ThisBaris Iron, containing in length about two Foot eight Inches and an half, fromatob, and its greatest thickness, except the Sholder, an Inch and a quarter; The endahath a Male-Screw about an Inch Diameter and an Inch long, to which aNutwith a Female-Screw in it as at C is fitted. The IronNutin which this Female-Screw is made, must be very strong,viz.at least an Inch thick, and an Inch and three quarters in Diameter; in two opposite sides of it is made two Ears, which must also be very strong, because they must with heavy blows be knock’t upon to draw the Sholder of the square shank on theBar, when the square Pin is in theEyeof theSpindleclose and steddy up to the Cube on theSpindle. The square Pin of theBarmarkedcis made to fit just into theEye, through the middle of the Cube of theSpindle, on the hither end of this square Pin is made a Sholder or stop to this square Pin, as atd. This Sholder must be Filed exactly Flat on all its four insides, that they may be drawn close and tight upto any flat side of the Cube on theSpindle; It is two Inches square, that it may be drawn the firmer, and stop the steddyer against any of the flat sides of the said Cube, when it is hard drawn by the strength of the Female-Screw in the aforesaidNutat C. The thickness fromdtoeof this Sholder is about three quarters of an Inch, and is Bevil’d off towards theHandleof theBarwith a small Molding.
The substance of thisBar, as aforesaid, is about an Inch and a quarter; but its Corners are all the way slatted down till within five Inches of the end: And from these five Inches to the end, it is taper’d away, that theWooden-Handlemay be the stronger forced and fastned upon it.
About four Inches off the Sholder, theBaris bowed beyond a right Angle, yet not with an Angle, but a Bow, which therefore lies ready to thePress-man’s Hand, that he may Catch at it to draw theWooden-Handleof theBarwithin his reach.
ThisWooden-Handlewith long Working grows oft loose; but then it is with hard blows on the end of it forced on again, which oft splits theWooden-Handleand loosens the square Pin at the other end of theBar, in theEyeof theSpindle: To remedy which inconvenience, I used this Help,viz.To weld a piece of a Curtain-Rod as long as theWooden-Handleof theBar, to the end of the IronBar, and made a Male-screw at the other end with a Female-screw to fit it; Then I bored an hole quite through theWooden-Handle, and Turn’d the very end of theWooden-Handlewith a small hollow in it flat at the bottom, and deep enough to bury the Iron-Nuton the end of the Curtain-Rod,and when this Curtain-Rod was put through the Hollow in theWooden-Handleand Screwed fast to it at the end, it kept theWooden-Handle, from flying off; Or if it loosened, by twisting theNutonce or twice more about, it was fastned again.
TheHoseare the upright Irons in Plate 8. ata a, They are about three quarters of an Inch square, both their ends have Male-screws on them; The lower end is fitted into a square Hole made at the parting of theHose-Hooks, which by a squareNutwith a Female-screw in it, is Screwed tight up to them; Their upper ends are let into square Holes made at the ends of theGarter, and byNutswith Female-Screws in them, and Ears to turn them about as atl lare drawn up higher, if thePlattin-Cordsare too loose; or else let down lower if they are too tight: These upper Screws are called theHose-Screws.
TheGarter(but more properly theColler) markedb b, is the round Hoop incompassing the flat Groove or Neck in the Shank of theSpindleate e; This round Hoop is made of two half-round Hoops, having in a Diametrical-line without the Hoop square Irons of the same piece proceeding from them, and standing out as far asg g, These Irons are so let into each other, that they comply and run Range with the square Sholders at both ends, wherein square Holes are made at the ends of theHose. They are Screwed together with two small Screws, as ath h.
The fourHose-Hooksare markedi i i i, They proceed from two Branches of an Iron Hoop atkencompassing the lower end of theSpindle, on either Corner of the Branch, and have notches filled in their outer-sides as in the Figure, which notches are to contain several Turns ofWhip-cordin each notch, whichWhip-cordbeing also fastned to theHookson thePlattin, holds thePlattintight to theHooksof theHose.
