This postcard back is based on one of the vintage designs I redrew so I could make cuts for letterpress printing. The 30+ designs I've redrawn so far can be found here. Real vintage postcard cuts are essentially unavailable so this is as good as it gets. This card was a gift from Shayna S. Thanks Shayna! |
The laser engraved acrylic cuts were made by the process described in excruciating detail here. To block the 3/8" acrylic to type height (0.918"), I cut some matching pieces of wood that was planed to thickness to make up the difference. Cutting the wood to the exact size required was easy using my newly restored Hammond Trim-O-Saw. There's enough variation in the thickness of the acrylic and wood that each cut requires some makeready to get it right on type height. |
Next up was the "Place Stamp Here" cut. This design is taken from the original card and then resized so a modern USPS postcard stamp would fit within the frame. This first size was way too big in comparison with the postcard cut. Another size was made where the entire frame will be covered by the stamp. |
The entire black form was composed on the bed of our Vandercook Universal 1 proof press. I didn't do myself any favors in sizing the rough stock such that I had to work so close to the head of the press bed. The dead zone for the grippers limited the length of brass rule I could use to divide the card's address and message areas. |