What is your preference for pressing temperature and time 5 5

[bayesian_acolyte]

On 2/4/2022 at 12:46 PM, joeypost said:

I would like to know how telling someone to put in the time and figure things out for themselves is bullying? I gave the same advice to a few board members here and they are now very adept at pressing books.
 

If you knew me, you would know I rarely feel threatened.  

You called OP lazy and said they were trying to take shortcuts. Then another person chimed in trying to support them, and you put them down with a quip about wanting a diploma before they took classes. It didn't really make sense because they were trying to learn (like taking classes), not asking for some accreditation (like a diploma), but at least you put them in their place. 

Learning solely by trial and error without any guidance is a rather poor way to learn anything. It's usually a method of last resort. Most of the current best pressers learned that way because they had no other options. Most people learning now are also learning that way, because there still aren't much better options, because almost nobody with the knowledge wants to share. Which is fine, its their right. But someone trying to learn by seeking the knowledge of people with more experience isn't lazy or trying to cut corners, it's common sense.

I've searched pressing technique topics on these boards before, and you seem to be on every post trying to stop any discussion by throwing out little insults and saying the only REAL way to learn is by experience. Clearly experience is necessary, like with literally any skill, but experience with some expert advice will beat amateur stumbling-in-the-dark experience every time. You claiming you are actually trying to help people by discouraging anyone from helping people comes off as very disingenuous.

Quick edit: I want to add you do an awesome job helping people in lots of other areas that aren't related to pressing technique. You've even helped me before, and I haven't been here very long. You seem like a good dude and my issues with how you handle this topic aren't meant to be an attack on you personally. Also it's not only you doing this, there seems to be a whole gang of pressers who are trying to stop discussion any time this topic comes up.

Edited February 4, 2022 by bayesian_acolyte

[PovertyRow]

On 2/4/2022 at 12:04 PM, joeypost said:

Pizza consists of the following: dough, sauce, cheese, individual toppings, oil, garlic and other spices and seasonings. Everyone knows pretty much how to assemble a pizza. Dough gets stretched out, then the sauce, then the cheese and topping, etc. Yet, there is a world of difference between a good pie and a great pie. What is that difference between a little Ceasars vs. a NY or Chicago pizza? Experience and ingredients. At a certain point those final tweaks can only be gained by putting in the time and experimenting. And you would be hard pressed to find someone willing to just give away their secrets that make them stand out. IMO it is bad form. 

And with a pizza, if it fails you just throw it out and start again. Kind of hard to do with, say, a Hulk 181 or a Strange Tales 110 etc. 

Another issue is, as I believe has been mentioned, there are different techniques, temps, times etc based on the particular book and also the specific issues within a particular book. Various paper stock, ink formulations etc. can interact differently and need to be considered, as does the age of the book and the condition the paper is in at the time of pressing. The same issue can have very supple white pages or less supple cream or tan pages, based on how it was stored over the years. The type of defects being pressed out are also a major factor, as is the consideration of full book vs localized pressing. Saddle stitched or squarebound is yet another consideration. 

Simply asking for base starting points can be a dangerous bit of information to possess without a real understanding of the rest of it. And you get that by practice.

I have been out of the resto game for a long time but back in the late 80s/early 90s I converted the bedroom of my 1 bedroom apartment into a resto studio and spent some years experimenting with pressing and other techniques. It was well worth it as it also gave me a good eye to detecting restoration. But, as always, a good press is just not detectable. 

@Joeypost - I saw what you did! "you would be hard pressed to find someone willing to just give away their secrets". ;)

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by PovertyRow
clarity

[joeypost]

On 2/4/2022 at 5:47 PM, PovertyRow said:

And with a pizza, if it fails you just throw it out and start again. Kind of hard to do with, say, a Hulk 181 or a Strange Tales 110 etc. 

Another issue is, as I believe has been mentioned, there are different techniques, temps, times etc based on the particular book and also the specific issues within a particular book. Various paper stock, ink formulations etc. can interact differently and need to be considered, as does the age of the book and the condition the paper is in at the time of pressing. The same issue can have very supple white pages or less supple cream or tan pages, based on how it was stored over the years. The type of defects being pressed out are also a major factor, as is the consideration of full book vs localized pressing. Saddle stitched or squarebound is yet another consideration. 

Simply asking for base starting points can be a dangerous bit of information to possess without a real understanding of the rest of it. And you get that by practice.

I have been out of the resto game for a long time but back in the late 80s/early 90s I converted the bedroom of my 1 bedroom apartment into a resto studio and spent some years experimenting with pressing and other techniques. It was well worth it as it also gave me a good eye to detecting restoration. But, as always, a good press is just not detectable. 

@Joeypost - I saw what you did! "you would be hard pressed to find someone willing to just give away their secrets". ;)

 

Throwing pizza out is sacrilegious. 

[Kevin76]

On 2/2/2022 at 9:03 PM, joeypost said:

So…you want the diploma without taking the classes?