TheRibsare delineated in Plate 8. at E, they are made of four square Irons the length of theWooden-RibsandEnd-Rails,viz.four Foot five Inches long, and three quarters of an Inch square, only one end is batter’d to about a quarter of an Inch thick, and about two Inches and an half broad, in which battering four or five holes are Punch’t for the nailing it down to theHind-Railof theWooden-Ribs. The Fore-end is also batter’d down as the Hind-end, but bound downwards to a square, that it may be nailed down on the outer-side of theFore-Railof theWooden-Ribs.
Into the bottom of theseRibs, within nine Inches of the middle, on either side is made two Female-Duftails about three quarters of an Inch broad, and half a quarter of an Inch thick, which Female-Duftails have Male-Duftails as ata a a afitted stiff into them, about an Inch and three quarters long; and these Male-Duftails have an hole punched at either end, that when they are fitted into the Female-Duftails in theRibs, they may in these Holes be Nailed down the firmer to theWooden-Ribs.
Image: Plate 9.
Plate 9.
TheseRibsare to be between the upper and the under-side exactly of an equal thickness, and both to lye exactly Horizontal in straight lines; For irregularities will both Mount and Sink theCramp-Irons, and make themRunrumbling upon theRibs.
The upper-sides of theseRibsmust be purely Smooth-fil’d and Pollish’d, and the edges a little Bevil’d roundish away, that they may be somewhat Arching at the top; because then theCramp-IronsRunmore easily and ticklishly over them.
TheCramp-Ironsare marked F in Plate 8. They are an Inch and an half long besides the Battering down at both ends as theRibswere; They have three holes Punched in each Battering down, to Nail them to thePlanckof theCoffin; They are about half an Inch deep, and one quarter and an half thick; their upper-sides are smoothed and rounded away as theRibs.
TheAxisorSpindleis a straight Bar of Iron about three quarters of an Inch square, and is about three Inches longer than the whole breadth of the Frame of theRibs,viz.two Foot two Inches: The farther end of it is Filed to a round Pin (as ata) three quarters of an Inch long, and three quarters of an Inch in Diameter; the hither end is filed away to such another round Pin, but is two Inches and a quarter long (as atb); at an Inch and a quarter from this end is Filed a Square Pin three quarters of an Inch long, andwithin half an Inch of the end is Filed another round Pin, which hath another Male-Screw on it, to which is fitted a square IronNutwith a Female-Screw in it.
On the Square Pin is fitted aWinchsomewhat in form like a Jack-winch, but much stronger; theEyeof which is fitted upon the Square aforesaid, and Screwed up tight with a Female-Screw. On the straight Shank of this Winch is fitted theRounce, markede.
The round ends of thisAxisare hung up in two Iron-Sockets (as atc c) fastned with Nails (but more properly with Screws) on the outside the Wooden Frame of theRibs.
TheGirt-Barrelmarkeddis Turned of a Piece of Maple or Alder-wood, of such a length, that it may play easily between the two WoodenRibs; and of such a diameter, that in one revolution of it, such a length ofGirtmay wind about it as shall be equal to half the length contained between the fore-end Iron of theTympan, and the inside of the Rail of theInner-Tympan; because two Revolutions of thisBarrelmust move theCarriagethis length of space.
ThisBarrelis fitted and fastned upon the IronAxis, at such a distance from either end, that it may move round between the WoodenRibsaforesaid.
ThePress-Stoneshould be Marble, though sometimes MasterPrintersmake shift with Purbeck, either because they can buy them cheaper, or else because they can neither distinguish them by their appearance, or know their different worths.
Its thickness must be all the way throughout equal,and ought to be within one half quarter of an Inch the depth of the inside of theCoffin; because the matter it isBeddedin will raise it high enough. Its length and breadth must be about half an Inch less than the length and breadth of the inside of theCoffin: BecauseJustifiersof Wood, the length of every side, and almost the depth of theStone, must be thrust between the insides of theCoffinand the outsides of theStone, to Wedge it tight and steddy in its place, after thePress-manhasBeddedit. Its upper-side, or Face must be exactly straight and smooth.
