on plates

Undecided=Procrastination=No work

I've been doing some research on photopolymer and magnesium plates over the last little while. Because the cost of fonts is atrocious, I've had to resort to a cheaper method for printing images and text. There are pros and cons to using pre-made plates and I'm just biding some time in case I change my mind all together. Or so I tell myself that. It seems that the majority of letterpressers who use plates go to

Boxcar or to Owosso.

I've been in contact with a super nice rep at Boxcar whom I've exasperated with questions. There is quite a cost to purchasing a base first that the photopolymer plates mounts onto and so I have to be certain that this is the route I want to go. On the other hand the magnesium plate is fixed onto a wood base that's typehigh and so the cost is less. However the photopolymers are thin and you can jigsaw pieces any way you want having the freedom to design.

I'm in the midst of collecting images and putting some thought into what I want my first plate to include. Here's my issue: because I haven't seen this done first hand I'm afraid that I might be doing this wrong. And with a cost attached to this, I'd be pleased if I did it right the first time. I'll never know if I don't do it, I suppose. So bite the bullet.

Make a mistake - learn. Don't make a mistake - pat on the back.