A demonstration showing how to set up the popular Fome Etching Press, to get the most from this great little printing press.
Setting up the Fome Etching Press
This affordable, small etching press is incredibly popular because it punches well above its weight when it comes to producing high-quality prints. The press is available in three sizes: the 25 cm size has been a best-seller for many years, we added the smaller 18 cm press last year and we have a new larger 30 cm press coming soon. Manufactured by Fome, just north of Venice, these small-scale, well-engineered presses are marketed for a school setting and beginners and are very popular with customers across the world. After reading our customer reviews of the press, we thought there might be a few things useful to know before you begin printing. In a series of three articles, we will take a look at the setting up the press, getting the best out of printing with it for intaglio, and using it for relief printing. In this first post, we will discuss the assembly, set up and securing of the press ready for printing.
Your New Fome Etching Press
Fome have created their lightweight and very portable press in three sizes: 30 cm, 25 cm, and 18 cm. The dimensions refer to the width of the bed, meaning you can print up to A3 on the larger press and A5 on the smaller press. Keeping the scale small means the solid steel rollers and 3 mm steel bed don’t add too much to the overall weight of the press. With external dimensions of 27 x 42 x 17 cm for the middle-sized 25 cm press, this press won’t take up too much space in your studio but you should think about positioning the press with plenty of room around for printing. Of course, it will be very easy to move into position from storage as the weights are 8.5kg for the 25 cm press. But, not being heavy will mean that it requires securing to a bench or table when printing and we will take a look at that a little later.
Here we are unpacking the 25 cm Fome etching press ordered with the blanket. On opening the box you will find just a few component parts and some very short and straightforward instructions for assembly.
Attaching the Handle
You will find an allen/hex key included with the press and this is used to tighten the screw into the hole on the roller shaft. A little wiggling will help to locate this and you can then proceed to tighten. The screw is aligned exactly with the handle shaft so space is a bit tight (this looks like an aesthetic design decision). After a bit of fiddling it is easy to tighten up, but make sure the screw is well in so that it doesn’t catch on the table when turning. The crank handle is designed to be removable for transportation or storage of the press. You will see that this is a direct drive press, no gears are needed on a press of this size, and you can achieve a continuous turn of the roller with this design of crank handle.
Lifting and Lowering the Rollers
Both the upper and lower rollers are made from solid steel with diameters of 3.5 cm. The lower roller has a serrated surface which helps it to grip the press bed as it turns. When adjusting the top roller always try to lift or lower both sides simultaneously, keeping the roller level as it moves up or down. This will prevent too much force being applied to the roller bearings.
The top roller can be lifted to a height of 1.7 cm giving you the option of printing from the thinnest of intaglio plates as well as many types of relief plate including our 9 mm Baltic Birch Plywood. Some adaptations are required when printing high relief and we will discuss that in the upcoming relief printing article.
Press Bed / Press Plate
The press bed, or plate as it is sometimes called, is made from 3 mm thick steel. You will find that it comes with two metal pins that drop through holes either end of the bed. This is an optional safety feature and will prevent the bed from slipping out from between the rollers and you may choose to make use of them.
Felt Mat / Press Blanket
The press is supplied with or without a single blanket of compressed wool felt. Take care when you order to select the option you want. The single blanket should suffice for most of your printing, you can experiment but you may find you lose definition of fine etched lines if you do add a second blanket.
Securing for Printing
The 25 cm press weighs about 9 kilograms, which makes it very portable, but it really needs securing to a bench or a tabletop for printing. The steel side plates have holes cut near the base at either side and these should be used to attach clamps or bolts in a variety of configurations depending on your chosen set up. The holes are wide ovals of height 10 mm and width 23 mm at the widest points. The holes are also positioned with 10 mm of side plate below them.
