St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-08-09
Typemaking.
HOW GREAT AND SMALL LETTERS ARE
MADE-AN INTERESTING PROCESS

eJA~S'
HOW GREAT AND SMALL LETTERS ARR
MADE-AN INTERESTING PROCESS
wonder how many of our boy and girl
readers, says writer in Golden Days, have
any knowledge of the vast amount OF me-
chanical labor required to turn out such
paper as this, and the majority probably
imagine this is very easy task. This is
indeed mistaken idea.
The editors, proof readers, 'compositors,
pressmen and mailing clerks have their
share of work. There Is still another
class of workmen, without whom those
quoted would have nothing to do. These
are the makers of the type, presses and
numerous other mechanical devices. AS q
matter of course, the type. casters are pre-
eminent, as they make the most important
of all the appliances.
All sorts and styles of type are inside in
the various type foundries throughout the
country, from that in which this article is
printed to enormous letters, such as are
used in printing theatrical posters and the
like.
These large types are made of wood.
Then again, there are sizes so small as to
be scarcely readable with the naked eye,
known to the trade as brilliant, diamond,
pearl and so on.
1t is not the purpose of this article to de,
scribe any of the accessories OF printing ex
cepting type, and consequently the first
questions that presents itself is, of what is
type metal composed ?
it is composition of lead, tin, zinc and
anthony. The latter plays a most import
| or< 1vof tho N N act n IT anH IL
has very peculiar property. Almost all
metals contract while cooling, and this in
itself would interfere greatly with the
typemaking business.
If either of the four metals, save the
anti mony, was used alone in making the
letters, perfectly clear outline could not
be obtained, although the molds were
filled with molten meta, because when it
cooled it would contract, and as a result
would destroy the clear outline of the
very minute types.
With the large letters 80 much care
would not have to be taken. Now, the
metal antimony has the peculiar property
of expanding while cooling, and for this
reason it is invaluable to the type makers.
It expands and fills even the smallest
mold hence the perfect outline of metal
types. In addition to this, it also hardens
the composition.
10 early days the molds used in making
type were very primitive affairs, consisting
of device about as large as a teacup,
| which cast single letter at time. This
rude, put perfect, device was in use for a
| long time in casting types.
A little later on, this device of q mold
was improved and made more useful. ORR
pinally the molten metal had to be poured
into the mold by hand. but one of the first
| steps in the Improvements mentioned was
to attach it to a mechanical device so con-
structed as to pump the hot metal into the
| mold in an automatic manner.
This was great step, and rendered the
holding process much more rapid. Next
the automatic device was improved so that
two or three molds could be placed on a
single machine, all of the molds being
filled by the automatic pumps. This
method of casting the types is the one now
so extensively used.
When the little shining metal letters are
FIRST cast they are not yet finished There
is a projection on one end nearly as long
as the type itself AS soon as the letters
are nodded they go to person who breaks
off the projections.
Next the letters 60 to two other parties,
who rub them over files to smooth off the
rough sides. This planning process is a
unique one, and the "planers" must be
experts. The little letters are pushed first
one way oyer the rough surface of the file,
then back again, ali in second, by the
expert planer.
Next the letters 60 to person who
places them side by side on long tin
shelf, which is about a yard in length.
This tin shelf has one edge turned up so
that the long row of letters may be placed
along the shelf in an even ma ner.
As fast as the shelves are filled they 20
to another planer, who, however, does his
work much more rapidly than tho ones be-
fore mentioned He planes off the lower
or blunt end of the letter.
The shelf, which holds at least SEQ let
tiers. is placed in a long vice, and then the
rough ends of the long row are quickly
planed off, just as carpenter planes
piece of wood. One or two movements of
the plane is all that is necessary.
They are then packed, labeled and
boxed, ready for shipment, each style of
type being made up into what is called
''font." Every type founder has a scale
showing the proportional quantity of each
letter required for font, and special
scale is required for every language.
The process of turning out the types re-
quires the labor of six persons, and al
though rapid one as compared with the
original one, is considered too slow by the
enterprising typemsker. A new machine
has been recently invented. The rough
type metal is placed in the machine and
comes out in the shape of nicely nodded
types, completely finished.
This machine does it's work automati-
cally, and is a marvellous piece of mechan
ism. 1t does the work of six men, and
does it better. These machines are not
any larger than a small hand press, but
cost $500. Very few of them are used,
as they are so expensive, but when they
are used types can be made much cheaper
than if hand labor is employed.