Lyme Bay Press - How to Set Up and Use Photopolymer Plates for Embossing

This is a walkthrough and demonstration of how you can use photopolymer printing plates for embossing. We go from scratch on an Adana platen press, showing how to mount the embossing pair correctly, then we demonstrate the outcomes on different paper stocks and with different designs. We've tried embossing using a variety of different techniques and materials and this has proven to be the most effective and durable setup.
If you want to try this with one of your own designs, contact us via our social media links or by email at [e-mail]
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[@julianachow1980]

Thanks Lisa, I’m starting to think Adana is more useful then most letterpress printer realised!

[@melodied6818]

Very interesting video! I finally received a response regarding the possibility of doing embossing with the Adana. 😊 I would really like to see the rendering of a larger ornamental decoration, for example which would take up each corner of an A5 format. Do you think this is possible? Thank you very much for these valuable tips and have a nice day!

[@LymeBayPress]

Hi there, you have to know the limitations of your machine and I thing applying the amount of force needed to emboss on something that size on an Adana may be too much for the machine. If your design isn't continuous you sould be able to emboss each corner separately. It's the same with printing normally, you wouldn't get a deep deboss for the entire chase size on an 8x5, unless you were possibly printing on something very soft becase the amount of force needed to crete the impress would be too much for the press to handle. i hope this helps. Lis

[@fdcollett3904]

This such a great video - really helpful - and I will definitely be putting through some orders as a result!!

[@4bitmultiplexer]

This is a very educational video. Thank you for being good at what you do and sharing it with us!

[@colinferrell4954]

Great video, so informative for a beginner!

[@kennethdaust3793]

Thank you for teaching us what you do. I need all the help I can get.

[@amelia_hemmingsprintmaker379]

Omg! I’m so excited! I am definitely going to send you my design so I can do my logo embossed and details on polymer? 👍🏼

[@lauriemcmullan500]

You can also very lightly sand the male plate on the platen if there is any splitting on the embossed image. This happens sometimes with just with the shape of the image embossed or the card you are embossing.

[@baboochecalligraphy8706]

Thanks Lis! I'm finally going to try my embossing plates having watched this video :)

[@LymeBayPress]

Babooche Calligraphy great news, about time too :))

[@muminavan]

such a fantastic and helpful video! followed and subscribed! thank you lisa!

[@LymeBayPress]

Thank you, we're hoping to add more videos to the catalogue :))

[@MaltandMake]

Thanks for sharing, I'd love to see more videos on the Adana!

[@LymeBayPress]

I'll see what I can do :)

[@amelia_hemmingsprintmaker379]

Yes, agree 😊

[@fernandafernandez4618]

Oh my god, this is so beautiful I can cry. I'm looking forward to buy an adana 8x5 and I'm sure I will learn so much from your videos. Thank yo so much! Greetings from Argentina!

[@LymeBayPress]

Fernanda Fernandez thank you Fernanda :)) ❤️

[@rajoooprakash2465]

It's REALLY AMAZING Madam! Thank you for UPLOADING! Very HELPFUL! God Bless You..

[@LymeBayPress]

Thank you :)

[@nivea123]

Wow, this was a great video! Very informative. Thank - you so much. Just one question though: Could you perhaps go through the method of how you began with making the two Photopolymer Plates for embossing / ie the designs you have for both sides male and female?

[@LymeBayPress]

Sunny Mos hi there, that’s a whole different video we haven’t made yet and we’ve found that each design needs it’s own approach. If we get to standardise it I’ll make a video of it :)

[@nemiers]

Hi Lisa! Last summer was trying to do some embossing my own way. Went well, but I transferred the job to printing company. They charge was hilarious compare to mine. But I still got commisions. :)

[@LymeBayPress]

nemiers have another go :)) what’s important is that you got more work :))

[@karancoyne7719]

love it brillant

[@jilliansoprano3505]

I just received my first embossing job and I'm so excited to try it! Thank you for this very helpful video! Would you recommend printers setting up the male/female artwork on their own, or sending it to a plate maker who specializes in embossing plates. I'm not sure how best to size the male to the female. Sounds like the paper (100gsm) would be a factor.

[@LymeBayPress]

Hi Jillian, I think you'll be addicted once you start embossing. I would trust your platemeker to make the die for you from your artwork. Just let them know the thickness of paper that you will be embossing and they will take it from there.

[@lauriemcmullan500]

To transfer the male from the female I always use 2 or 3 spots of grease. Easily cleaned off!

[@damienford3587]

Love this, Lisa.. Question for you, please. What is the heaviest/thickest stock taht can realistically be used on the Adana and retain a crisp emboss?