If you want to secure the press to a tabletop then the simplest option is with C shaped screw clamps. You will only require one pair in order to successfully secure and print. Fome make a special clamp set RFCLAMP for the press, available separately. You will see a small notch in the top of the C which will grip the press side plate and prevent movement. The maximum aperture of the clamp is 45 mm and an allowance of 10 mm needs to be made for the side plate, therefore your tabletop needs to be under 35 mm thick in order for the clamp to fit over it.
It is possible to seek out other C shaped screw clamps from hardware shops but do keep in mind the size and shape of the holes in the side plate. You may find it easier if you trace a template for the side plate and take it with you to the hardware store for reference.
Securing to a Solid Bench
If you want to attach the press to a solid benchtop you may find the clamps are not suitable. We spent a little time shopping for just the right tools for the job, taking a paper template of the side plate for reference. Taking into account the size and position of the holes, we opted for two pairs of angle brackets with the holes appropriately located. These were screwed down onto a benchtop allowing a gap wide enough to accommodate the metal side plate of the press. We then used nuts and bolts through the brackets and plate. It is simple enough to undo the bolts to move the press.
Another method we have seen adopted is to permanently secure the press to a heavy piece of plywood or MDF thus adding to the overall weight and then use C-clamps to secure the base to a tabletop.
Any of the above methods will secure the press adequately for printing under pressure without any movement.
Calibration and Setting the Pressure
This press has no gauge for calibrating, in fact for most presses, except the very large, calibration is best done by feel and by test printing. Before you start printing you can check that the pressure is adequate and even, by running your plate and printing paper through before you ink up. Doing a ‘blind’ print will allow you to inspect the plate marks (in the case of an etching) left indented in the paper, a good measure of correct calibration. By comparing the plate marks left by the sides of the plate you can check that the pressure is even across the roller. If you run your dampened paper through with the uninked plate you should be able to see all your etched marks embossed in the paper. Of course, an actual print will be the final indication that correct pressure has been set.
If you want a rough indicator, you can of course make your own gauge. Some printers glue a rule to the side plate or you can count the threads on the roller screws. But adjusting by eye and feel as you prepare for printing is a good warm-up exercise, while remembering that there are many variables in printing, not just the position of the roller. For example, the plate thickness, the paper quality, and dampening, as well as the plate inking and wiping – will all affect the final print.
Printing with the Fome Etching Press
The crank handle design means you can keep a continuous smooth action as you turn the roller. It is best to avoid stopping at any point during the pull through, this creates uneven pressure that can show as marks across the print. As mentioned before, the time you have taken to set the pressure by eye and feel, and doing a proof or two with the same paper you intend to print on, will mean that you will be ‘in the flow’ – warmed up and ready to print.
This is a part of a series of three articles on the Fome Printing Press
Further Reading
Introduction to Mezzotint Printmaking
Woodcut Printmaking For Beginners – What You Need to Get Started
Printmaking: Comparing Lino, Softcut, Speedy Carve and Japanese Vinyl
Artist Insights: Gemma Berenguer
Shop the Fome Etching Press on jacksonsart.com
19 thoughts on “Setting Up the Fome Etching Press”
What a helpful article, Jill. I look forward to
the next two forthcoming pieces!
It looks like you’ve taped some kind of paper
or card to put directly on the metal plate to
keep the paper and collograph plate from
slipping–a problem I’m having as I’m
learning to use my press.
Could you tell me what it is?
Thanks so much!
Hi Susan,
Indeed, I will be discussing this issue in the following articles in the series. What you can see taped to the bed is simply a piece of paper with a bit of ‘tooth’ or texture, in this case a piece of A4 writing paper I had in my office. Over this though I have a piece of shiny Mylar film and then a dampened piece of newsprint that keeps the plate in place on the wipeable Mylar film. For a simpler option, you might just place your plate directly on to the textured paper, this can be enough. I would suggest that your undersheet is long enough to extend to towards the ends on the bed so that when the roller begins to move, the sheet is already trapped beneath it.
Hope that’s not too confusing, I have examples of both of these options in the coming article on intaglio printing with the Fome press.
