Toilet humour

There's no way he'd fit in our think-plan chamber.
Imagine how much toilet paper he'd use.

Press Dream

This is a picture by Karl Larsen, from 1910, of his workshop. I'd really love to get back into intaglio printing, but I don't have anywhere I could keep a full-sized press. Something like that little one he has mounted on his table would be fantastic though; I've never been all that bothered about doing large images anyway.

There are people who make presses in that sort of size range, and from what I've seen of them, they look pretty good. However, even a weensy press like that costs two or three grand to buy brand new, and that's way more money than I could swing.

I do wonder if it would be possible to make one oneself. They're not mechanically complex, and the biggest issue would be cutting the heavy-gauge steel one would need for the frame. I suppose one might also need access to a lathe to smooth and polish the rollers, but maybe not.

I'm becoming increasingly frustrated by not having a decent workshop space. Grr.

Lovely Emma

I've had the most massive crush on Emma Thomson ever since I saw her in The Balkans Trilogy on telly in the early 80s. Here she is reminiscing with and tormenting Stephen Fry on QI.