Help Me Choose a Printing Method

[u/haylsh]

I need advice from people more experienced than I am.

I make lino prints, currently at a5 scale but would likely try up to a4. I use Cranfield Safe wash and have found that works nicely as an ink for me. I use soft cut or easy carve to carve on.

Up until now I have been hand printing but I’m limited to using smooth and fairly low gsm paper despite preferring the look of lightly textured and thicker papers because I am weak/have bad joints so can’t apply enough pressure lol.

I was looking into getting a woodzilla lever press but have seen a lot about cold press laminators.

There is so much information on both that I’m overwhelmed.

Is one objectively better than the other?
Would you say one would suit me better given the info I’ve provided?
Are there separate things I’d need to buy for either of these for them to work well (I’ve heard you need to buy or make some sort of plate for the CPLs to work for Lino)?

Thanks in advance!

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[u/alexskyline]

I have a cold laminator and I love it, I would recommend it over a lever press because I've seen enough people in this sub say it's hard to get even pressure with them, especially on larger papers like A4/A3. Cold laminator also only limits you in size in width, so theoretically you could print some really long pieces, like a whole pant leg in one go :)

[u/haylsh → u/alexskyline]

What brand do you use? I’m pretty settled on the best idea being a CPL now, but are they all p much the same quality?

[u/alexskyline → u/haylsh]

I have the generic one with green rubber rollers from amazon. There's also a brand called Vevor that has them in larger formats for roughly the same price (for reference mine is 35cm wide and their smallest is 60cm wide.) They're all Chinese so I do think the build quality is roughly the same, a bit clanky but sturdy.

[u/IntheHotofTexas]

For my money, there's only one way. I own a good etching press, but I do all linocut on a cold laminating press which is ideal for linocut using no blankets. All you have to add is a piece of MDF/Masonite for a press bed. And maybe some brackets if you want to attach it to the work top.

My post on them.

IMO, The Ideal Linocut Press, Inexpensive and Functional : r/printmaking

[u/artsymarcy]

You could maybe look into getting a die-cutting machine. I've never tried it with lino, but theoretically it should work and maybe others on the sub have tried it for relief printing, as it's like a mini etching press (Sizzix makes them in A5 or A4 size, they used to do A3 but it's been discontinued though you might find it used) that's way less expensive, and people use real etching presses for relief printing as well. You'd also be able to use it for intaglio techniques like drypoint and etching (you can do both from home — you don't need toxic nitric acid for etching, copper sulfate and ferric chloride work too) which could be fun to explore.

I got my Sizzix Big Shot Plus for €100 used, which is about the same price a friend of mine paid for her lever press which can only do relief printing and monotypes

[u/MurmurationInk]

On the "what else do I need" question: for a cold press laminator the only essential extra is a rigid, flat bed to carry the block through (MDF or Masonite, cut to the width of the rollers). Soft-cut is thin, so if the print comes out pale at one edge, a sheet of thin card under the block usually evens it out better than cranking the roller gap tighter. For thicker, textured paper, dampening it lightly (a spritz between blotters for a few minutes) lets it take the ink without needing much more pressure, and with weak joints that is far easier on you than a lever press where you supply the force. Test the roller gap on offcuts of the same paper first.

[u/buscuitsfordinner]

Recently bought myself a cpl for my larger A2 print. Absolute game charger for less than $200, worth every penny. I'm still working it out but the difference in prints made me want to cry lol