Fome mini-etching press review: unboxing, testing & demonstration

For demonstration, workshop and school project purposes, I decided to buy the most economical mini-etching press I could find online and that also looked like it could work. Here I share my first impressions and tests...The little press posed a few challenges, but eventually I managed to make some very good impressions. For the price and purposes I bought it, it was worth the buy. However, I would not recommend it for continuous professional use. I have seen it used for cardboard printing with great success. For more info on my art, visit: evelinekolijn.com

[@lemsy]

I just purchased this press, and my first trials had been very frustrating. After watching your video, I know just what I need to do for it to be usable and productive. Thank you so much!

[@barbwatchesyt4084]

Hi, I don't know if you got it working properly, but I didn't have a wooden plank lying about so I used a silicone oven mat and cut it to size and placed it on the metal plate and that works really well too! It's now got a good grip :)

[@ilyayudovsky9393]

Thank you very much for the video. Half a year ago I started to make prints at my home studio and made a choice between the FOME mini press and the same size press by Marie's. In the end, I've chosen Marie's press - it was even cheaper, and has a much bigger and heavier roller. Recently I thought about selling my current press and buying an A4 size FOME - but from what I've heard, it is better to stay with my current one =) P.S. - Great prints!

[@azalea1404]

It looks to me that the manufactor never tested this print press. Thanks to your creativity and intelligence you succeeded to make it work with the wooden print bed, but I think it's scandalous that the company put it on the market, when it clearly doesn't work with the equipment they provide. Thanks for the great review.

[@EvelineKolijn]

To be fair to the manufacturer: I think this press is meant for schools, where they often put linocut through. That needs a lot less pressure and with runners and less pressure, that would probably work.

[@mpratt]

And I will add that I put two strips of 3m vinyl electric tape and it allows more pressure on the metal plate and goes through easily. I see 3m makes a wider vinyl tape that may be tougher. The only thing I noticed is to make sure the tape ends are cut smoothly and well stuck down, else it may wrinkle/bunch up on the ends. If the bottom roller tears up the tape, it should be easy to start over by scraping it off with a plastic scraper. From my first attempt, the bottom of the metal plate is a little scuffed up! I would have thought that may have helped, but it didn't. I also had a more secure platform by pushing down on one of the top cross bars...happy printing!

[@mpratt]

Anna Maria, I should also mention I'm a beginner and haven't gotten great results for what I'm trying to do. I think it possibly doesn't have enough pressure possible for etching (although the Levor one I bought on Amazon claims "etching" press). I'm trying something called silk aquatint because I fell in love with the work of Norman Ackryod and don't want to work with actual aquatint! I will keep trying. I made my own ink and thought perhaps not correctly. I bought Acua etching ink and will give it another go. On the bright side, a previous woodblock print made by hand worked well and I made a monoprint by putting Golden Open acrylics on a plexi plate and that printed well, but may have printed just as well without the press. I don't know. I'm curious how others are doing. Let me know here!

[@Bluedotred]

Thank you for the video. Your prints are fantastic! I love the style.

[@huyked]

Thank you for demonstrating this product, and troubleshooting it and making it work.

[@barbwatchesyt4084]

You can also use a silicone oven mat on the metal plate! I just tried it and it works perfectly :)

[@foxo4992]

Wow, I thought I was the only one who did that! Yes, it's the perfect material for that purpose.

[@JMRead-vm9sk]

@@foxo4992 Hello may I ask how you stuck the oven mat to the steel plate please. Cheers

[@foxo4992]

@@JMRead-vm9skI should clarify that I've used that method for Lino printing, not yet for etching. But, in any case, you don't need it to stick to the plate. What you would do is lay the plate down, ready to print. Then the paper, then on top of that goes the silicone. Its softness will help the paper penetrate all the recessed lines. Does that help at all?

[@JMRead-vm9sk]

@@foxo4992 Ahhhh I see I didn't realise that many thanks for putting me on the right track, I'm grateful. Cheers - Jim

[@carlodave9]

Gorgeous work!

[@barbwatchesyt4084]

Great review thanks! I had the same issues, and will now replace the metal plate with wood.

[@jkoblivion4175]

Thx so much Eveline. Great content and smooth prints and voice:)

[@valeraashcraft8640]

Beautiful works!!

[@ajaygustafson471]

You’re describing the problems I’m having perfectly (not catching the press bed to push over a thin plate), I’m eager to make my own wood bed like you did...really hoping that works!!! Thank you!!!