I have given you this description of thePress-Stone, because they are thus generally used in allPrinting-Houses: But I have had so much trouble, charge and vexation with the often breaking ofStones, either through the carelesness or unskilfulness (or both) ofPress-men, that necessity compell’d me to consider how I might leave them off; and now by long experience I have found, that a piece ofLignum-vitæof the same size, and truly wrought, performs the office of aStonein all respects as well as aStone, and eases my mind, of the trouble, charge and vexation aforesaid, though the first cost of it be greater.
ThePlattinis commonly made of Beechen-Planck, two Inches and an half thick, its length about fourteen Inches, and its breadth about nine Inches. Its sides are Tryed Square, and the Face or under-side of thePlattinPlained exactly straight and smooth. Near the four Corners on the upper-side, it hathfour IronHooksas ata a a a, whose Shanks are Wormed in.
In the middle of the upper-side is let in and fastned an Iron Plate called thePlattin-Plate, asb b b b, a quarter of an Inch thick, six Inches long, and four Inches broad; in the middle of this Plate is made a square Iron Frame about half an Inch high, and half an Inch broad, as atc. Into this square Frame is fitted theStudof thePlattin Pan, so as it may stand steddy, and yet to be taken out and put in as occasion may require.
TheStudmarkedd, is about an Inch thick, and then spreads wider and wider to the top (ate e e e) of it, till it becomes about two Inches and an half wide; and the sides of this spreading being but about half a quarter of an Inch thick makes thePan. In the middle of the bottom of thisPanis a small Center hole Punch’d for theToeof theSpindleto work in.
The Points are made of Iron Plates about the thickness of a QueenElizabethShilling: It is delineated at e in Plate 9. which is sufficient to shew the shape of it, at the end of this Plate, as ata, stands upright the Point. ThisPointis made of a piece of small Wyer about a quarter and half quarter of an Inch high, and hath its lower end Filed away to a small Shank about twice the length of the thickness of the Plate; so that a Sholder may remain. This small Shank is fitted into a small Hole made near the end of the Plate, and Revetted on the other side, as wastaughtNumb.2.Fol.24. At the other end of the Plate is filed a long square notch in the Plate as atb cquarter and half quarter Inch wide, to receive the square shank of thePoint-Screws.
ThePoint-Screwmarked f is made of Iron; It hath a thin Head about an Inch square, And a square Shank just under the Head, an Inch deep, and almost quarter and half quarter Inch square, that the square Notch in the hinder end of the Plate may slide on it from end to end of the Notch; Under this square Shank is a round Pin filed with a Male-Screw upon it, to which is fitted aNutwith a Female-Screw in it, and Ears on its outside to twist about, and draw the Head of the Shank close down to theTympan, and so hold thePoint-Platefast in its Place.
TheHammeris a commonHammerabout a quarter of a Pound weight; It hath noClawsbut aPen, which stands thePress-maninstead when theChaseproves so big, that he is forced to use smallQuoins.
The Figure of theSheeps-Footis description sufficient. Its use is to nail and un-nail theBalls.
TheSheeps-Footis all made of Iron, with an Hammer-head at one end, to drive theBall-Nailsinto theBall-Stocks, and a Claw at the other end, to draw theBall-Nailsout of theBall-Stocks.
TheFoot-Stepis an Inch-Board about a Foot broad, and sixteen Inches long. This Board is nailed upon a piece of Timber about seven or eight Inches high, and is Bevil’d away on its upper-side, as is also the Board on its under-side at its hither end, that the Board may stand aslope upon the Floor. It is placed fast on the Floor under the Carriage of the Press. Its Office shall be shewed when we come to treat of Exercise of thePress-man.
Girtsare Thongs of Leather, cut out of the Back of an Horse-hide, or a Bulls hide, sometimes an Hogs-hide. They are about an Inch and an half, or an Inch and three quarters broad. Two of them are used to carry theCarriageout and in. These two have each of them one of their ends nailed to theBarrelon theSpindleof theRounce, and the other ends nailed to theBarrelbehind theCarriagein thePlanckof theCoffin, and to theBarrelon the fore-end of the Frame of theCoffin.
TheStayof theCarriageis sometimes a piece of the sameGirtfastned to the outside of the furtherCheek,and to the further hinder side of the Frame of theCarriage. It is fastned at such a length by thePress-man, that theCarriagemay ride so far out, as that the Irons of theTympanmay just rise free and clear off the fore-side of thePlattin.
