Ye Olde Mangle revisited:construction of the bed

I regularly get inquiries about how my mangle was converted to a printing press.

The short answer is, I asked hubby if he was up for a challenge, he said, "you bet!" and next thing (sort of) I had a converted mangle ready to go!

To read the longer version of the conversion with accompanying photos 

go to my earlier blog posts here.

Further to previous info however, I am frequently asked how certain aspects of the mangle were dealt with, in particular how the bed was attached to the mangle. There were no "plans" to speak of, it was just a case of "make it up as you go along" and trial and error.

So, here goes an attempt at an explanation:

This first pic was taken before the wooden runners were added. It shows how L-shaped metal sections were added to support wooden runners which the bed will slide along.

There is one shorter length which runs through under the mangle and is bolted to the frame of the mangle on both sides and beneath the rollers as seen in this next photo. (This section has the right-angle facing downwards and towards the rollers. )

Two shorter sections are then bolted, one on either side of the rollers, to the lengths of metal beneath it, this time the right-angle facing upwards and again towards the rollers. 

Rimu runners are bolted to these L-shaped metal supports, stopping just short of the bottom roller. The top of the wooden runner is flush with the top of the bottom roller. 

The bed (in my case laminated hardboard continues to work just fine) glides along these runners.

Four threaded rods are used to hold everything square from one side of the frame to the other, two in the base of the mangle, one at each outer end of the metal bed runners.

There has been some on-going tweaking happening in regards to the tension of the springs.

 The best tip I learned however that has helped me the most in setting up the mangle to print successfully in a number of print mediums is the use of runners of different thicknesses to hold the rollers apart to the desired amount. Unlike a printing press where the rollers are raised and lowered to set the pressure and/or clearance for different thicknesses of plates, the mangle is sprung so even if you release the pressure the rollers are still sitting firmly on the bed. This is where runners come in! I have a selection of runners of different thicknesses that I insert under the top roller meaning I can go from printing monotype surfaces, drypoint and etching to linocut or woodcut with a quick change.

Hope this info is helpful for those lucky enough to find an old mangle to give new life too.

Here's a wee pic from a visitor to my blog, 

of a converted Ewbank mangle, a lot like mine, 

apparently rescued from being sent to the dump! 

Whew! 

Cool idea for a different way to make the bed - could allow for extra storage too.

I'd love to see/ hear from you 

with any images of your mangles 

before, during and after their make-overs!

My 1908 Ewbank Little Giant in action!

Isn't that a thing of beauty, or what!

Even on days when I'm not printing, I have been known 

to crank away on my little mangle just for the simple pleasure 

of hearing the cogs whirring. 

To see how an old mangle became my printing press see earlier posts here.

As a bit of a sidestep/distraction/procrastination from the studio today, 

I finally sat down to learn how to convert a movie file to a GIF 

so I can upload clips to my blog. 

And this is one clip I've been wanting to share since I got my mangle.

How hard can it be? right?

Several hours(!!) later, having discovered incompatibility problems with programs and files, so learning a whole heap of other new tricks, and some expert help from my in-house computer whizz son, I've at last succeeded.

Now I know what I now know,

it's not so hard...

My Printmaking Press set-up

It's been a little over 6 months since we (mostly hubby) transformed a rusty old 1908 Ewbank "Little Giant" mangle into a printmaking press, and it has been busy ever since! It's come to my attention that others are interested in what I'm up to in my basement workshop and so I thought I'd share some info about how I have set up my press with minimal outlay, using found and re-purposed bits and bobs.

Detail: "Rockpool ~ Softly Sleeping", Drypoint

Initially, when we finished restoring the mangle, I was working on dry points using plexi-plate, oil-based inks and soaking my paper. The press can be cranked up really tight and I'm really happy with the results.

Woodblock print in progress

Now that I'm working on woodblocks the press needs to be set much lighter. With a small alteration to the spring arrangement on the mangle (ie. a piece of metal pipe inserted to prevent the spring "slopping" from side to side) it has been doing a grand job. I simply count the number  of rotations, or half/quarter rotations of the screw fittings and I have got to know how many turns are needed for which plate and for which blankets, etc.

My "Little Giant" featuring metal rollers, runners and my high tech laminated hardboard bed.  

