A Traveling Dime Museum

[Maets]

I am not sure what it is, but I like it.

[oprion]

I am not sure what it is, but I like it.

It's an example of a 13th century cyrilic script (that I resurrected in it's modern form) carved into wood wih a CNC machine, wood-stained, gilded, and just now, affixed to a frame. The text spells out "Ivan Gulkov".

[VampirateMace]

I'll be watching this thread now. I find this all both fascinating and delightful, but don't really know what else to type. . .

[oprion]

Dime Museum Hanging Sign
Or desperate efforts to monetize

[oprion]

The Gulkoff Family "Théâtre mécanique"

[Dr. Ironbeard]

Marvellous, simply marvellous!! What a simply magical passion!

[MWBailey]

Can you describe how it works? I've always been fascinated by printing presses and the like but never have understood how they work (excluding the original Gutenburg press, I figured that one out, and it was quite fascinating!). I'm an engineering nerd at heart so learning how machines and stuff work, and the history behind them, tickles me pink!

The mechanical movement of platen presses differ between models, but the basic principle is more or less the same.

I made an animated reference for how things operate here: http://oprion.livejournal.com/119972.html

But, broadly speaking, a press has:
1. A "platen" the flat surface unto which the paper is attached.
2. A "press bed" - another flat surface that holds the chase (metal frame) which secures the form (letters and engravings locked up into a tight bundle).
3. When the platen and the press bed come in contact, an impression is made, as the form pushes into the paper.
4. Ink is added from a can to an "ink disk" - the round metal disk on top of the press. It revolves slightly after every impression, thus making the ink distribution more even.
5. Roller arms carry the rollers (different number on different presses, my tiny Sigwalt only has one) across the ink disk, picking up ink, then down across the form, inking up the letters and pictures, then up again to the disk to replenish supplies. Thus, the form is inked twice between impressions.
6. I am omitting the miscellaneous appendages such as tympan, grippers, bales etc. for the benefit of clarity.

I made a video of the whole process a good while back, using a slightly bigger press. The captions are in Russian, but you'll get the idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ndfi73kNbI

And another little stom-motion animation (took a bit of time to film ) on how the chase and form are made up):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKmbO1qsreE

I remember a scene, 'way, way back in the 70s or 80s,  from an episode of The Rockford Files, where Rockford printed a business card on-the-spot on the dashboard of his car (to use to pose as some kind of official or other in order to get to talk to someone). He used either an extremely teensy typewriter - they did exist in small enough size, albeit they were manufactured back in the 1920s or 30s through about the mid 50s; a few examples remain extant - or a very teensy printing press to do so; I didn't pay a whole lot of specific attention at the time, and I've never been able to find the scene on youtube or elsewhere, but it seems to me it looked very similar to the smallest press in your sequence of examples - unless I'm remembering via the force of the power of suggestion, of course. My imagination has always remained piqued by that scene, in any case...

[von Corax]

I remember a scene, 'way, way back in the 70s or 80s,  from an episode of The Rockford Files, where Rockford printed a business card on-the-spot on the dashboard of his car (to use to pose as some kind of official or other in order to get to talk to someone). He used either an extremely teensy typewriter - they did exist in small enough size, albeit they were manufactured back in the 1920s or 30s through about the mid 50s; a few examples remain extant - or a very teensy printing press to do so; I didn't pay a whole lot of specific attention at the time, and I've never been able to find the scene on youtube or elsewhere, but it seems to me it looked very similar to the smallest press in your sequence of examples - unless I'm remembering via the force of the power of suggestion, of course. My imagination has always remained piqued by that scene, in any case...

You aren't misremembering. He carried a tiny printing press in the glove box of his car which, IIRC, he used in several episodes.

[oprion]

Something along thee lines?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymcYW4Qsx08

[oprion]

A bit of traditional glass sign-painting to promote the wonders of the Miraculously Restorative Tonic.



The artwork:

[oprion]

More details of the sign.

[von Corax]

Very impressed, sir, very impressed indeed. Had I money I would be tempted to offer a commission.

[oprion]

Shot a little film about the making and use of a family seal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pbqgAaoyI

Materials: wood, epoxy clay, glue, brass hinges
Tools: Proxxon CNC Mill

P.S. Is there a new trick for embedding videos?

[oprion]

Built this toy soldier display case from a picture frame and some basswood planks.



Full size image here

[Miranda.T]

That is a very elegant method of display, and the backgrounds to each compartment really make the piece stand out.

Yours,
Miranda.

[madamemarigold]

Very impressive thread! The dime museum, the glass sign, the printing presses and the toy soldier display! Love them all. 

[Mme. Ratchet]

The toy soldier display and glass sign is really nice. You did a great job on them!

[oprion]

A new addition to my collection of portable parlours:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KwbYsiBqtM

A traveling type foundry!

Here is a short film on creating and using a traditional hand-mold that faithfully served 15th-19th century typefounders and printers.

[Hektor Plasm]

Marvellous- a very informative video, with a lovely warm look to it.

I have subscribed - now your secrets shall be mine!

 

HP

[Miranda.T]

A new addition to my collection of portable parlours:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KwbYsiBqtM#

A traveling type foundry!

Here is a short film on creating and using a traditional hand-mold that faithfully served 15th-19th century typefounders and printers.

Wonderful to see these skills being carried forwards into the 21st century 

Yours,
Miranda.

[oprion]

A wooden handle for the humble handmold.

My handmold project is now complete! Fitted with proper insulation of the locking spring.

[oprion]

A short film about the process and the joy of letterpress.
Printing cards for Odd Salon (a storytelling/drinking community in San Francisco) on my little Kelsey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVdpDwg90xI

And some pics:

[Hektor Plasm]

Oo -nice. Does the press do the embossing in some way too?

HP

[oprion]

Oo -nice. Does the press do the embossing in some way too?

HP

The press is fairly small, so it can't do a large area emboss. But, as you can see in the video above, it's quite capable of producing some relief with a simple form.

[oprion]

Flooding the forum with of fanciful fleurons