This done, the back of the set up blocks, or the wrappers affixed thereto, is waxed at as many places as required, or rather as far as the set-up blocks extend, the plate pushed in, and the press closed until the set up blocks adhere to the upper plate. The lighter this first impression is made, the easier it will be to detect any inequality on the table (or matrix) and to set it right by backing up with paper.

Before proceeding further, a few words must be said about the construction of our modern blocking presses. For modern blocking we use knee lever presses, whilst balances are now no longer used.

On the upper part there is a sliding plate the so called platen which draws out on prismatic rails.
A second plate works on hinges at the side of the sliding (or draw out) plate and can be pulled out to the left. This plate is used principally for color blocking the other plate for gold.

Blocking can be done in gold and color immediately after each other, and if the plate is in duplicate, four impressions can be made in succession without having to take off and change the plate.

In the upper plate there are round borings for the gas burners or hot irons used for heating the press; the latter are out of date and do not produce a steady temperature.

It now remains to insert the article to be blocked in the press so that it will be blocked exactly on the spot required.

There are several ways of attaining this object, which are adopted according to the kind of work in hand. The surest way is to mark the place by pins.

Two large drawing pins are pasted upon pieces of cardboard, a second piece of board is placed over each one so that the head is embedded between the two pieces but leaving the points free. The gauges thus made are fixed with wax at convenient places, best on the middle line above and below the table but in such a way that they themselves are not touched by the plate.

To prevent their falling off, a larger piece of cloth is pasted over them, always leaving the points visible. The surest preventive against falling off is to have screw-on gauges. A strip of metal having a slit in the middle can be screwed tightly to the table by means of a screw passed through the slit. At the end a steel point about 1/2-cm. long is riveted on. With this gauge the points can be adjusted to any position on the table as required.

< Working with Blocking Press Part 1