An etching press is a quite expensive thing. I use to go to Grafisch Atelier Minnigh where I can doe my stuff but since the moment I became a mother I do not always have time to go to the atelier. My partner promised me a little press for my birthday which was in the summertime. We where looking on internet for something nice but not too expensive and not too little. Also we visited the shops with art supplies. Once I found on internet an announcement that somewhere in The Hague is a big press to buy. There was no photo of it but we decided to go by car there and check it. The place where whe supposed to go was located on Prinsessegracht. As soon as we get there we noticed that under the address was a shop with some old stuff, art, curious, books and a lot of mess. Kind of flea market but much more messy. Actually it was the most dusty place I have seen in my life or maybe it was just my idea because I was than about 10 days after the labour, so just it didn't feel like the place to be at the moment. We noticed the guy running the business and asked him about the press. He dig it out from mountains of garbage. Well, when I saw the bunch of metal parts I decided we are not buying it. But my partner looked at it and he told that he has a good feeling about. So he took it.
At home my guy started to put every little element apart. Then he removed the rust and furbished everything. He asked me to choose the color. Every element was painted about 3 times with a dark green lacquer. After he put everything together, we went to a construction store for plate which should became the press bed plate. We also went to the art supplies store to buy the felt blanket. Everything was ready, but the press didn't work. It turned out that one of the gearwheel was bent and we have to find the way of making it new or doe something that it starts to work. After months my partner found finally the solution and the press is working!
