Three boxes ready to get their shipping labels and to be dropped off at UPS! Each box is carefully packed with the wooden press, a wooden chase, a wooden base, a set of furniture, enough materials for building 6 tympans and friskets, and a 36pp illustrated manual. BookBeetle presses are on their way to Massachusetts, Kentucky, Colorado, Michigan, and Richmond, Virginia! In several days I will ship two more to California and Minnesota. Its been a fabulous fall designing and building these wonderful little machines.
The press comes apart into five pieces and is easily assembled with just six bolts. I pack each piece carefully in bubble wrap for shipping to the new owner.
The presses were built by my friend and cabinetmaker, Jeff Saine of Charlottesville, Virginia. Built of solid maple and solid birch plywood with a 1-1/8" steel vise screw they are unquestionably durable. They receive lots of compliments, most often, “What a beautiful little press!" I never thought of it as a particularly aesthetic design, working mostly on making a press which works simply and efficiently that can be built by anyone.
Assembling the first set of ten BookBeetles from the parts built by Jeff. The second photo shows me attaching the nut to the head to create the head assembly. I bolt each press together and test it out before moving them to my studio for disassembly and packing into their boxes for UPS shipping. At 37lbs the presses are just big enough to print well while still being small enough to easily move.
The assembled BookBeetles and a press ready to print!