the key to success is a vandercook press

01 MICA | dolphin letterpress

DOLPHIN LETTERPRESS3 credits. Staff. Offered occasionally

This introductory course explores the

current use of traditional letterpress

production and is ideal for the artist,

writer, poet, or designer who seeks

to produce combinations of word

with images in a professional, fine art,

limited-edition format. The relationship

between word and image may be

pursued through fine arts prints, folios,

and books printed with Dolphin Press &

Print’s Vandercook letterpress. Hand-set

lead type and polymer plates can be

printed to produce ’zines, artist books,

cards, and broadsides. Students are

introduced to setting type, running the

Vandercook letterpress, pilot presses,

and proofing press. Suggested for

printmaking majors and for book arts

and printmaking concentrators.

02 MICA | dolphin letterpress

03 Vandercook | history + diagram

A SHORT HISTORY OF VANDERCOOK Harold E. Sterne

The company was started by Robert Vandercook in Chicago in September 1909. The first

press was a “rocker” proof press, made with a geared cylinder. Up to the development

of this press all proofs were either made on a roller press that depended on gravity for

impression or on a Washington Hand Press.

During the next 54 years they brought out 60 different press models of which nine models

were made in two or more styles. In the 75 years that presses were manufactured, more

than 38,000 with the name of Vandercook were produced.

Vandercook was very prolific in producing new models. They developed 29

models before World War II and 17 of these models were still being manufactured many

years after the war. The most popular of these models was #4, which was first made in

1935 and not discontinued until 1960. Many are still in use today. In 1948 they brought out

the model 4T, which was used to pull transparency proofs of type on acetate. The acetate

proofs could then be contacted to film for offset negatives. During World War II not many

presses were made because Vandercook was heavily involved in manufacturing for the

war effort, for which they received the E award.

With the exception of models 0, 01, 03 and 099, which were gravity type presses,

all of the Vandercooks had geared cylinders. The last models designed were the SP series

(which stands for Simple Precision) and the Universal series. They are similar in design

but the Universal presses were originally designed as Test presses for ink companies and

paper mills. Most of them were made with automatic controls and adjustable beds (AB).

The SP series were mostly hand presses. The SP15 was the most popular of them all.

04 Vandercook | history + diagram

1

3

4

DIAGRAM

02 BedThe flat surface on which

the type is placed for

printing.

01 RollersRubber rollers and three or

four metal cylanders rotate

to spread the ink smoothly.

03 Print/Trip LeverTrip the press to ink the

plate or set type, then set

the lever to print mode to

put the ink on paper.

07 Topic | subtopic

1

2

3

4

2

KEY TOOLS

01

02

03

04

Key & Quoin Tool to tighten

and loosen type set

Composing Stick Shallow,

adjustable tray in which type

is set or arranged before it is

locked into the chase.

Roller Adjuster Tool for

adjusting roller height

Furniture Hardwood or metal

blocks in specific lengths and

widths [measured in picas], used

to fill in the space around the

type on the bed.

04 Foot Leverstep on the lever to secure

paper under the grippers

05 Process | method + type

06 Process | method + type

07 Process | ink

08 Process | ink

09 Process | makeready

10 Process | makeready

11 Process | finishing touches

12 Process | finishing touches

13 Process | cleaning

14 Process | cleaning

15 Press | No. 4

16 Press | No. 4

01 Press No. 4Press No. 4 is the perfect press for

shorties. It may take a little bit of TLC

and makeready to produce an even ink

job, but all in all, No. 4 is very reliable.

