Platemakers in Chicago?

Does anyone know of letterpress studios in downtown Chicago where you can rent time on a polymer platemaker? There’s the Evanston Print & Paper shop in evanston, but driving up there from the middle of the city just to make a plate can be irritating when it comes to sitting in traffic to get out there, etc.I know Columbia has facilities, but it’s apparently only for current students. And I know I could send them out to Boxcar or other places, but the price difference between renting time to make my own (including the polymer and the film) and sending it out is pretty significant, so I’m just hoping to find something closer to downtown. Alternatively, if anyone knows people in the city who process plates for less than the big guys (ie Boxcar) that might be helpful information too.This may be a dead-end as I think Evanston Print & Paper might be more of an anomaly (rentable studio with a platemaker) than a norm, but I thought I might ask given the number of Chicago members here.Thanks!

You don’t have to be a student at Columbia but you must be a member of the Book & Paper Center (like $40 a year or so?). If you haven’t taken a class there you may need to talk to them about proving that you know how to use the equipment but otherwise you just pay per the hour. I think they just raised the rental rates, so not sure what they are now…

Unfortunately Columbia facilities are only for current students and resident artists now.  Even if you’re a member of the center you can’t rent out the facilities,

believe me, Ive tried

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