press nickname: Big Indigo
year built: 2014
machine number: 320000584
largest printable sheet: 13” x 19”
weight: 6,000 lbs.
impressions per hour: 4,000
hometown: Israel
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: A blending of offset and digital technology is used to produce the beautiful results we see from the Indigo.
a few words from the printer who uses it: The results are worth the challenges involved in running such a complicated machine.
why we love this particular press: It allows us to incorporate the modern full color, photo images, with the classic old school letterpress technology that we are so well known for.
press nickname: Champ
year built: 1970?
machine number: 378
largest printable sheet: 26.2” x 38.1”
impressions per hour: 5000
hometown: Zurich, Switzerland
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: 2-color offset press. Ink train has 18 rollers, which makes for very good ink to plate and helps control water.
a few words from the printer who uses it: Champ is a good press. Once it gets running it will run consistently. Fitting in between the units is a bit of a challenge. It’s fun running the larger sheets.
why we love this particular press: Great color. Great potential for offering other types of printing.
press nickname: Pat’s press
year built:: 1968
serial number:: T169159E
largest printable sheet: 10.25 x 15 inches
weight: 2,350 lbs.
impressions per hour: up to 4,000 impressions per hour
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: Pat’s bamboo plant is thriving in a reclaimed solvent dispenser.
a few words from the printer who uses it: It rattles and has cockeyed grippers but it is versatile.
why we love this particular press: It has an awesome vacuum system.
cutter: Polar 78 (finish cutter)
press nickname: “Old reliable”
year built: 2002
serial number: 7261207
largest cuttable area: 30” x 30”
impressions per hour: 45 cycles per min
hometown: Hofheim, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: It likes to warm up for a while in the morning.
a few words from the printer who uses it: We use a weight for smaller pieces to be cut to prevent curling.
why we love this particular cutter: It is quick and accurate.
press nickname: The Pearl
year built: early 1900’s
largest printable area: 7 x 11 inches
weight: 730 lbs.
impressions per hour: 1,800 max
hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: Foot-powered treadle and wavy spokes remind us what printing used to look like. Original price (100 years ago)? $135. Read more.
a few words from the printer who uses it: Harold bought this press from a man who used it to print labels for vials of bull semen.
why we love this particular press: It’s the only press that works when the power goes out. Which has never happened for more than 5 minutes, but…just in case.
press nickname: Big Blue Two
year built: 1969
serial number: SBG26225
largest printable area: 21 x 28 inches
weight: 12,100 lbs.
impressions per hour: 4,600 max
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: It’s a little smaller than the SBB.
a few words from the printer who uses it: You have to be aware and on top of things to make sure it runs properly.
why we love this particular press: It’s a very dependable, reliable machine and runs really well.
press nickname: Jake’s press or “Schnell press”
year built: 1965
serial number: T165833E
largest printable sheet: 10.25 x 15 inches
weight: 2,350 lbs.
impressions per hour: up to 4,000 max
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: There is a label from some past printer that says “ Don’t hate, appreciate” and a couple of yellow star stickers.
a few words from the printer who uses it: There is a bungee cord on the impression bar.
why we love this particular press: Jake: I like this press because I know what to expect.
press nickname: Lou’s press
year built: 1968
serial number: T176779E
largest printable sheet: 10.25 x 15 inches
weight: 2,350 lbs.
impressions per hour: up to 4,000 max
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: It’s not on a wooden platform and it has Smock gift wrap on the handle.
a few words from the printer who uses it: You always have to make sure the packing is right on this press. As far as sounds go, there’s a little “whish!” from the vacuum.
why we love this particular press: Lou: It’s a nice press—it’s good to me!
press nickname: Mine
year built: 1968
serial number: 27835
largest printable area: 14 x 20 inches
weight: 1,950 lbs.
impressions per hour: 360 max
hometown: Chicago, Illinois
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: It has an automatic carriage and says “VanderCarrie” on it!
a few words from the printer who uses it: If you have large coverage areas, you have to ink up a lot because there’s no ink fountain. On large sheets with heavy impression, the paper tends to stretch out.
why we love this particular press: Because it can handle large forms and is less complicated to set up than the Heidelberg Cylinder presses.
press name: Heidelberg GTO 52
press nickname: Big offset
year built: 1977
serial number: GTO659941
largest printable area: 13.5 x 20.25 inches
weight: 3,000 lbs.
impressions per hour: 8,000 max
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: It’s the largest offset press we have here. Not big in the world of offset presses, but it’s big for us.
a few words from the printer who uses it: There are noises—“clink clunk, clink clunk” and “psshp, psshp, psshp!”
why we love this particular press: Clayton: I love how well it registers—registration is hardly ever a problem with this press.
press name: Kluge EHD
press nickname: Bob’s Kluge (pronounced Kloogee)
year built: 1989
serial number: GD141258
largest printable area: 14 x 22 inches
weight: 4,400 lbs.
impressions per hour: 3,300 max
hometown: St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: This press feeds differently than the Heidelberg Windmill and Cylinder presses—the paper feeds in and out of the press in one straight shot.
a few words from the printer who uses it: It sounds like you’re running a freight train! It prints and runs well, and because you’re using heat (which can range from 100° to 350°) you have to monitor the heat based on the coverage (lots of heat for large coverage).
why we love this particular press: Bob: This does foil stamping—we can do so much more with this press than we can with the others.
press name: Heidelberg SBB
press nickname: Big Blue
year built: 1969
serial number: SBB34723
largest printable area: 21 x 29.5 inches
weight: 12,100 lbs.
impressions per hour: 4,600 max
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: It’s noisier than the smaller presses, and it’s a bigger version of the SBG.
a few words from the printer who uses it: It prints very, very well and is a joy to run, but it’s really loud and takes a little more effort to run than some of the other presses.
why we love this particular press: Bob: We can run a larger sheet and still put out a nice product, and get 2-4 pieces at a time.
press name: Heidelberg KSBAZ
press nickname: 2C-K
year built: 1973
serial number: KSBAZ345369
largest printable area: 16.5 x 21.375 inches
weight: 7,250 lbs.
impressions per hour: 5,000 max
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: It’s a 2-color letterpress—it’s the only 2-color letterpress we have and there’s a whole extra unit on top for the second color. We don’t ever run it though, it works better to print one color at a time.
a few words from the printer who uses it: It prints like a Cadillac. No problems at all.
why we love this particular press: Dave C.: It treats me right and keeps me out of trouble! We could all use a press like that.
press name: Heidelberg KSBA
press nickname: K3
year built: 1973
serial number: KSBA345540
largest printable area: 16.5 x 21.375 inches
weight: 6,700 lbs.
impressions per hour: 5,000 max
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press:
It has a rubber bungee to keep the delivery pile from going down too fast.
a few words from the printer who uses it: In order to get the press started, you have to jiggle a few parts on top to get it going.
why we love this particular press: Stan: I’ve become “one with the press” as they say.
press name: Heidelberg 13×18
press nickname: Hindenberg
year built: 1961
serial number: GT60843E
largest printable area: 13.375 x 18.125 inches
weight: 5,000 lbs.
impressions per hour: up to 4,000 max
hometown: Weisloch, Germany
distinguishing characteristics to this particular press: It’s way bigger than the other Heidelbergs; there’s more printing surface and you can get more impression out of it.
a few words from the printer who uses it: This press is definitely quirky to run—it’s difficult to get the pile to come up at the right speed. It runs cover stock well, but 1-ply paper can be tricky to feed on this press.
why we love this particular press: We don’t love this press, because it’s a bear to set up! After you get past the quirks of running it, you can get monster impression and great coverage.