Oral History Interviews

Today, my oral history interviews at UCLA Library’s Center for Oral History Research were completed. That was kind of fun to do. Maybe I had too much fun! The complete transcript of the interviews will be available in their collection.

Bieler Press Roller Height Setting Gauge

I had always admired the long handled roller height setting gauges used on production platen presses and when a friend of mine offered to make a dead on accurate gauge for me at Jet Propulsion Laboratories, what could I say but yes.

They had made a bed plate for me a while before and it was dead on (I think they thought it was going to Mars or something). Well, he tested the other gauges I had, historic and present, and said that they were not, um, in anyway .918 (he was a bit of a stickler) so off we went, hand-polished to .91800+/-. Somehow we ended up with about four or five dozen of these before he got sick and tired of the hand-polishing thing. I kept a few and we sold the rest.

At any rate, I like to call it my magic gauge. Everything seems just so right when I use it. And that is just so, so reassuring on press. Specifications on it are: Gauge is 15-3/8 inches long. Shaft is 5/16 of an inch in diameter. Mirror-polished head is precisely ground to .91800+/-. Head is beveled and measures 3/4 of an inch wide. Weight is 7-1/4 ounces. Knurled tail. Made of 303 high-grade stainless steel. Highly resistant to corrosion. Non magnetic.

Forthcoming Otis College of Art & Design and APHA (So Cal) event

I will be giving a demonstration and lecture titled The Photopolymer Plate Process & Refined Typography on the Letterpress Printed Page for the American Printing History Association, May 4th at Goldsmith Campus, Otis Laboratory Press, Otis College of Art and Design.

Go to announcement.

A letterpress printed keepsake will be given to attendees.