  Reverse the motion of the crank to move the bed back out away from the platen.
- 5
  Raise the tympan, open the frisket and remove the printed sheet. Repeat as necessary.

Antiques