Litttle Giant -- My History with the Press

I currently use an ATF Little Giant Model 6 press which was built in 1959, one of the later presses they produced. It is a 12"x18" press which uses a cylinder for impression, really quite similar in setup and process to a Vandercook, but with the important addition of automatic feeding. The one I have came from a small shop in Belvedere, Illinois, and was originally purchased by the local newspaper in the area.

My first introduction to the Little Giant presses was in 1975 when I took a job at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. I was teaching the Advertising and Design course in the School of Journalism, and the typography lab had a Model 4 Little Giant. I had run Heidelberg presses in college, and knew the basics of cylinder press printing. I found a good explanantion of operation and setup of the Model 4 in the Navy Printing Manual, and used that to assist with getting the old press back in shape to run. I didn't see the press as something students would run, but rather to use for my own amusement and some production pieces for the department. The Model 4 worked well, and I soon became accustomed to its "personality".

I had my own press at home, and later acquired a C&P Craftsman press with a Kluge feeder to use for Cedar Creek's Books. Those were active years for Cedar Creek Press as I had obtained a NEA grant to support several book projects.

I didn't run a Little giant for about 10 years after leaving OSU. I acquired a Model 6 Little Giant in about 1986 from the Osage, Iowa newspaper and hauled to home to Mason City. It was used to produce several Cedar Creek Press books and served well for about twelve more years until I found the current press being sold on eBay. I wrote the owner, telling him that I would appreciate being able to strip off parts if the press didn't sell. He gave me the seriel number information and described the press as being in excellent shape. Since the press was abotu eight years older than mine, I decided to bring it home and part out the press I had been using. My curren tpress was somewhat worn and showing its age a bit.

The "new" press has been in its new home for about 8 years now, and cranks out some pretty nice work. The size is ideal for small books, and is a pretty basic press for the type of work I enjoy producing.

Of course, I envy those with Heidelberg cylinder presses, but have become accustomed to my press like an old pet, and tend to overlook its faults and foibles. Fortunately, it doesn't complain about me either.