[@LymeBayPress]

Hi Damien, I wouldn't force an Adana, they really aren't designed for a heavy embossing, or debossing for that matter, I used the Adana to show how easy they are to set up with the embossing plates. I would only go up to a 350gsm board and a soft collton at that, or thinner paper stock. If you want to use a thicker board you will need a bigger press. that said, it also comes down to the size of the area you are embossing, more force is needed for bigger plates than small ones! hope this helps :)

[@Abeni260]

Hi Lisa, Thank you for the interesting videos you are making . Could you please say something or make video on type of polymer plate and thickness of plate we should use for embossing and also for foiling purpose ? T

[@LymeBayPress]

Hi there and thank you :)) the plate we are currently using for embossing if the kf95 but the 152 can also be used. Foiling is still an ongoing experiment so I can’t answer that one.... at the minute, sorry. Lis

[@redblade8160]

Embossing on the Adana seems to be quite strenuous for the wrist and arm, especially if you had to do that a hundred or more times. Maybe you can put the Adana on the floor and press the handle with your foot!

[@LymeBayPress]

I didn’t have a problem, but I generally tend to use the Adana just to show people what to do, I prefer my Chandler or Heidelberg’s :) but I appreciate that not everyone has those large presses, it’s more a case of managing expectations, if you have a large run of a tricky job that may beat your press up it may be worth outsourcing, the letterpress community is great and there’s always someone to help.

[@sophh88]

Information video! I've always wanted to make letterpress invitations. Letterpresses are expensive though! So I am looking at purchasing this smaller model. Can you use paint and foil with this smaller press? And what machinery/product is needed to make the plates?

[@LymeBayPress]

hi Sophie, if you send me an email I'll be able to give you more detail, you won't be able to foil with a printing press unless it has a foil conversion but you'll be fine with ink. I think a little time on google and youtube will show you the equipment that you need to make your pwn plates, mainly the unexposed plate and a UV unit. Hope this helps for now. Lis

[@user-qh1fx1ig3g]

Hi, thanks for the video , really helping for beginner. Wondering if there is some tips to adjust the pressure of machine when print it, having lot problems that some part of works is having more pressure than other parts . Thanks for helping

[@LymeBayPress]

What press are you using to print? If you'd like to email me, [e-mail], I'll be able to help.

[@user-qh1fx1ig3g]

Hi Lisa, thanks for helping, just send you the email. Wondering if I am the only one having this issues , or all the beginner has the how to adjust pressure problem. Have a nice weekend

[@user-qh1fx1ig3g]

@@LymeBayPress❤

[@LymeBayPress]

Hi Kiang, i"ve replied to your email, we'll get you sorted.... Lis

[@blacknight1003]

Hi Lisa, is it possible to print in say black with the male plate, then when the ink is dry, use both the male and female to emboss and Deboss the area printed? I ask because I’ve never had a go at this but it sounds feasible to me

[@LymeBayPress]

Black Night100 hi, I did think about this, but the male plate is the wrong way around so it for example it’s text it will be back to front. If you have a design however that is perfectly symmetrical this should work. Unless there’s another way of converting the plates to male and female. Someone may let us know if there is, but from what I’ve tried this is what I’ve found. Hope it makes sense. Lis

[@lauriemcmullan500]

Yes you can do this. Another thing you can do when embossing the printed image is ever so slightly emboss out of register. Try it!

[@AdamGreasley]

This is really great. I have a 6x4, would this press allow for enough pressure for a 540gsm?

[@LymeBayPress]

Hi Adam, I’ve not actually tested on a 6x4, I would say that you would need too much pressure to emboss on a 6x4 with a 540gsm board and you could damage your press. If the 540gsm is a colorplan I would say it will be too dense for a successful emboss on a small press, but as I said, I’ve not tested it….

[@AdamGreasley]

@@LymeBayPress Thanks. I'm keen to have a play with some embossing plates, I might play it safe and try on 350gsm. 🙏

[@LymeBayPress]

@@AdamGreasley just don’t force your press too much…. And let me know how you get on :))

[@AdamGreasley]

@@LymeBayPress Thanks, I will do.

[@vickylouise4284]

Hi Lisa, what type of tape are you using to attach the plates, assuming you are embossing without heat? That also looks like my press in the background!!

[@LymeBayPress]

Hellooo, it’s the normal sticky that we use for our printing plates and yup, no heat :) Which press? I have a few :)) Lis

[@vickylouise4284]

@@LymeBayPress ah ok, thank you. The one to the right (Marshall's 96 series by the looks)

[@vickylouise4284]

That sounds confusing when I re-read it, there are two on the bench behind you, so I meant the one to the right of them both! 🙈

[@redblade8160]

At 8:30, you said "deboss" when you should have said "emboss". Embossing is when the image is raised, as you showed on the card.

[@LymeBayPress]

Yup, just seen that, but as the video is about embossing I’m sure I will be forgiven. We plan on redoing all videos at some point and I’m sure there will be more mistakes, I am only human! :) but thank you for noticing, at least you didn’t have it running in the background as white noise.