Assembly of the Final Press

Technical drawing showing the spindle and hose subsystem for the Uncommon Press.

Technical drawings were created with digital tools to design the whole press. Here is a plan of the spindle and hose subsystem, which sends the platen down to exert the printing pressure.

The body of the spindle was machined to tapered point at the RIT Mechanical Engineering Machine Shop.

The spindle, commonly referred to as the "heart of the press," was the most difficult part to machine within the capabilities of the RIT Mechanical Engineering shop. The three-start, two-inch pitch thread at the top of the spindle challenged RIT's machine shop specialist. In order for the part to be properly constructed, the head (top) of the spindle was separated from the body, machined, and then welded back together. The photograph to shows the body of the spindle getting machined to a taper.

The team attaches the paper-holding tympan to the coffin, a component of the bed of the press.

The Uncommon Press team worked in the RIT Engineering Machine Shop to fit, assemble, and oil components of the press before the final assembly in the Wallace Library in December 2016. Here the tympan is being attached to the coffin.

String-knotted fasteners allow the platen to have a small amount of play while being pushed down to exert printing force on the type and paper.

The mahogany platen was hung from the hose with a series of four knots, tied with string.

Team member Ferris Nicolais, holds the finished mahogany platen.

Mahogany wood of the platen has a fine grain pattern that contributes to exerting even, consistent impression in making prints from the type. 

The final product is the beautiful and functioning RIT Uncommon Press. Check out the video video to see the press in action. Information is available on the Learn More page about how to visit the press at the RIT Graphic Arts Collection.