[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking.

Baren Digest             Wednesday, 13 January 1999     Volume 06 : Number 411

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From: "Roger A. Ball" <beckorro@inquo.net>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 08:37:53 -0700
Subject: [Baren 2662] Stuff 

Graham says, 
>I'm wondering if you are using enough rice paste in your pigment mix.  Too
>little paste results in a lot of mottling in the printed area....especially large 
>plain areas.

This was definitely the case on some, while over-pasting was obvious in
others.  But after getting about 30 good ones and tossing quite a few (many
other early prints were far worse than the example), I think I am getting
better at it and keeping a higher percentage.  Some of my problems likely
stem from my choice of Stonehenge and I think some of it has to do with
moisture balance and the amount of sizing left IN the paper when I go to
print.  Stonehenge seems to need a good squeeze when soaked up to deliver a
really receptive surface.  (As Graham mentioned six mos. ago...)  "Dang
whipper snappers!"

As far as paste goes, I think the biggest thing is to get a couple of good
thin coats of paste on your block to seal it before you start.  I use a
stiff baren, light (but consistently there) ricepaste and a good overnight
soaking.  Did two batches of 10 over last weekend and will likely do the
same this weekend.  Out of that twenty, I only lost a few to a smudge or a
fumbled margin.  


John says,  
>I hate to suggest this, but has anyone soaked the boards and sanded with
>emery paper while wet, or am I all wet?

Boy, I wouldn't recommend that.  Now don't take what I say as gospel in
this context (that of Baren) because I'm not sure this applies when your
wood stays wet for a while whenever you use it.  However, in the
funiture/woodworking trade there is a long tradition of sanding, wetting
then drying (relatively quickly  --as the old man said, "to bring up the
hairs"), then sanding, then repeating with finer grit.  I doubt that this
practice is a sound idea for ply users.  It'll work great with cherry or
other hard/semi-hard blocks, though.  Beyond that, I better not comment,
because I like grain and figure a light sanding after a wire brushing is
about right...

However, Graham's shellac idea is appealing to me more now that I've seen
how dry the blocks can get and how suseptible they are to warping.  Would
it be a bad idea to just seal (shellac, whatever..) the back and the
"valley plains" on the front?  Or would too much moisture get in from the
relief surface and get "stuck"?

God, I love this group,

- -Roger
http://www.inquo.net/~beckorro/woodcut/woodcut.htm

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From: Jacob Roquet <roquet@coastalnet.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 11:45:36 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2663] Re: Stuff 

Roger wrote:
>However, Graham's shellac idea is appealing to me more now that I've seen
>how dry the blocks can get and how suseptible they are to warping.  Would
>it be a bad idea to just seal (shellac, whatever..) the back and the
>"valley plains" on the front?  Or would too much moisture get in from the
>relief surface and get "stuck"?


Just  a thought. For the experienced out there, is this hypothesis correct?

The shellac on one surface only would seal the surface but not prevent
warping or cupping. Shellac might actually cause more warping since it is
allow moisture retention of the wood unevenly. If you shellac the top and
bottom and sides does it cup less since moisture is coming in evenly from
the ends much like a tree with bark.

If you have a router or a table saw one could build what's called a
breadboard edge -- an opposite grained board running along the edges. You
could cut this below the surface of the block. 

This is a woodworkers trick to prevent cupping and sometimes warping.
This is used for, duh, breadboards and cutting boards both of which are
washed frequently.

Regards,

Jake

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From: "David Stones" <stones@mb.i-chubu.ne.jp>
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 01:48:14 +0900
Subject: [Baren 2664] RE: passel of queries 

Dear John and also Jean,

Re the planing/sanding and treating of blocks:

Although I use only solid blocks (so have no experience with ply) all that is
done to them is planing by hand (about a year or more before use). The Cherry
blocks are  like glass and the effect of sandpaper on this surface will mark it
(albeit minutely) and, although the feel is smooth it is not as good and "sharp"
as if planed.
I usually use Cherry for the outline blocks and other similar parts with detail.

The problem is finding someone to plane, by hand, without leaving lines across
the face. Luckily my carpenter friend in the village can do this and we have a
block-making session about every three years.  For Magnolia blocks I often use
machine-planed stuff that will leave some texture (created by the blades that
seem to plane smooth but actually create tiny ripples due to the machine's
circular planer head).

As for grain appearing (and with maybe Dave B still resting up after his show so
he won't hear) a bit of grain is often interesting. If you want to get rid of it
though... difficult - but small lines can be sheared off a DRY block with a flat
chisel - easy as you go though...

I've never considered any chemical (esp. oil) treatment to blocks but the
effects printers want and try for are very different so go for the ones that
give you what you'd like to create.


To Jean, re newsprint mold:

A simple remedy to the problem is just to have two sets of paper for keeping
your printing paper damp. Let one dry out while you use the other for a couple
of days. No mold problems and, again, no chemicals etc. needed! Print on...

Dave S

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From: "vivijohn" <vivijohn@email.msn.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 17:03:17 -0400
Subject: [Baren 2665] Re: Ready for exchange 

Recently logged on to Baren and greatly enjoyed your prints that i viewed
today. Would love to show some of my prints but I don't know just what to do
to get them on-line as your four examples.  I don't want to take too much of
your time but would greatly appreciate being pushed in the right direction.
Thank you for any considerations and I would understand if you are not able
to respond to this .  Thanks.  

John Margeotes

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 09:09:59 -0800
Subject: [Baren 2666] Varnish and Sanding 

Roger wrote....
>However, Graham's shellac idea is appealing

I use a top quality Varnish......not Shellac.
The varnish is cut 50/50 with thinner. I put it on with a lint free rag.
I do this only because it is a pain to clean brushes.
If I use a brush I will freeze it between uses. This keeps the thing from
going rock hard. It is good for about a month or 6 weeks in the freezer.

