Etch Press Build

[JohnHaine]

First and second pics show bearing blocks on smaller press with lift springs. Third shows to and bottom roller - actually on this press the bottom roller is slightly ribbed with circumferential grooves. It's the bottom roller that is driven so it presumably increases the friction. Also the bottom roller is smaller, about 1.5" dia to give better mechanical advantage - another reason to use BMS, you don't want it to bend under the pressure. Top roller is about 3 " dia. I've mounted it on my S7 once to get the rust off and repolish it. 3rd pic shows the platen, the 4th is the side plate of the big Haddon press which dates from late 19th / early 20th century, showing the very crude bearings. It has rollers that are 5 - 6" dia, they are heavy! Both presses have ordinary thread forms, on the smaller press I think it's 1/2" BSW. The handles have roll pins to lock them. You could try Loctite 638, I wouldn't trust Araldite.

I have seen press making threads on the net where they describe making the rollers from a central shaft, say 1" BMS, and an outer drum which could be steel or ali tube; with the spave between filled with for example epoxy / granite chips. If you made accurate end caps to hold the core I think that would be quite successful, though you would need probably to skim the outer surface for exact concentricity.

When you think about this, remember that one of the greatest ever etchers was Rembrandt and I'm sure they didn't have the sorts of machine tools, materials and processes we have in his age!