Our Story

Mitchell Press Works has been a long time coming. Originally conceived in the early 2000s after I graduated from my undergrad, realizing that I needed a press, I kept the dream alive until now. During the Covid19 pandemic, I finally had the opportunity to lock myself in my studio with my machining equipment and began prototyping a press that reminded me of home and the spirit of the midwestern work ethic of Illinois, USA. Taking visual cues from the “L Train” of downtown Chicago, the platform for which the press is built is designed to have a no BS philosophy, while also being minimal and elegant. I used my knowledge of printmaking, printmaking press designs from around the world, and my background in manual machining and mechanical engineering to design this press. 

The core design principle behind Mitchell Press Works can be split into two categories:

What works

  • All steel construction. No hollow tubes and hollow rollers. Completely solid.

  • Industrial bolts and fasteners for ease of assembly, replacement of parts, and expansion of the press in case the owner wants to move up from the L’Arthur model to the L’Automne model with the expansion kit.

  • Ergonomic handles

    • All handles are designed for the user’s hand.

    • Top lifting handles are designed with the person’s hand in mind reducing hand joint and wrist strain.

What doesn’t work 

  • Welding of parts. Eventually, they will break and the cost of fixing is $$$. You will not see it on these presses unless it is a table the press is resting on.