VII THE OTHER STONE PRINTING-PRESSES

The cylinder press of the Chemical Printery in Vienna would, without question, be of excellent service for the art if it were more powerful. Its construction is as follows: The stone is fastened to a table with the printing-frame which has fine felt instead of leather. To make the impression a brass cylinder eight inches thick is rolled over it. As this cylinder would not produce enough pressure from itself, despite its massive make, two iron beams are fastened to the axles. They pass through the table and are fastened to a box that contains iron or leaden weights. Unfortunately the space prevents the use of more than five or six hundredweights, and this is too little for the large surface of the cylinder, thus forbidding any sharp, clear impressions.

This kind of press could be greatly improved if it were built higher to give more room below for weights, or the beams could be lengthened and passed through the floor into a lower room, thus giving space enough to add weights up to fifty and more hundredweight.

The press of Herr Andre is much like this, except that its cylinder is only three inches in diameter and that it is forced on the stone not with weights, but with a lower cylinder that presses upwards. It prints fast, like the other, but does not possess enough power.

In conclusion, I must remark that the concentration of ideas caused by writing this chapter has led me to begin experiments toward making a lithographic press which shall leave nothing to be desired. As soon as my affairs permit, I shall execute this on a large scale, and if the result fulfills my hopes, it will be a pleasure to describe it accurately to all friends of my art, or to furnish them models at cost.