Another way to stay theCarriageis to let an Iron Pin into the upper-side of the further Rail of the Frame of theRibs, just in the place where the further hinder Rail of theCarriagestands projecting over theRib-Rail, when the Iron of theTympanmay just rise free from the Fore-side of thePlattin; for then that projecting will stop against the Iron Pin.
TheStayof theFrisketis made by fastning a Batten upon the middle of the Top-side of theCap, and by fastning a Batten to the former Batten perpendicularly downwards, just at such a distance, that the upper-side of theFrisketmay stop against it when it is turned up just a little beyond a Perpendicular. When aPressstands at a convenient distance from a Wall, that Wall performs the office of the aforesaidStay.
Ball-Stocksare Turn’d ofAlderorMaple. Their Shape is delineated in Plate 9. at g: They are about seven Inches in Diameter, and have their under-side Turned hollow, to contain the greater quantity ofWoolorHair, to keep theBall-Leathersplump the longer.
TheLye-Trough(delineated in Plate 9. at k) is a Square Trough made of Inch-Boards, about four Inches deep, two Foot four Inches long, and one Foot nine Inches broad, and flat in the Bottom. Its inside is Leaded with Sheet-Lead, which reaches up over the upper Edges of theTrough. In the middle of the two ends (for so I call the shortest sides) on the outer-sides asa a, is fastned a round Iron Pin, whichmoves in a round hole made in an Iron Stud with a square Sprig under it, to be drove and fastned into aWooden Horse, whichHorseI need not describe, because in Plate aforesaid I have given you the Figure of it.
ThePaper-Benchis only a common Bench about three Foot eight Inches long, one Foot eight Inches broad, and three Foot four Inches high.
TheLye-Brushis made ofHogs-Bristlesfastned into a Board with Brass-Wyer, for durance sake: Its Board is commonly about nine Inches long, and four and an half Inches broad; and the length of the Bristles about three Inches.
To perform the Office of aLye-Kettle(which commonly holds about three Gallons) the old-fashion’dChafersare most commodious, as well because they are more handy and manageable thanKettleswith Bails, as also because they keepLyelonger hot.
TheTraytoWet Paperin is only a common Butchers Tray, large enough toWetthe largestPaperin.
TheWeighttoPress Paperwith, is either Mettal, or Stone, flat on the Bottom, to ly steddy on thePaper-Board: It must be about 50 or 60 pound weight.
ForPeltsorLeather,Ball-NailsorPumping-Nails,WoolorHair,VellomorParchmentorForrel, thePress-mangenerally eases theMaster-Printerof the trouble of choosing, though not the charge of paying for them: And forPaste,Sallad Oyl, and such accidental Requisites as thePress-manin his work may want, theDevilcommonly fetches for him.
Our Master-Printermust provideRacksto hangPaperon toDry. They are made of Deal-board Battens,square, an Inch thick, and an Inch and an half deep, and the length the whole length of the Deal, which is commonly about ten or eleven Foot long, or else so long as the convenience of the Room will allow: The two upper corners of theseRailsare rounded off that they may not mark thePaper.
TheseRacksare Hung over Head, either in thePrinting-House, orWare-house, or both, or any other Room that is most convenient toDry Paperin; they are hung athwart twoRailsan Inch thick, and about three or four Inches deep, whichRailsare fastned to some Joysts or other Timber in the Ceiling by Stiles perpendicular to the Ceiling; TheseRailsstand so wide assunder, that each end of theRacksmay hang beyond them about the distance of two Foot, and have on their upper edge at ten Inches distance from one another, so many square Notches cut into them as the whole length of theRailwill bear; Into these square notches theRacksare laid parallel to each other with the flat side downwards, and the Rounded off side upwards.
ThePeelis described in Plate 9. at l, which Figure sufficiently shews what it is; And therefore I shall need say no more to it, only its Handle may be longer or shorter according as the height of the Room it is to be used in may require.
