Ajax

Adana’s less-suc­cess­ful competitor

The Ajax Engin­eer­ing Com­pany was a com­pet­it­or to Adana and took a more ‘engin­eered’ approach to presses than Adana.

The firm seemed to emphas­ise their flat­bed press, although they did make an ‘Ajax Mas­ter’ which had a unique par­al­lel-platen approach. While it was sim­il­ar to an Adana 8 x 5, the platen moved on a ‘pis­ton’ rather than a toggle.

Their flat­bed press took a slightly dif­fer­ent approach to Adana — they used a single, large roller (like early Adana machines), and con­trolled the depth of impres­sion through two nuts at the head of the platen. In lit­er­at­ure the firm claimed that their presses had unique fea­tures — ‘accur­ately machined Type-bed and platen’, ‘Twin Paper Grip­per Fin­gers’ — and these fea­tures put the Ajax in a ‘class of their own’.

Like many oth­er small-press makers, Ajax sold com­plete kits for the hob­by­ist includ­ing mal­let and planer, and black and red inks.  They were dwarfed by Adana and went out of busi­ness before Adana.  Far less is known of Ajax than Adana.

Simon Trew­in has this video of his Ajax Major.