Put the ball ground on your plate using the hotplate heated to between 150-250 degrees, using the appropriate brayer and ground and TURN IT OFF WHEN YOU’RE DONE, please god let’s not burn down the shop.
The spot thermometer on top of the hot plate will tell when it’s gotten hot enough to melt the ground.
Turn on the ventilation when melting the ground. Instructions for how to turn on/off the vent are on the window and the on/off buttons are on the hood itself. The ground is in the closet with the ink and the brayer is by it. Use the appropriate brayer with ground, aka the soft ground brayer says soft on it and so on.
To apply the ground, lift your plate onto the hotplate with a sheet of newspaper below it so you can handle it easily. Smear some ground onto the copper, and then use the newsprint to immediately take it off the hotplate. Immediately use the brayer to roll the ground evenly on your plate. Most grounds are semi translucent and may not look like much, but when the coating looks even and opaque and you’re not seeing any change as your roll, it’s likely done. Looking at the plate from the side can also be a good indicator. You want it to look matte and even, obliquely. And then turn off the hotplate.