17 Press | No. 4

18 Press | No. 4

19 Press | No. 4

02 Colin M. FordDESIGNER Carolyn Williams

CONCEPT Calling Cards

PRESS No. 4

PAPER Crane lettra 220 lb. cover

01 Nikonon PressDESIGNER Kailie Parrish

CONCEPT Prop Cards

PRESS No. 4

PAPER Crane lettra 220 lb. cover

and museum board

20 Press | No. 4

03 Kathy LovemanDESIGNER Becky Slogeris

CONCEPT Prop Cards

PRESS No. 4

PAPER Green valor paper and

Neenah classic crest 100 lb. cover

21 Press | No. 4

04 Pimlico RaceDESIGNER Allison Fisher

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS No. 4 and SP20

PAPER Strathmore 80 lb. cover

22 Press | No. 4

06 Pench PressDESIGNER Sabrina Kogan

CONCEPT Prop Cards

PRESS No. 4

PAPER Blotter and matte duralar

05 Baltimore StreetcarsDESIGNER Michelle Ghiotti

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS No. 4

PAPER Blotter

23 Press | Universal 1

24 Press | Universal 1

02 Universal 1The Universal 1 is fully automatic.

Just move the lever to the right

and make sure it doesn’t leave

without you!

25 Press | Universal 1

26 Press | Universal 1

27 Press | Universal 1

02 Alicia JacobsDESIGNER Nicolette Cornelius

CONCEPT Calling cards

PRESS Universal 1

PAPER Strathmore double thick

01 Balloon AscensionDESIGNER Nicolette Cornelius

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS Universal 1

PAPER Museum board 2 ply

28 Press | Universal 1

03 Automatic PressDESIGNER Colin M. Ford

CONCEPT Prop cards

PRESS Universal / SP20

PAPER Chipboard

29 Press | Universal 1

04 Baltimore Dentistry DESIGNER Alexis Morgan

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS Universal 1

PAPER Blotter

05 Baltimore Sweets DESIGNER Carolyn Williams

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS Universal 1

PAPER Blotter

30 Press | Universal 1

07 Big Lb PressDESIGNER Nicolette Cornelius

CONCEPT Prop Cards

PRESS Universal 1

PAPER Museum board 2 ply

06 Jimmy’sDESIGNER Alicia Jacobs

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS Universal 1

PAPER Various water color

31 Press | SP20

32 Press | SP20

03 SP20 Repro PressSP20 is the perfect height for

tall people. And just when you

thought the automatic Universal

1 was easy, the Sp20 has

automatic cleaning!

33 Press | SP20

34 Press | SP20

35 Press | SP20

02 Baltimore & Ohio RailroadDESIGNER Colin M. Ford

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS SP20

PAPER Chipboard

01 Ira GlassDESIGNER Claire Clayton

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS SP20

PAPER Velvet somerset

36 Press | SP20

03 Andy MangoldDESIGNER Kailie Parrish

CONCEPT Calling Cards

PRESS SP20

PAPER Museum board 2 ply

04 Gay-as-in Happy PressDESIGNER Alexis Morgan

CONCEPT Prop Cards

PRESS SP20

PAPER Museum board 4ply

37 Press | SP20

05 Baltimore Oriels DESIGNER Becky Slogeris

CONCEPT Postcards

PRESS SP20

PAPER Neenah classic crest

double thick

07 Sparo PressDESIGNER Michelle Ghiotti

CONCEPT Prop Cards

PRESS SP20

PAPER Blotter

38 Press | SP20

06 Beehler UmBrella Factory

DESIGNER Kailie Parrish

CONCEPT Calling Cards

PRESS sP20

PAPER MuseuM board 2 Ply

39 Press | 325G

40 Press | 325G

04 325GFor the purest out there, the

325G is all manual. That’s right,

you’ll develop huge muscles.

41 Press | 325G

42 Press | 325G

43 Press | 325G

02 Analog ManDESIGNER Andy Mangold

CONCEPT Prop Cards

PRESS 325G

PAPER Blue Pescia

01 July 2010DESIGNER Andy Mangold

CONCEPT Calendar 2010PRESS 325G

PAPER Crane lettra 220 lb. cover

44 Press | 325G

03 September 2010DESIGNER Colin M. Ford

CONCEPT Calendar 2010

PRESS 325G

PAPER Crane lettra 220 lb. cover

THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS A VANDERCOOK PRESS A COMPILATION OF PROCESS AND

WORK FALL ’09

This book encompasses the history,

process, and beautiful work produced

by Mary Mashburn’s Fall 2009 Dolphin:

Letterpress class. Visitors from Matt

McNary and Carol Sturm and a field trip

to Typecast Press and Globe made the

class a great success. See for yourself!