The providing of goodInck, or rather goodVarnishforInck, is none of the least incumbent cares upon ourMaster-Printer, though Custom has almost made it so here inEngland; for the process of makingInckbeing as well laborious to the Body, as noysomand ungrateful to the Sence, and by several odd accidents dangerous of Firing the Place it is made in, OurEnglish Master-Printersdo generally discharge themselves of that trouble; and instead of having goodInck, content themselves that they pay anInck-makerfor goodInck, which may yet be better or worse according to the Conscience of theInck-maker.
That our Neighbours theHollanderswho exhibit Patterns of goodPrintingto all the World, are careful and industrious in all the circumstances of goodPrinting, is very notorious to all Book-men; yet should they content themselves with suchInckas we do, their Work would appear notwithstanding the other circumstances they observe, far less graceful than it does, as well as ours would appear more beautiful if we used suchInckas they do: for there is many Reasons, considering how theInckis made with us and with them, why theirInckmust needs be better than ours. AsFirst, They make theirs all of good oldLinseed-Oylalone, and perhaps a littleRosinin it sometimes, when as ourInck-makersto save charges mingle many timesTrane-Oylamong theirs, and a great deal ofRosin; whichTrane-Oylby its grossness, Furs and Choaks up aForm, and by its fatness hinders theInckfrom drying; so that when the Work comes to theBinders, itSets off; and besides is dull, smeary and unpleasant to the Eye. And theRosinif too great a quantity be put in, and theFormbe not veryLean Beaten, makes theInckturn yellow: And the same does NewLinseed-Oyl.
Secondly, They seldomBoylorBurnit to that consistence theHollandersdo, because they not only save labour and Fewel, but have a greater weight ofInckout of the same quantity ofOylwhen lessBurntaway than when moreBurntaway; which want of Burning makes theInckalso, though made of good oldLinseed-OylFat and Smeary, and hinders itsDrying; so that when it comes to theBindersit alsoSets off.
Thirdly, They do not use that way of clearing theirIncktheHollandersdo, or indeed any other way than meer Burning it, whereby theInckremains moreOylyandGreasiethan if it were well clarified.
Fourthly, They to save thePress-manthe labour ofRubbingtheBlackingintoVarnishon theInck-Block,BoyltheBlackingin theVarnish, or at least put theBlackingin whilst theVarnishis yetBoyling-hot, which soBurnsandRubifiestheBlacking, that it loses much of its brisk and vivid black complexion.
Fifthly, BecauseBlackingis dear, and adds little to the weight ofInck, they stint themselves to a quantity which they exceed not; so that sometimes theInckproves so unsufferablePale, that thePress-manis forc’d toRubin moreBlackingupon theBlock; yet this he is often so loth to do, that he will rather hazard the content the Colour shall give, than take the pains to amend it: satisfying himself that he can lay the blame upon theInck-maker.
Having thus hinted at the difference between theDutchandEnglish Inck, I shall now give you the Receipt and manner of making theDutch-Varnish.
They provide aKettleor aCaldron, but aCaldronis more proper, such an one as is described in Plate 9. at m. This Vessel should hold twice so muchOylas they intend toBoyl, that theScummay be some considerable time aRisingfrom the top of theOylto the top of the Vessel to prevent danger. ThisCaldronhath a Copper Cover to fit the Mouth of it, and this Cover hath an Handle at the top of it to take it off and put it on by. ThisCaldronis set upon a good strong IronTrevet, and fill’d half full of oldLinseed-Oyl, the older the better, and hath a good Fire made under it of solid matter, eitherSea Coal,Charcoalor pretty big Chumps of Wood that will burn well without much Flame; for should the Flame rise too high, and theOylbe very hot at the taking off the Cover of theCaldron, the fume of theOylmight be apt to take Fire at the Flame, and endanger the loss of theOyland Firing the House: Thus they letOylheat in theCaldrontill they think it is Boyling-hot; which to know, they peel the outer Films of anOynionoff it, and prick theOynionfast upon the end of a small long Stick, and so put it into the heatingOyl: If it be Boyling-hot, or almost Boyling-hot, theOynionwill put theOylinto a Fermentation, so that a Scum will gather on the top of theOyl, and rise by degrees, and that more or less according as it is more or less Hot: But if it be so very Hot that the Scum rises apace, they quickly take theOynionout, and by degrees the Scum will fall. But if theOylbe Hot enough, and they intend to put anyRosinin, the quantity is to every Gallon ofOylhalf a Pound, or rarely a whole Pound. TheRosinthey beat small in aMortar, and with an Iron Ladle, or else by an Handful at a time strew it in gently into theOyllest it make the Scum rise too fast; but every Ladle-full or Handful they put in so leasurely after one another, that the first must be wholly dissolv’d before they put any more in; for else the Scum will Rise too fast, as aforesaid: So thatyou may perceive a great care is to keep the Scum down: For if it Boyl over into the Fire never so little, the whole Body ofOylwill take Fire immediately.
