Getting My Vintage Adana 3x2 Letter Press Up and Working

It's workshopping Sunday and 've almost got my vintage adana 3x2 letter press up and running with the help of the community maker's space in Manchester, the Hackspace, and the Milestone Gallery in New Mills. 

I worked out that I was missing the chase and that the back of the machine was completely misaligned! By working out the measurements and pressure needed to keep the letters in place, I worked with my parter who 3D modelled the chase in a modelling software. We then set upon the task of making this a net and laser cutting it out of 3mm ply on the laser cutter at the Hackspace Manchester. As I work full-time in other roles this meant a few late night shifts!

Once I got this back, I glued up the pieces of the wooden chases using gorilla wood glue and waited. I started to put letters in it, then realising I had no spacers and not enough furniture to keep the letters in place! This was a quick fix back to the laser cutter to get some 3mm pieces and longer lengths to fill the gap. 

The Milestone Gallery also sent me a picture of the back of there adana to get the alignment right....

So I think I am just about there! Let's see if I actually manage to print poetry soon.