Exactly  

[Jeffro.]

Hi, long time listener, first time (yeah, right) jackass.

I like thin crust pizza but I can't always get it. How much time and pressure should I use with a t-shirt press in order to flatten out deep dish? Also, is pepperoni detrimental to the process?

Thanks. I'll hang up and listen to the answer

[PovertyRow]

On 2/4/2022 at 4:12 PM, Jeffro. said:

I like thin crust pizza but I can't always get it. How much time and pressure should I use with a t-shirt press in order to flatten out deep dish? Also, is pepperoni detrimental to the process?

Before even THINKING about time and pressure you have to first micro-trim that deep dish crust!

[Topnotchman]

Questions asked.

Reasonable answers are given.

Confusion sets in due to lack of comprehension. 

Unable to compromise, causes flashbacks to pressing U-Tube videos. 
 

U-Tube videos are not the problem, reasonable answers are rejected, frustration sets in with the inability to achieve perceived conclusion. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Grottu]

This won't please the oh-so-wise ones here, but let me try to actually answer the question. Assuming no restoration (paint, glue, etc, that could get sticky under heat), I usually humidify for 30 minutes, heat at 165F for 5 minutes and press overnight. Done that with hundreds of GA/SA/BA books and never once had a problem.

And I usually hold the paprika.

Edited February 5, 2022 by Grottu

[Randall Dowling]

I always think it's strange when people use analogies incorrectly.  If you're going to relate two things to each other, they should be analogous.  Making a pizza isn't at all the same as pressing, nor is cooking broadly.  However, how to make a particular sauce would be.  And if you ask most chefs how they make a signature sauce, good luck. 

Again, it is the purview of the inexperienced to expect the experienced to hand out all their trade secrets.  And what they don't seem to know, is that there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer.  Don't be lazy.  Put in the work, learn from your failures, and don't insult those that know more than you.  

Anyone that's ever gotten really good at something has followed that path.

[bayesian_acolyte]

On 2/4/2022 at 8:35 PM, Randall Dowling said:

However, how to make a particular sauce would be.  And if you ask most chefs how they make a signature sauce, good luck. 

I agree asking a pro chef how they make a proprietary sauce would be inappropriate, just like it wouldn't be cool to PM Joey asking for details of his technique. But there would clearly be nothing wrong with asking a generic question about sauce recipes (not addressed to anyone) on a public forum.

[Jeffro.]

On 2/4/2022 at 7:35 PM, PovertyRow said:

Before even THINKING about time and pressure you have to first micro-trim that deep dish crust!

 Of course. It seems so self evident now. Thanks

[joeypost]

On 2/5/2022 at 7:47 AM, bayesian_acolyte said:

I agree asking a pro chef how they make a proprietary sauce would be inappropriate, just like it wouldn't be cool to PM Joey asking for details of his technique. But there would clearly be nothing wrong with asking a generic question about sauce recipes (not addressed to anyone) on a public forum.

In case anyone is wondering, I am also unwilling to share my sauce recipe as well. 

[Dick Pontoon]

I'm pretty proud of our Pontoon Palace pizza. I make the sauce, Mrs. P. handles the dough and cooking. Just had one last night as a matter of fact.

[Gaard]

Where's the toppings?

[Mr. Zipper]

On 2/5/2022 at 12:38 PM, Gaard said:

Where's the toppings?

Great pizza only needs cheese. 

[Gaard]

I'm 59 years old and I've never eaten a pizza with only cheese.

[PovertyRow]

On 2/5/2022 at 8:16 AM, Pontoon said:

I'm pretty proud of our Pontoon Palace pizza. I make the sauce, Mrs. P. handles the dough and cooking. Just had one last night as a matter of fact.

That is a most attractive pizza! 

[Mr. Zipper]

On 2/7/2022 at 4:37 PM, Gaard said:

I'm 59 years old and I've never eaten a pizza with only cheese.

I'm sorry. Come to New York... we'll take care of that with some thin crust Brooklyn pie.  

[lostboys]

Pressing is restoration. I said it. 😆

 

NY pizza? Its the water they use to make the dough. I've heard that NY tap water gets shipped to pizza joints throughout the country.

[Stronguy]

On 2/4/2022 at 9:37 PM, Grottu said:

I usually humidify for 30 minutes, heat at 165F for 5 minutes and press overnight. Done that with hundreds of GA/SA/BA books and never once had a problem.

Try that with a modern (which is the vast majority of what new pressers work on) and you're in trouble.  You likely know that, I know that, Joe knows that... and everyone else who has made a placemat knows that.  The difference is, we know from experience, and we know why it happens.  99% of the folks who start out with, "Tell me what kind of press to use.  Tell me what temperature to use.  Tell me how long to... ", will likely never know how to roll with the punches when something doesn't go right.  They have approached it from the perspective of being handed a formula to mimic rather than from learning and understanding.

Edited February 9, 2022 by Stronguy