Raising the roof over Sam Galloway's letterpress

Poppi, Hugh and I drove up last weekend to retrieve Sam Galloway's press and more than 20 drawers of movable type font donated to the Red Onion by Galloway's family.  We knew this was going to be a challenge, because we had seen how the press had been trapped under the roof of a tree struck demolished house.  (All photos by Brian Gaukel)

 

Last year we had rescued a letterpress in Acworth, that was found in an old shed on Old Stilesboro Road. After learning that the press had been one of two letterpresses that Sam Galloway had in a printshop that he operated in Kennesaw in the 1960's and later in Acworth.  In 1985 Sam Galloway had moved one of the presses to Summerville, leaving the second one behind with his son, James Galloway who was also trained as a letterpress printer. When Sam died suddenly, James and his wife Nena moved to Summerville, leaving the Old Stilesboro press behind. After seeing how the Red Onion recovered and restored his press, James Galloway offered the second press and all the type to the Red Onion.  

The day of the move was cloudy, but the rain held off.  James and his family gathered on the lawn to watch the careful roof demolition.  This was a special day for James and his wife Nena; their 50th wedding anniversary!

The Press and type made it safely back to Kennesaw

We are very grateful to the Galloway family for this wonderful gift!

Students from the TLE Christian Academy learn about printmaking

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High School and Middle School students started a two day introductory workshop on printmaking and letterpress at the Red Onion Press this week.  The classes include a background to the history of letterpress, going back to Gutenberg and a demonstration of printing terms and concepts using movable type and tools.  Students also got a chance to view the Red Onion's  100 year old presses in operation.  Next week during the second half of the workshop, each student will trace a drawing and prepare a plate that he or she will print on the shop's flatbed press.  Contact the Red Onion Press if your school or group would like to schedule a printmaking workshop. Call (770) 676-4156 or email at redonionshop@gmail.com

Seeing Red...

Photos from  Sunday's demonstration of the "Old Stilesboro" Letterpress at the reception for Sam Galloway and the return of Letterpress to Kennesaw.  These great photos show the sequence of operation of the old platen style letterpress just like how Sam and Jimmy Galloway printed years ago at their shop on Old Highway 41, just south of North Cobb High School.  These photos were taken by Mr. David Ibata of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Mystery solved

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With the help of our friends in the “Save Acworth History” Facebook Group we know now the history of the “Old Stilesboro Road” letterpress.  It all started with former Acworth and Kennesaw resident, Sam Galloway who passed on in 1987. (Pictured below circa 1970)
Sam had a print shop that he moved several times in and around Kennesaw and Acworth at various times. According to his son James (Jimmy) Galloway, letterpress printing was in Sam Galloway’s blood.  He worked for many years for the Cartersville Tribune as a photo engraver.  In the early 1960’s the printing industry was going through a major technological change, as more and more shops started using offset printing.  Offset in the printing and publishing industry was almost as major a change as was the introduction of cars over horse and buggies.  Lots of shops went out of business and many a skilled pressman hung up their aprons.  Sam Galloway was stubborn and not one to cotton to new ways. Several people told me that Sam never got used to daylight savings time.  His clock always remained the same.  He chose to retire from the newspaper and started working for the old Blair Chair factory in Marietta which was located in the what is now the Brumby lofts on Church street.   Seeing an opportunity, Sam offered to print the tags that were attached to the upholstery under the seats.  Sam found an old letterpress from the turn of the 20th century and parlayed it into a print shop business on the side. He printed hundreds of tags with drawings of the various chairs.

Sam Galloway in the 1970's             (family archive photo)

Sam Galloway in the 1970's             (family archive photo)

Sam and Clara’s home was on Old Stilesboro Road.  They moved there in 1946.  Their children, James, Faye (passed away 2007) and Betty went to Acworth Elementary School.  Betty graduated from North Cobb High School.  Sam set up a print shop and ran a grocery store on Old 41 Highway between Kennesaw and Acworth to do general printing for local businesses and the public.  Betty met her future husband Don at the store.  Don’s grandfather T.W Arnold was the previous owner of the store. In the 1970’s Sam and Clara sold the store. James also moved nearby in a house on Stilesboro. Sam and James were planning to set up a father and son shop in Acworth, and purchased a second press, slightly smaller for James.   In 1985 Sam moved up to a house outside Summerville and took his press and most of the type up there.  James told us how they removed the back end of the ½ ton press and laid it down in the bed of the truck on a  pile of papers.  That press is still in Summerville, but when Sam died in the late 1980’s and James and his wife Nena moved up to Summerville to take care of his mother, his press had to be left behind.  Without Sam, there was no way James could move it on his own.  Planning on retrieving it someday, he had taken the press apart and moved it into the old shed, which is why the threads on many of the machines bolts were still loose when we brought it out to daylight. James Galloway saved the drawers of movable type that the Galloway print shop accumulated and has offered to donate the type and Sam’s press to the Red Onion Press. 

First Successful Motorized Test

Runs great and quiet!  The 1915 patent 1/2 HP motor has plenty of power left!   The clicking noise is the clip on the belt hitting the guard, still have to work on the alignment, but overall we are very pleased with the progress.  We'll be adding guards, rollers and ink, should be ready for the first print tests right after Christmas.

Frame is nearly complete

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We've added the feed tables and finished painting the frame.  We'll be making a guard for the gears and belts, which are too close to the operator for comfort.  Also will be relocating the electrical control box under the feed table.

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Now comes the testing!  We've rotated the flywheel by hand and engaged the clutch regulator and brake.  Everything seems to work.  The old motor starts and runs like new, now that the brushes have been cleaned and the stator polished.  Once we install the leather belt, we'll see how well everything actually works in real time!

An unusual power transmission

The 1915 Horton Pulley Regulator

The 1915 Horton Pulley Regulator

Invented by Charles P. Strite of the Horton Company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the device was designed to allow the press motor to come up to speed without any load and then engage the press at a speed regulated by a system of counterbalanced clutch pads and a friction brake much like a car's drum brake.  We're anxious to see it work!

The press frame is now painted.  We chose battleship grey to match the original color of the press.  Next step is to reassemble the press!