The bed: As I mentioned in my earlier post on the press I made the executive decision to forgo the use of a laminated plastic bed, or a metal bed, due the cost. Instead I decided to make do with two sheets of hardboard which we laminated together. It's still works just fine and show no signs of wear so... if it ain't broke.... On a side note, while I was on holiday down south I went to an amazing print gallery in Old Cromwell Town called OCTA. The owner has a press set up in the back of the gallery and I noticed his bed is simply a sheet of thick plywood. If it's good enough for him....

Felt underlay from an old upholstered armchair

The blankets... well, we all know how expensive they can be. So again I use what I had to hand: some old felt underlay from an old upholstered chair. It looked too good to throw away and surely I'd find a use for it. Sure enough. I use it as the first layer on top of the tissue placed over my work on the bed.

Main blanket: a foam camping mat!

And for the main blanket I use one of those foam camping mats that cost about $9. We already had one, scavenged from the side of the road no doubt. They have so many uses (except for sleeping on!) and everyone should have one in their supplies. (They make a great spatula for applying grout to mosaics and tiling.) Over time, they slowly compress if you are doing lots of prints but they bounce back and if and when it gets too squished, I'll find another.

Inking up: I use a glass plate - an old safety glass window pane. Personally I like to roll up on glass and I simply put a sheet of white paper underneath so I can see the colours clearly for mixing.

To sum up: The mangle cost $125 from a junk shop, the metal tube for the rollers and the runners cost $30. It was going to cost $500 for an engineer to put the metal tube onto the wooden rollers and lathe them but coincidentally our neighbour is a toolmaker and he did them for us out of kindness and generosity! (Bless his little cotton socks!) Metal fittings - nuts and bolts and screw thread rods, and paint cost about $50. The hardboard bed - scraps from an old bed base. Blankets: repurposed from found items. Hours of printmaking: PRICELESS.

It's wonderful having a press here at home so I can work as the mood takes me. I'm currently working on a series of woodblocks in readiness for group shows coming up in the next few months. In between other commitments I can "pop" down to the workshop and "whip" off another colour run and not worry about having to pack everything away in between sessions. I set up a paper cutting and registering table on the bench saw, I have my inking up station on my studio bench and I have a wash up area just out in the carport with a large stainless tub and wooden bench. And I ban hubby from any woodwork projects til my print run is done - dust!

It's a Printing Press!

It works!

I am making-do with a laminated hardboard bed for now and I'm very happy with the results I'm getting so far. I've trialled it with printing a plexi-plate dry point with chine colle added and have also just given it a whirl with a "Kitchen Lithography" technique using aluminium foil and a chinagraph pencil drawing. 

Inked up plexi-plate with collage elements laid on ready to print.

Trial print using "Kitchen Lithography" technique.

Mangle update

The old 1908 Ewbank mangle is transforming into a printmaking press. 

VERY exciting! 

The old wooden rollers have been sleeved in steel tube, the rusty old mangle parts have been cleaned up, painted and reassembled and arms have been added to hold the runners for the bed. 

Next step is making wooden runners to support the bed, and ... getting a bed. I priced up a laminated plastic one but... woah, the price is very scary so I think I am going for a steel bed at a fraction of the cost. 

Don't worry, I'll put stoppers on it so I can't amputate my feet.

I ran a test drypoint print through it in the weekend and it's looking like it's going to be a little humdinger!

Restoring and repurposing an old mangle to use as a printing press

I recently found this old 1908 "Little Giant" mangle in at Junk and Disorderly in Auckland, looking a little sad and lonely but with possible hidden talents. I'm hoping we can get it up and running as a press suitable for dry-point. 

(I have another old mangle that I use for small relief printing. It was passed down to me from a family member who was a known NZ printmaker in the 60s & 70s and I have always treasured having it, though I only began using it a year or so ago when I finally began learning printmaking skills.)

On consulting my technician (hubby), and getting his reassurance that he would indeed like a project of this ilk, we purchased the wee beast and bought him home.

Within moments, a sign of my hubby's eagerness (at the time), and with barely a chance for me to document it's initial state of being, he had it stripped down and in pieces. (Unfortunately this meant I didn't get very good before photos.)

Some of the quirky features are: the folding crank handle, the carry handle and the  marking gauges on the screws.


















The wooden rollers are in good condition. Hubby's plan is to have them cased in steel by a local engineering company.  In fact everything is in pretty good nick - nothing a wire brush and a lick of paint can't deal to. This is a project that will take time but, hopefully, it will be worth the wait.

The cogs pre-cleaning

Cleaning up the pieces

How gorgeous are those cogs!

Painting some of the many pieces