1) Select a pressing disk for each handsheet, and polish the shiny side with a tiny amount of silicone spray and a paper towel.
2) Unload the handsheet presser, turn on the compressed air valve, turn on the machine, and place 2-3 sheets of blotting paper (new or used, your choice) on the circular piston base. Place the handsheet and attached blotter on the blotters and use the centering gauge to align the pad so that there is no white space between the handsheet and the inner curve of the centering tool. Place a pressing disc on top of the handsheet, shiny side faces down. Push the disc against the centering gauge with a shallow angle and drop it gently (see figure 23).
Note: Align carefully before dropping the disc; once you drop it, it is impossible to retrieve it without damaging the surface of the handsheet. Place a clean, unused piece of blotter on top of the pressing disc.
Figure 23: On the left, centering the handsheet; in the middle, place the pressing disc with an angle on top handsheet then drop it gently; on the right, place a new blotter on top of pressing disc.
3) Load the handsheet to the press immediately after it is made. Do not leave them air dried outside the press.
4) Repeat the above steps for loading the handsheet presser until all handsheets have been loaded, or until there are 10 handsheets loaded. Note: The maximum number of handsheets you should load into the presser is 10. Place the pressing weight (the heavy green square piece with 4 holes) on top of the stack of handsheets and secure well (finger tight only) with the 4 round nuts.
5) Depress the yellow button to initiate the 1st press. It will put the handsheet stack under 50 psi. Observe the dials to see that the apparatus is in the 50 psi range. The 1st press will run for 5 minutes. Once this is done, remove the pressing weight and take your stack of handsheets out. Now the handsheets stick on pressing discs in the stack. Remove the top blotter and flip the pressing discs (handsheet now on top side, see figure 24) and place them into the press, aligning with centering gauge and placing a new blotter on top of each handsheet. Depress the yellow button to initiate the 2nd press, and it will press the stack for 2 minutes.
Figure 24: On the left, place in the disc with handsheet on top side; one the right, place a new blotter on top of handsheet.
6) Once the second press is done, remove the pressing weight, and take the stack carefully to the CTH Room.