[@laloutrie3554]

Hello Ajay, did you have the chance to try the wood plate ? Just saw this video and I'm thinking about trying ^^

[@grainnegowen5758]

Thank you so much, this was a great help

[@seanwallace6404]

Excellent review. You answered my questions as I was thinking them. 😎

[@tryggviedwald1542]

Thank you for this; I just bought this press a week ago, and not getting good results. Your tweaks will be very helpful.

[@ManfredGraulich-zu7oc]

Vielen Dank für den super- Tipp mit der Holzplatte. Mehr Druck, bessere Ergebnisse und nichts rutscht mehr weg ❤😂

[@kingamelindaorosz2761]

Thanks for the demo! Really useful. :)

[@EvelineKolijn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@etcher4]

Hi Eveline, your friend Gwen here: I have this press but haven’t yet set it up. Thanks so much for your review and demo, very generous & helpful! I have an idea about the bed that may work, it’s worth investigating. Background: a small aquatinted copper plate that kept slipping during editioning on my usual press proved much too smooth on its backside. So, I roughened the back of it thoroughly, with coarse sandpaper and drypoint scratchings. This stopped all slipping. Based on this experience, perhaps roughening up the underside of the Fome Press bed which faces the lower cylinder may give it enough purchase against the cylinder to stop slipping. It’s a thought, anyway. I will try that in September, as I can’t get to it beforehand. Let me know if you get a chance to test the theory. I require tremendous pressure for my delicate plate surfaces which range from many grades of superficial greys to deeply seated blacks. And of course, I love your exquisite work!! Gwen

[@EvelineKolijn]

Hi Gwen, roughening up the back of the plate is a great idea, especially when you realise many use this press for linocut, which often has a burlap backing. Linocut needs less pressure anyway, but elevated guides for the roller at both sides are a must!

[@johnreskusich2324]

THank you. you answered all my questions

[@wolfmondhund9485]

Thank you for this interesting video.

[@gordonblackmore6369]

Thank you for the review. See you Emma 2022

[@EvelineKolijn]

Yes! That would be wonderful.

[@bloomboom2632]

Merci beaucoup!!!

[@jroc2201]

Nice ! That looks like a pretty wild psychedelic print , cool

[@zobayaragro]

I want to know the price plz

[@unusual3383]

very cool thing to do. like

[@dukewindsorfineartstudio4789]

The solution for me is I use drawer lining to set my plate on and it never moves.

[@laloutrie3554]

Hello Eveline, thanks for the video I see we are many to struggle with prints, would you have any recommandation regarding the type of wood that could be used ? Thanks again :)

[@EvelineKolijn]

Hi, I used 3/4" (1 cm) thick plywood.

[@nicholasjagger6557]

I notice Fome do their own clamps that fit through the slots. Thanks for this, it's extremely useful. I'm in the process of cajoling a colleague into making work herself, so she might read this comment. Go on H buy yourself a press!

[@shepdoganimations6360]

Would you be able to recommend a good press of this size or a little larger? Thank you

[@EvelineKolijn]

www.dickblick.com/products/blick-906-model-ii-etching-press/

[@marcoalburqueque1095]

exelent

[@neilgwartzman2997]

how thick a wood board did you use?

[@EvelineKolijn]

Half inch; or 1.5 cms

[@kerryd59]

How thick is you piece of wood please

[@EvelineKolijn]

It is 1/2 inch think, which is around 1.75 cm. Thin is easier to feed through the press, but can warp a bit more. So you can choose ... It also happened to be a piece of wood I had available. So it can be thinner or thicker, as long as the rough roller can grip the wood.

[@isabeedemski3635]

You need a sevond blanket, a gripper

[@CAZZIEK321]

Is this any good for Lino please?

[@EvelineKolijn]

yes, as long as you have runners the thickness of your lino at each side of your press plate to position the roller at the same height as the lino block, before you run over it. Otherwise, you push the block forward. This is a general technique for writing lino on any press.

[@maryemacneil7501]

Is that 1/2 inch plywood?

[@EvelineKolijn]

Yes

[@maryemacneil7501]

@@EvelineKolijn Thank you Eveline. I have this press and had the same problem, but I didn't think of your excellent solution.

[@EvelineKolijn]

@@maryemacneil7501 good luck and maybe let the thread know if this improves things for you too.

[@albertpepin1764]

Craftspeople the other hand is a great way

[@sergeiyatsenko]

Thanks for the demo. I wanted to buy this, but now I won't buy this trash.

[@franziskabalemi9356]

same!

[@rathartscience]

Thank you, wasted so much paper. Slipping paper, weight wasn't correct, inking and so on.