Speedball Block Printing Press - Adjustable Height Model B Steel Press For Printmaking

I like this small hand press. I see mixed reviews online about it, and it is not going to satisfy someone who is looking for results similar to those found on something like a bigger, much more expensive etching press. But don't underestimate it. For small projects, using good inks, it yields a nice clear print for a great price. Best feature is the even pressure. I have now practiced with viscose block print ink for both fabric and paper, and with runnier textile paints. Good consistent results with all! But you have to make some minor adjustments. The best way to print is to lay your block "face up" on the memory foam pad. I print on linen and cotton and it is great for fabric. I can even do repeat prints on larger pieces of fabric with it. Also, it works best with either mounted lino, or good rubber stamps (pink Speedy Carve). I tried it on unmounted lino and did not get as good a result.. I think the thicker the block, the better the print. Some people complained that the bottom of the press will scratch their table surface or slide around. My solution for this is just put a piece of the rubbery shelf liner or rug grip stuff under it. It won't budge. Also, you might want to play around with the table height. You can get more leverage on the press at varying heights. It's all about how tall you are, probably. Tip: If you are still worried about a good clear print, you can also just use the press to adhere your print to the inked block. Once you've pressed your inked block and paper in the press , just slip the whole thing out from under pressing plate, and finish off your print with a baren or flat wooden spoon. The initial pressure gives a good start to the hand-printing process. There are two levels for the upper plate. I'm not sure why, as it seems the lower one is the only one that ensures a good print. Also, the printer is sturdy enough, but make sure to press without twisting the pressing arm. It's great! I recommend it, and with a little experimentation with inks and blocks, it yields excellent results for small projects.

Update - I don't use this, a waste of money, doesn't press, plate just swings loose, no pressure. You'd get a better press by hand leaning on a piece of wood board. The first one arrived broken where the sides attach to the base. The replacement arrived dusty & dirty, looking like it had been sitting on a shelf somewhere for a long time, and the swing plate was squeezed in by the sides and didn't swing properly. It was also scratched on one side from scraping on the side. I think both were probably seconds or previous returns. Buyer beware.

This is a great simple solution for printing lino-cuts up to about 5x7 inches. It doesn't have the precision or speed of a rolling press, but at a fraction of the price, it's the best solution for the money. It requires plenty of manual force and leverage to get adequate printing pressure, and I usually get best results when I run my print in one direction and then turn it 180° and press it again. I also finish up with a hand brayer before pulling the paper from the block, to get best results. This little press has improved the consistency of my prints, especially when running a lot of duplicates at once. It's compact and doesn't take up a lot of room to store when folded up. This does require more physical exertion than a rolling press, since you're essentially just leveraging your body weight for the press pressure, rather than using the pressure of mechanical rollers, so be prepared to be a little sore after running prints all day. At about 20% of what it would cost for a small standard press, this is great for beginners or artists working from home-studios. I live in a small Manhattan apartment, so this is perfect for my little urban workspace.

This press is a lot sturdier than it looks in the photo. I would have rated it five stars, but for a couple problems which are easily solved for a few extra bucks. 1. The bottom of this press will scratch the surface of your table. The metal is folded downward and meets the table edge-on, so there's nowhere to attach rubber feet or other padding. My solution was to glue some scraps of 3/4"-thick wood to the underside (on the horizontal surface, as close to the corners as possible), and then attach rubber feet to those. 2. The foam covering the press bed is too squishy. If you apply enough pressure for the ink to transfer evenly, you end up producing deep indentations in the paper, or even wrinkles if the paper is thin. I removed the foam and now use a felt blanket between the paper and the press. 3. This one's more personal preference. By default, this press operates with the inked block placed upside-down on top of the paper, but I get more consistent results when I place the paper on top of the block.

I read the reviews and realized I had about a 50% chance of getting a product that works properly. I took the risk and I got a bad one. The welding is crappy, and the whole top or the press broke within 3 uses. Don’t risk it.

Top platen isn't dead flat across the entire surface, which makes it difficult to get an even print on anything 4" x 6" or larger. Useful for smaller sizes stamps, but isn't robust enough to take much compression force (don't put your whole body into pressing). The small footprint is nice for a work area with limited space.

I love this press! Fantastic for prints up to 8x8. Used for woodblock, lino, and monoprints. Not sure about inaglio. I read the reviews where people said it was poorly made. Dude, I cranked on this with most of my body weight and it was fine. Dropped it, fine. What did you do to bend/break this?? Great little feature, there is a metal tab on the bottom that keeps it in place on a table, brilliant! This is perfect for my tiny art studio!

Because of its heavy-duty metal construction this is definitely no toy. It's perfect for the hobbyist (like me) who just wants to make small prints that don't hurt the wallet. I'm actually using it with my 5-year old. No way am I allowing her to cut linoleum but instead invested in a stack of cheap bargain bulk styrofoam plates (this is where we drew our images onto with a ball-point pen), Speedball 4-Inch Pop-In Brayer and Rollers, 4-Pack , Speedball Bench Hook and Inking Plate for Block Printing , and a tube of Blick water-soluble block printing ink. The results were amazing! I can see how the smaller press to larger base could confuse a person initially but it takes seconds to figure out what your dimensional limitations are. I really don't see how you could do the job of this as easy, successful, and affordable. Just get it.