Here at Boxcar Press, we love hearing from the printers who use our bases and plates. Recently, Zachary of Bow & Arrow Press at Harvard University was kind enough to leave us this nice bit of feedback we couldn’t resist sharing.

“You’re the best. No, really. The best. We love you as much as we happen to love our Vandercook No.4, and that’s something we recently invested 60 hours taking apart and cleaning up, so it’s evident we love that machine quite a bit.

This year, you’ve been an integral part of our fundraising efforts (we’re a non-profit). We’ve printed a number of limited edition broadsides, books and the occasional wedding invitation for our university community using your plates and your base. They’ve in part helped us raise more than $12,000 this year for a letterpress that gets $500 a year in university support.

That fundraising has let us hold letterpress crash courses and intermediate classes and even a for-credit printmaking and bookmaking seminar, a first for us. This year alone we’ve had some 200 people learn letterpress. It’s also going to let us buy a new Vandercook–the one we’re eying right now is a 219 (powered). Two years ago, we had type in 1-lb coffee cans and no two leads were the same length. We had accumulation, not organization. Talking with Boxcar and getting to know you through your website have given us a model for what a printshop can be. Keep doing what you do, and keep up the fun attitudes and terrific customer service. You guys really are the best.”

Bow & Arrow Press has fundraised enough to bring in an SP20 (as Zachary likes to say, “to give our No.4 some company”), a 23″ Challenge paper cutter, flat files for proper storage, and 10 very full cases of new type from Michael Bixler, in their studio. Such passion to keep letterpress alive makes us jump for joy – this is what the heart and spirit of Boxcar Press is all about for us! It’s exciting to see all the work Bow & Arrow Press has put into keeping their studio alive, especially since they are so dependent upon student interest. We’re happy to have played our little part in helping them keep the dream alive. Spreading the love of letterpress and helping to preserve it for future generations just makes what we do all the more special.

Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at a letterpress print shop? Consider today your lucky day. We’ve been so busy printing lately that our fridge has long sat sadly neglected, piled high with the remnants of delicious meals past. When we could stand it no longer, we decided a little spring cleaning was in order. It took two brave souls over an hour of diligently scraping dishes and checking expiration dates, but the Boxcar Press fridge is no longer a dark and scary place. Good thing we compost – we filled our compost bin right up!

Boxcar Press mourns the sudden loss of our beloved Office Manager and Client Coordinator Carrie Reagan. Her obituary appears here.

Boxcar Press initially hired Carrie as an Administrative Assistant in 2007. She earned a promotion to Office Manager in 2008 and was continuing her advancement this year into a role as a Client Coordinator, managing our custom printing jobs. Her work was exemplary and always in sync with our mission and values at Boxcar Press.

We will always remember the tireless energy that Carrie devoted to her job. She touched many of our customers and vendors through detailed phone support over the past three years. She was conversant in all aspects of our business, and patiently explained ink choices, file formats, paper sizes, press mechanics, everything. Everybody turned to Carrie for an answer, myself included. In addition, Carrie organized many of our environmental and social initiatives, from company-sponsored organic agriculture to employee-powered neighborhood cleanups.

Carrie’s upbeat, positive, constructive personality helped carry our employees through the past three years. We are all grieving her departure. In her memory, we ask that you consider her 4-year old son Eamon. This “little man” (who likewise brought joy to our life over the years visiting our office and printshop) now has suddenly lost both of his parents. Please consider a memorial contribution to the Eamon Willoughby Trust Fund, c/o Geddes Federal Savings & Loan, 2208 W. Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13219.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to Carrie’s survivors.

Have a letterpress question you’d like to run past us? Check us out on formspring where Boxcar Press founder Harold Kyle has been answering a number of printing-related questions. Submit your question and he’ll be offering up his insight to help you tackle your letterpress challenge of the moment!

Harold first fell for letterpress at a small town college in Northfield, Minnesota called Carleton (Carleton also happens to be the school where Harold & Debbie fell for each other, but that’s another story!). So we were so excited when Carleton’s art department asked Harold to write his story for the college’s web site, to show (we think) prospective art majors and their parents that those art degrees do go onto do great things. Read Harold’s romantic letterpress saga here!

The Boxcar Toddler visited our letterpress headquarters on Valentine’s Day, decked out in a very realistic USPS postman outfit. He didn’t have much time to chat as he needed to pass out over 50 Valentines throughout the old artist warehouse that we call home. Though Valentine’s Day is perhaps a little less romantic with two kids, it certainly is a lot cuter. (Who needs flowers when you have a toddler anyway?!) And okay, okay, we’ll admit the little Valentines weren’t letterpressed this year, but at least they were eco!

The shop at Boxcar Press was surprised by the appearance of emerging photographer Jasper Kyle when he unexpectedly chased after his father (who needed to visit our Shipping & Receiving area). Once among the busy letterpress presses, he turned to his Fisher Price R7315 which he had previously been using to photograph the hallway ceiling. He first turned his attention to our Heidelberg KSBA, which was in the middle of a 3 color run of 6,000 cards. Bob frames the composition as he measures his press sheet for register.

Then he noticed Carrie pulling some prints on the Vandercook. This setting, as the Vandercook prepares to pull a print, resulted in a dynamic, powerful photograph through the lens of a three year old (below).


Before heading out the door, Jasper specifically requested to photograph a “dirty stinky press,” one “with oil on top.” He showed us what he was talking about: a Heidelberg Windmill. After noticing how dirty each one was, he settled on Bill’s press as the dirtiest—inspiration for another bold composition.


We were honored to be the focus of Jasper Kyle’s recent photo shoot and we hope that you enjoy the artistry of his work. Jasper is available for wedding photography, event photography, printing press photography, ceiling photography, blurry carpet photography, and calligraphy. Please contact Boxcar Press for more information.

(here we are, an outtake from our letterpress shop’s latest photo shoot!)

The Boxcar Press toddler is available for calligraphy services! He has been in training for about six months now and will work in trade for train set accessories, pink socks, or mac & cheese. Turnaround varies from immediate to about 200 days, depending on his mood.