An unexpected opportunity has come my way. Of an offer to buy a baby offset printing press, (Baby Rota it is called locally). The seller is the guy with whom I've done business before. So naturally, I have a good and friendly relationship with him. He is selling it mainly because the machine (for him) is not fast enough. And also because he needs space to bring in a bigger machine. The press uses a half plate, which is about 8.5 by 13 or 14 inches in size (printing footprint size). No where near as fast or as big as the commercial offset presses, but it is something on which I can learn and have fun. The condition of the machine is also very good, used only for small work, just a few times in a year (where just a few 100 copies were needed). Best of all, for my own business (where I had to have my own brochures and visiting cards printed from elsewhere) - I'll now be able to do it extremely cheaply inhouse! Thankfully, I can also fix just about anything mechanical, electrical, and electronic. So repairing it is not an issue with me. As whatever parts which may not be available, I can easily reproduce in no-time! But, before I do buy it - I was wondering if anyone over here has ever had any experience with offset printing press of this nature... The machine is a Table Top Offset Press, a lot like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpidpWZ4cFI It is single color, so to make a fully colored photographic print, you'll have to change the ink 4 times, (to print the CYMK colors 4 times on the same paper, which in printing terms is called "registration"). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRHuQUQSEpg So anybody over here ever had any experience with such a printing press?
I had classes and some press experience years ago back in college. But not a table top one like this... it was the big ol' commercial presses. I bet you're going to have fun with it... but running the same paper through for your 4 color jobs is going to be a challenge.... unless of course your paper tray/supply and rollers are nice and tight.
Yes Cherylad, exactly, they have to be perfectly aligned - Otherwise it's no good. As the Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, and Black need to be printed at the exact same place. So if we can't get this right, then our "registration" will be off, and so the whole thing will end up looking very strange (and downright unprofessional)...
Registration can be a difficult thing on the big pro 4-roller models. But... I bet you'll figure out a way to at least do nice two color work.
Naah! If I'm going to get it for myself, then I plan on going all the way - With the 4 pass CYMK true color printing. Otherwise, if the press isn't capable of it, then I too will not buy it. Anyway, I was also thinking - this will be a lot of fun for sure (if I am able to do the 4 color *registration* correctly). But my whole year's work I am sure will be printed in half a day. So what will I do with it for the remaining 264 days of the year??? Should I (as a side business) also become low volume a commercial printer too? Just wondering...
One step at a time... see if you can get the desired results before taking on too much. Will you have the chance to try-out the press before buying it?
Of course - It's always try before you buy over here, or no deal... I recently heard a funny story from a friend of mine. He told me that he knew 2 guys, (both at different times) - Both were living hand to mouth. And both eventually gambled on becoming professional printers. One guy in the start only had a beat up old motorcycle, which would always break down every few 100 yards. Yet today (about ten years down the road) - He recently bought a second Mercedes Benz. All his old friends now have just one complain, which is that he now is so busy in printing - That he hasn't got the time to do anything else. While this other who too went into printing, is doing just as badly today, as he was 15 years ago... So I guess one really doesn't know anything for sure, until we go into it all the way. Still, I'm just eyeing my own personal freedom (as well as having some fun). Because all my printing will now get done in house! So any other business that I may get for printing - I'll just consider a windfall. Hey Frank, isn't it about time we start printing The Garden Stew's weekly newsletter??? One Pound Print, One Pound Print, Very very Cheap, very Vry nice - One Pound Print! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_miGclPFGs
The printing industry is hurting 'round here. Heck... even the newspaper I work at has stopped printing weekly... we now print every other week and send out an electronic version on the other week. Technology is good for some things... but bad for others.
Well, over here the national elections are due in a few weeks time. So all the printing presses are right now doing extra time. Some are making regular campaign flyers. While others are printing something extremely underhanded - Like exposing the hidden skeletons of a political rival! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Yes, that's exactly how it is over here now, whenever any type of elections are near - Some of it really makes great bedtime reading! Basically, as long as there is political sleaze in my part of the world, our printing industry continues to thrive! I by the way just saw this video, of how they used to print newspapers (before computers became common). Found it very interesting indeed! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8cCS3o62iI
That video sure brought back memories! In my printing classes at college, they had one of those typesetting machines. We had to learn how to use it... still have a piece of it and keep it on my desk at work... just to remind me of how far this industry has come-along. typesetting ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden )
Great looking machine S-H,..you should be able to make great use of it and get the cost back in earnings. ====================================================== Cheryl your machine was way ahead of the one i worked on in school,..it was an Adana,..No 4 i think,..all print was hand set in blocks. Adana Printing Machines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