Good Luck, Jill
This is a really helpful post! I have the A3
press which I’m just in the process of setting
up. I’m looking forward to reading your next
post of the Fome press – thank you!
Hi Ann
Great to hear that you found it helpful!
nicely written and full of useful information.
Thanks Corina
Glad you liked it found it useful!
I’m away from my press at present but have
just come across this article. Can you tell
me please if the bed should ‘tip’ as mine
always has and I didn’t think it should I
bought it a year or so back and have been
but off using because of this. It was already
assembled when I got it which I now worry
means it wasn’t new? I bought it from
Jackson’s in person.
Hello Helen,
The reply from Jill:
“There is often a bit of ‘tip’ as the roller
passes the midpoint, if you think about
the bottom roller moving the bed rather
than the bed supports at either end. The
presses do come assembled with no
facility for adjustments. Have you taken
some prints on it yet? When it is set up
with blankets, pressure adjusted etc. the
tip should seem less noticeable. If you get
in touch via email we can discuss further.
Hope this helps.”
I’ve reposted this answer here, because I wasn’t sure you saw it, as it was lower down.
This is invaluable! I have a fome press
waiting to be set up but not feeling
confidant about what it entails. A step by
step guide is great when many u tube
demonstrations deal with techniques of
printing. Thank you for letting me know !
Hi Shirley
Glad it was helpful!
Hello Helen,
There is often a bit of ‘tip’ as the roller
passes the midpoint, if you think about
the bottom roller moving the bed rather
than the bed supports at either end. The
presses do come assembled with no
facility for adjustments. Have you taken
some prints on it yet? When it is set up
with blankets, pressure adjusted etc. the
tip should seem less noticeable. If you get
in touch via email we can discuss further.
Hope this helps.
Hi Jill & Julie – many thanks for this helpful article. It is mentioned that the Fome A3 press will be available from Jacksons Art soon, very exciting and am looking forward to this! Any idea when it will go online?
Hi Hanna
Our current expectation is the end of November/beginning of December.
So not too long now!
I just received my press and opened it up
. It’s been sitting out a few days and
there are fingerprints on the roller
cylinder that are slightly corroding. Is
there anything you’d recommend for
cleaning the roller cylinder?
Hi Ryan
I asked our printmaking expert and this is her reply:
This is something that can happen with presses.
It is best to clean the roller with some wire wool to remove as much of the corrosion as possible and then apply something to protect it from atmospheric moisture, such as silicone spray lubricant, or WD40. It is applied then wiped back off, so no excess gets on the blankets, etc.
The press can be maintained in this way. If it is put away for a while then do make sure it is treated in this way before storing.
Hi there. I just unpacked my 30cm press
and the metal plate bed is not sitting
correctly. There is a gap on one side so it’s
rocking when you press down on one side.
Is this normal? I took a video to show you.
Purchased from Jacksons last Friday.
Thanks
Hi Aileen
I have asked our print expert who said:
“Bit hard to see across the width of the bed in the video you sent but that looks normal. If you look at the press sideways on, the bed should tip as it moves over the roller so a gap on one side should appear on the other side as the bed passes the halfway point. This is correct. If the gap though is across the bed that is another story.
The bottom central roller has to sit a bit higher than the small guiding rollers on the rods either side of it. This is to help move the roller through and you should expect a ‘tip’ as the roller passes the middle point.
Someone else asked a similar question and the reply to Helen above might be helpful.”
Hello Julie,
I would like to purchase a Fome for my
primary school pupils as I would like them
to explore perspex etching (as we aren’t
able to use chemicals) would the Fome be
appropriate for this purpose?
Many thanks.
Hi Kate
I asked our printmaking expert and she replied:
“The Fome presses are suitable. I haven’t tried the 30mm one.
When I used the 250mm one with the safety stops in the print area was quite small. Without the stops the press is better positioned with table/bench surface either end of the bed to catch it if it falls out.
If they need more info on this I can help by measuring up the print area with and without stops on the presses.”
I have emailed you with her contact in case you have more questions.
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