"I have worked on your press at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls Iowa, and at the Pyramid Press and Paperworks in Baltimore, Maryland. Your press is generally acknowledged to be... outstanding... I heartily concur with this sentiment."
-Dean Dass,
Assistant Professor of Studio Art,
University of Virginia
Assistant Professor of Studio Art,
University of Virginia
Conrad Machine Co. is proud to introduce the new American French Tool tabletop etching presses. We have taken the elegant design and stunning performance of the American French Tool floor model etching presses and created this beautiful tabletop line of etching presses. Now the world’s most graceful printmaking press can fit on your work bench.
American French Tool Reduction drive
The American French Tool tabletop etching press can be custom built with either a direct drive or a geared drive. A direct drive, as shown on the following page, utilizes a fully enclosed star wheel mounted directly to the upper roll for its pulling power. For printmakers who want the ease of a geared drive under heavy pressure, we also offer the Conrad Machine Co. Planetary Series-2 Gear Reduction Drive, custom fit for the American French Tool tabletop press. This type of press drive, developed by Conrad Machine Co. in 1959, has provided trouble free service over the past 50 years on thousands of presses ranging in width from 12" to 50".
American French Tool Frame
The American French Tool Tabletop’s frame design is based on the elegant American French Tool floor model press design. The side frames are custom machined out of 1/2" thick steel and bolted together with custom made deck plates. The American French Tool tabletop frame is not only the most graceful design of any tabletop etching press, it is also one of the most durable and stable designs.
American French Tool Bedplates
There are many different views of what material makes the best Bed Plate; to a large extent, we feel it is a matter of personal preference. Therefore, we offer 3 different types of bedplate material. The standard bedplate is made from 3/4" thick steel plate precision ground to 1/2" thick. We also offer optional bed plates made of aluminum alloy and composite laminate.
American French Tool Press
Rolls and Bearings
The upper roll is spring counter balanced to maintain height adjustment, whether or not roll is in contact with the work. The roll bearings are large 1 1/2" in diameter, self-aligning, and rated at well over 5 times the maximum pressure encountered in normal printing! The upper roll on the American French Tool 24" tabletop press is precision machined from 6" diameter, solid steel assuring precise and deflection-free printing. Options include an oversize 7 1/2" diameter upper roll. Please see our options and pricing sections of our printmaking catalog for more information.
American French Tool Star Wheel
The American French Tool tabletop etching press is available with your choice of two different sized, fully enclosed star wheels: 36" and 44". Like all presses built by Conrad Machine, the American French Tool tabletop is fully customizable. Any size wheel can be custom ordered. Please call the factory for more information.
American French Tool Micro-Gauges
Most small presses are not even available with micro-gauges. The small presses that do offer micro-gauges use a scale type design that is inferior to a barrel-thimble design. Conrad Machine Co. offers a barrel-thimble micro-gauge that is calibrated to .001" per line. This means that you can adjust each pressure screw by about the same thickness as a human hair! The Conrad Machine Co. Micro-gauges are the very best in the printmaking industry.
American French Tool Options
-Roll Materials: 3" diameter solid aluminum alloy rolls - Saves 30 lbs.
-Roll Sizes: oversize upper roll are available.
-Bed Plate: Steel or Aluminum Alloy Bedplate.
-Micro-gauges: calibrated to .001" per line.
-Star Wheel: 34" or 44" diameter (in place of Hand Crank)
-Chrome: chrome plated upper roll.
-Steel Stand/ Work bench.
American French Tool 25 Year Warranty
All Conrad Machine Co. Presses come with the printmaking industry's best 25 Year Warranty. We here at Conrad Machine Co. believe in our products and workmanship, so much so, that we will repair or replace any defects in materials or workmanship for the first 25 years of the life of your printmaking press.
© 2022, Conrad Machine Co. Designed and built by Shaun S. Conrad