On the matter of raised grain after printing for a while and the wood picks
up moisture.

You can sand this off with 320 or 400 sandpaper.  I don't use wet/dry stuff.
You will find the grain stays raised even after the plate is dry.  You can
sand it then.  Make sure you use a sanding block to insure the sand paper
does not dip on the edges of the carving.  Also it is wise to put a piece
of material (flannel cloth) over the sanding block before warping the
sandpaper on. s

As I use basewood blocks and sometimes shina plywood when carving for a
large print.

Graham

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 10:00:04 -0800
Subject: [Baren 2667] Re: Stuff 

Jake
>The shellac on one surface only would seal the surface but not prevent
>warping or cupping. Shellac might actually cause more warping since it is
>allow moisture retention of the wood unevenly. If you shellac the top and
>bottom and sides does it cup less since moisture is coming in evenly from
>the ends much like a tree with bark.

Jake see my latest posting.
The secret if there is such a thing, is use Varnish and cut it 50/50
This does not seal the wood but does assist in preventing the raising or is
that rising of the grain.

Breadboard edge --  I think this is explained in the encyclopedia
It works well.

Graham

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From: "Atkinson, Andrew2" <Andrew2.Atkinson@uwe.ac.uk>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 18:21:00 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Baren 2668] neoprene blankets 

I printed some woodcuts for somebody during the summer and  
used two neoprene blankets on an etching press (I can't 
remember if this is the right context, if not my 
apologies). They were quite big (6' x 4'), heavy and had a 
definite tendency to stick to themselves and buckle as they 
stretched (at different rates) while they were wound 
through the press.  We ended up using silicon paper in 
between the sheets to ease this.  In short, they were a bit 
of hassle but once we figured out a system and found our 
rhythm there was no stopping us (until tea break)!

Andrew

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From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 13:32:02 -0600
Subject: [Baren 2669] re: Roger's prints 

Roger writes:
"Did two batches of 10 over last weekend and will likely do the
same this weekend.  Out of that twenty, I only lost a few to a smudge or a
fumbled margin."

Roger, I enjoyed your prints very much. Are you printing small batches ?
Or are you printing one color at the time for all your sheets as per Dave,
Graham & others ?
Could not this be a source for getting such a variety of results ?

Maybe if you print one color all the way thru you be able to achieve the same
consistency IN THAT COLOR/BLOCK
combination.  Then move on to the next color and try to match the results.

Just a thought.

 JULIO

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From: "Jeanne N. Chase" <studiojnc@prodigy.net>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 14:59:10 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2670] Re: various replies 

Graham

How did you know?  Between Bach and Sinatra, I guess my press is responding.

Jeanne

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From: "Jeanne N. Chase" <studiojnc@prodigy.net>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 14:57:25 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2671] Re: presses 

Dear Andrea

My letter concerning Gayle was misleading. Gayle is ok, her mother is
seriously ill. I will relay your good thoughts.

I guess you must have hit the nail on the head.  I am using my oil paints.
I have such a surplus and since I am not painting much anymore just thought
I would use them.  I will get some relief inks and see it that makes a
difference.
i am also using an inexpensive brayer, a hard rubber and a plastic one. So I
suppose I shall be ordering a good brayer too.
Thanks for the advice.  I need all the help I can get !!!!

Jeanne

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From: "Jeanne N. Chase" <studiojnc@prodigy.net>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 15:05:45 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2672] Re: various replies 

Ray H in Vermont

My press is on a very stable wooden table.  Nothing shifts.  It sort of
teeters as the plate is being printed.  It does not seem to affect the print
however.  I called Ettan and they claimed that a little bounce is to be
expected.  I even held the phone to the press and bounced it up and down for
them. {not the whole press, the bed}. It still does not sound right.  I
guess I will just have to live with it.
Thanks for the words though. I know that this brand is a good one. My best
friend has had one for five years and swears by it.  She , also does not
know why it bounces.
Guess I will just have to do what our Leader Graham says and stop  playing
my music so loud!!!!!

Jeanne

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From: Jacob Roquet <roquet@coastalnet.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 15:41:55 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2673] Re: Stuff 

I've missed something here.. for us newbies... what is the "encyclopedia."

TIA

Jake

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 12:48:43 -0800
Subject: [Baren 2674] Bouncing press. 

Jeanne wrote....
>I called Ettan and they claimed that a little bounce is to be
>expected.  I even held the phone to the press and bounced it up and down for
>them. {not the whole press, the bed}. It still does not sound right.  I
>guess I will just have to live with it.

If other peoples presses do not bounce then I would not accept the stock
answer from the manufacture


Graham

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From: woodcuts@concentric.net (D. Joseph/R. Sexauer)
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 02:55:36 -0800
Subject: [Baren 2675] Re:Wonderwash 

The label on the front of the plastic jug of wonderwash claims it to be
both "biodegradable & non-toxic". On the back label however there are
cautions against drinking the stuff...could it be any worse then the branch
water & whiskey?

The address is: Masterlith, 13505 Marquardt Avenue, Santa Fe Springs, CA
90670, 904/264-3500

As I said I use it on a press, in the following manner - I usually damp a
sheet of newsprint with it, lay that on top of the fresh Xeroxed image
(warning: as someone else mentioned, all toners are not created equal) lay
aluminum foil, newsprints and felts on all that, & crank it back & forth
about 5x's in rapid succession.

Roxanne

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End of Baren Digest V6 #411
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