Letterpress

The Manchester School of Art is proud to be one of only three institutions in the country to offer a Letterpress facility. The Letterpress Workshop is located on the ground floor of Chatham Building.

• Check availability

Inductions and Support

David Linkman, Assistant Technical Officer, can offer group inductions for up to 6 students into the Letterpress Workshop.

Inductions take place on Mondays, Tuesdays or Thursdays and last 1 and half hours. Inductions start times are 11.15 for AM and 2.15 for PM. When inductions are not taking place, the Workshop is available as a "drop-in" for inducted users. Please check availability online.

Access and Information required from you

The Letterpress Workshop is available for inducted users only. To request an induction, please see your Tutor.

An apron system is in place. Customers can collect an apron when accessing the Workshop. When there are no aprons available, the Workshop is full. Letterpress uses Black aprons.

Abide by safe working practice for workshops, the local Risk Assessments available in each area and workshop specific safe working practices.

In addition to the General Code of Practice for Workshops, we ask that you pay particular attention to the safe working practices specific to this Workshop and equipment contained therein and these are detailed below.

• Please clean your working area, including any type used before returning it to the Type Cases and clean up any spillages immediately.
• Always wash your hands after handling the type.
• The Lead Type in the letterpress workshop is designed for printing only. It is not strong enough to withstand embossing or any other heavy-handed pressure technique or hot foil presses.
• These heavier processes cause damage to the type. Brass type is designed for embossing. However, the brass type is considerably more expensive, we have less of it and a wider choice of lead type.
• Type should be handled with care and hands always washed after working with type.
• Take great care when pulling Type Cases out.
• If you need to reach type at the back of a case, pull out the Type Case below it to offer additional support.
• Lead is a poison which over long periods of time can accumulate in the body.

(Code of Practice to follow)