preparing for the press

My press should be arriving some time either this week or next. I am so excited! I live in a little apartment with my husband, so space is an issue, as is the fact that we have no garage / basement / other source of space where ink and acid wouldn't be a problem. Our apartment is 2 bedrooms, a living room, hallway, and two bathrooms. My husband's office is in the spare bedroom, and I don't want the press in our bedroom. I want to keep the living room available for company and hanging out. That leaves the spare bathroom and the hallway... so, that's where the press and acid bath will go!

Our hallway has a built in desk, which I've been slowly re-appropriating as an etching nook. First, my husband and I covered the walls and desk surface with a heavy duty drop cloth, to protect them from any ink. Fortunately, etching ink is very stiff and doesn't spill, so it's really only fingerprints and used wiping cloths that the surfaces need to be protected from. Next, we set up all the supplies I'll need, including plenty of newspaper for using underneath the messier aspects of etching. All that's missing now is the press!



For the acid baths, we're using our spare bathroom. It has a big window and an incredible overhead fan, so it's wonderfully ventilated. We store our mixed acid in a plastic jug, and only pour it into the acid trays when I have a plate ready to bite. That way, we can keep most everything under the sink unless I'm actively printing.

The only thing I haven't quite figured out yet is where I'll dry the prints.....