Ink Brayer
A hand roller that picks ink off the slab and lays it on the forme, evenly.
| Width | 50–250 mm |
| Diameter | 40–80 mm |
| Hardness | 25–40 Shore A, soft to firm |
| Core | Aluminium or steel |
| Handle | Wood or composite, offset |
| Ink film | 0.02–0.08 mm on the slab |
| Rolling passes | 4–6 on the slab, 2–4 on the forme |
| Cleaning | Solvent wipe after every use |
| Width | 50–250 mm |
| Hardness | 25–40 Shore A |
| Ink film laid | 0.02–0.08 mm |
| Suitable stock | Any |
| Processes | Hand inking, slab mixing, gradient rolling |
| Compatible materials | Letterpress ink, rubber-based and oil-based |
| Coverage per charge | Roughly 6–10 impressions per inking on a small forme |
| Lifespan | Rubber hardens with solvent exposure; replace every few years |
There is a simulator for this. Press Simulator runs the same relationships in 3D, so you can change a number and watch what it does to the result.
The brayer is the simplest tool in the workshop and the one that most affects how a print looks. It is a cylinder of soft rubber or composition on a metal core, with a handle. You roll it across a slab of ink until the film is even, then roll it across the forme until the type is inked.
Hardness matters. A soft brayer conforms to worn type and lays down more ink; a hard one leaves a thinner, sharper film and is better for fine detail. Most studios keep both.
Safety
Using it well
- Roll the ink out in both directions on the slab — forward, back, and then across. A film that looks even in one direction is usually still striped in the other.
- Listen to the brayer on the slab. A dry, hissing sound means the film is thin; a wet, sucking sound means there is too much and it will fill the counters of the type.
- Ink the forme in one direction only. Rolling back and forth picks ink back up off the type and leaves it uneven.
What it works with
Papers and substrates
- All papers and boards
Type and fonts
- Any type or plate
Processes
- Hand inking
- Slab mixing
- Blending two inks on the slab
Tools that go with the ink brayer
Tabletop Platen Press
A small clamshell press that prints one sheet at a time, by hand, under a platen.
Ink Solvent
The wash-up liquid for rollers and type — and the main vapour source in the workshop.
Letterpress Type Set
Individual sorts of metal, wood or resin, set by hand, one character at a time.