If theOylbe Hot enough toBurn, theyBurnit, and that so often till it beHardenough, which sometimes is six, seven, eight times, or more.
ToBurnit they take a long small Stick, or double up half a Sheet of Paper, and light one end to set Fire to theOyl; It will presently Take if theOylbe Hot enough, if not, they Boyl it longer, till it be.
To try if it beHardenough, they put the end of a Stick into theOyl, which will lick up about three or four drops, which they put upon an Oyster-shell, or some such thing, and set it by to cool, and when it is cold they touch it with their Fore or Middle-Finger and Thumb, and try its consistence by sticking together of their Finger and Thumb; for if it draw stiff like strongTurpentineit is Hard enough, if not, they Boyl it longer, orBurnit again till it be so consolidated.
When it is well Boyled they throw in an Ounce of Letharge of Silver to every four Gallons ofOylto Clarifie it, and Boyl it gently once again, and then take it off the Fire to stand and cool, and when it is cool enough to put their Hand in, they Strain it through a Linnen Cloath, and with their Hands wring all theVarnishout into a Leaded Stone Pot or Pan, and keeping it covered, set it by for their use; The longer it stands by the better, because it is less subject to turn Yellow on the Paper that is Printed with it.
This is theDutchway of makingVarnish, and the way the EnglishInck-makersought to use.
Note,First, That theVarnishmay be made withoutBurningtheOyl,viz.only with well and longBoyling it; forBurningis but a violent way of Boyling, to consolidate it the sooner.
Secondly, That anAppleor aCrustofBread,&c.stuck upon the end of a Stick instead of anOynionwill also make the Scum of theOylrise: For it is only the Air contained in the Pores of theApple,CrustorOynion, &c. pressed or forced out by the violent heat of theOyl, that raises the many Bubbles on the top of theOyl: And the connection of those Bubbles are vulgarly calledScum.
Thirdly, The EnglishInck-makersthat often makeInck, and that in great quantities, because one Man may serve allEngland, instead of setting aCaldronon aTrevet, build aFurnaceunder a greatCaldron, and Trim it about so with Brick, that it Boyls far sooner and more securely than on aTrevet; because if theOylshould chance to Boyl over, yet can it not run into the Fire, being Fenced round about with Brick as aforesaid, and theStoking-holelying far under theCaldron.
Fourthly, When for want of aCaldrontheMaster-PrintermakesVarnishin aKettle, He provides a great piece of thickCanvass, big enough when three or four double to cover theKettle, and also to hang half round the sides of theKettle: ThisCanvass(to make it more soluble) is wet in Water, and the Water well wrung out again, so that theCanvassremains only moist: Its use is to throw flat over the Mouth of theKettlewhen theOylisBurning, to keep the smoak in, that it may stifle the Flame when they see cause to put it out. But the Water as was said before, must be very well wrung out of theCanvass, for should but a drop or two fall from the sides of it into theOylwhen it is Burning, it will so enrage theOyl, and raise the Scum, that it might endanger the working over
the top of the
Kettle
.
Having shewn you theMaster-PrintersOffice, I account it suitable to proper Method, to let you know how theLetter-FounderCuts thePunches, how theMoldsare made, theMatricesSunck, and theLetter CastandDrest, for all these Operations precede theCompositersTrade, as theCompositersdoes thePress-mans; wherefore the nextExercisesshall be (God willing) uponCuttingof theSteel-Punches.