Printing by numbers
Most commercial printing outfits dipped their toes in the water at first as regards litho, not initially taking the multi-colour plunge, most starting with smaller single colour machines, not unlike printers today that are installing small digital presses. One unit printing and perhaps at most two units were first employed at a typical commercial printer.
Those print professionals who were machine minders in the 70s will recall with nostalgia the satisfaction that could be obtained from running a press without all the aids and automation a minder has in 2008, especially when producing process colour work on a single colour press. Like the evolution of aircraft into airliners now, print too had its ‘magnificent men on their printing machines’, and there was just as much skill associated with running a press as there was to flying a plane in the early days, with maybe slightly less injury to life and limb if something went wrong! In fact this writer carried out an apprenticeship lasting chosen on five years to become a fully qualified ‘journeyman’ litho printer, complete with the barbaric tarring and feathering that used to serve as the right of passage for a qualifed printer in the late 1970s.
Experienced single colour litho machine minders from the 70s will also remember those stressful days when it was paramount to get all four process colours down in one day to avoid dreaded paper stretch problems, a common happening in litho printing due to the use of water. These jobs were often produced on a press that would run at a maximum 6000 sheets an hour to maintain good register. In the late 70s, two hour long press make readies were commonplace, without densitometers for a colour guide, or automated plate skewing and using manual ink duct settings. All that was needed in those days was study spanner, a set of progressives and a good eye for colour guidance, a fair wind and a lot of luck if you were to get all four sides of a 10,000 run brochure off in one day.
To be continued…
Peter Harrison is Joint Managing Director of The Printing House Ltd of Crewe, Cheshire, UK.
Print Buying Direct is an online trading name of The Printing House Ltd., specialising in online print ordering. Our most popular products at the moment: Business Cards, Banner Stands, Flyer/Leaflet Printing, Poster Printing.
Have a look at our great online prices, and order online using templates designed by our experienced team of graphic designers, or upload your own artwork.
NEW – We can now take care of your Online Marketing! Email, SMS & Social Media Marketing by Communications Online LLP.
