The Newspaper Built from Scraps

After moving our type back to Vancouver, we found much inconvenience in carrying our “forms” to another office to have the presswork done. While our thanks are due to the publisher of the Independent for his kindness and accommodation while our presswork was being done there, we felt the necessity of having a press of our own in the same office with the type. Consequently, we set our wits to work to construct one. We have succeeded.

The frame is made of heavy fir lumber. The bed is of 25-inch oak plank, thoroughly seasoned and saturated with linseed oil, running on iron bearings under a cylinder by crank. The cylinder is 6 inches in diameter and delivers the impression, carrying the paper and forcing it under the cylinder. The bed is 25 inches by 34 inches. The cylinder is covered with a woolen blanket and wound with linen. Two rollers are used for inking the type. A small crank winds the sheet, and the whole device is arranged to print all the correct columns and other minor plates. The press is built from a hazard piece discovered under the shop, and the lumber is shaped down in lieu of the cylinder, the pulley catching the paper and carrying it under.

We are not fully tested in the speed, but our boys have got the papers on the press at 50 an hour. Better time can be made when the bearings, which are of iron, are worn more smooth. Such a press can be made completely, with rollers ready for work, for about $75, though this one has cost less, as we have worked in material “laying about” that was considered useless. The wood work was done by Mr. Robert Dawning, a thorough mechanic, to whom we are indebted for many valuable suggestions in perfecting our plans. We commend him to any one who wishes to build a similar press.