MECHANICK EXERCISES:
Or, the Doctrine ofHandy-works.Applied to the Art ofPrinting.
IShall begin with the Office of aMaster-Printer, because (as aforesaid) he is the Directer of all the Work-men, he is the Base (as theDutchmenproperly call him) on which the Workmen stand, both for providing Materials to Work withal, and successive variety of Directions how and in what manner and order to perform that Work.
His Office is therefore to provide a House, or Room or Rooms in which he is to set hisPrinting-House. This expression may seem strange, but it isPrintersLanguage: For aPrinting-Housemay admit of a twofold meaning; one the Vulgar acceptance,and is relative to the House or Place whereinPrintingis used; the other a more peculiar PhrasePrintersuse among themselves,viz.only thePrintingTools, which they frequently call aPrinting-House: Thus they say, Such a One has set up aPrinting-House, when as thereby they mean he has furnish’d a House withPrintingTools. Or such a one has remov’d hisPrinting-House, when thereby they only mean he has remov’d the Tools us’d in his former House. These expressions have been used Time out of mind, and are continued by them to this day.
But to proceed, Having consider’d what number ofPressesandCaseshe shall use, he makes it his business to furnish himself with a Room or Rooms well-lighted, and of convenient capacity for his number ofPressesandCases, allowing for eachPressabout Seven Foot square upon the Floor, and for everyFrameofCaseswhich holds Two pair ofCases,viz.one pairRomainand one pairItallica, Five Foot and an half in length (for so much they contain) and Four Foot and an half in breadth, though they contain but Two Foot and Nine Inches: But then room will be left to pass freely between twoFrames.
We will suppose he resolves to have hisPressesandCasesstand in the same Room (though inEnglandit is not very customary). He places theCaseson that side the Room where they will most conveniently stand, so, as when theCompositeris at work the Light may come in on his Left-hand; for else his Right-hand plying between the Window-light and his Eye might shadow theLetterhe would pick up: And thePresseshe places so, as the Light may fall from a Windowright before theFormandTinpan: And if scituation will allow it, on the North-side the Room, that thePress-men, when at their hard labour inSummertime, may be the less uncommoded with the heat of theSun: And also that they may the better see by the constancy of that Light, to keep the wholeHeapof an equal Colour.
He is also to take care that hisPresseshave a solid and firm Foundation, and an even Horizontal Floor to stand on, That when thePressesare set up their Feet shall need no Underlays, which both damage aPress, are often apt to work out, and consequently subject it to an unstable and loose position, as shall further be shewn when we come to the Setting up of thePress.
And as the Foundation ought to be very firm, so ought also the Roof and Sides of thePress Roomto be, that thePressmay be fastned with Braces overhead and on its Sides, as well and steddy as under foot.
He is also to take care that the Room have a clear, free and pretty lofty Light, not impeded with the shadow of other Houses, or with Trees; nor so low that the Sky-light will not reach into every part of the Room: But yet not too high, lest the violence ofWinter(Printersusing generally but Paper-windows) gain too great advantage of Freesing the Paper and Letter, and so both Work and Workman stand still. Therefore he ought to Philosophize with himself, for the making the height of his Lights to bear a rational proportion to the capacity of the Room.
Here being but two sides of the Room yet used,he places theCorrecting-stoneagainst a good Light, and as near as he can towards the middle of the Room, that theCompositersbelonging to each end of the Room may enjoy an equal access to it. But sometimes there are severalCorrecting-stonesplac’d in several parts of the Room.
TheLye-TroughandRincing-Troughhe places towards some corner of the Room, yet so as they may have a good Light; and under these he causes aSinkto be made to convey the Water out of the Room: But if he have other conveniencies for the placing these Troughs, he will rather set them out of the Room to avoid the slabbering they cause in.
About the middle of the Room he places theDestributing-Frame(viz.theFrameon which theFormsare set that are to beDestributed) which may stand light enough, though it stand at some considerable distance from the Window.
In some other empty place of the Room (least frequented) he causes so manyNest-Framesto be made as he thinks convenient to hold theCasesthat may lye out of present use; and theLetter-boardswithFormsset by on them, that both theCasesand theFormsmay be the better secured from running toPye.
Having thus contrived the several Offices of the Room, He furnishes it withLetters,Presses,Cases,Chases,Furniture, &c. Of each of which in Order.
He provides aFount(properly aFund) ofLetterof all Bodies; for mostPrinting-Houseshave all except the two first,viz.Pearl,Nomparel,Brevier,Long-Primmer,Pica,English,Great-Primmer,Double-Pica,Two-Lin’d-English,Great-Cannon.
These are theBodiesmost of use inEngland; But theDutchhave several otherBodies: which because there is little and almost no perceivable difference from some of these mentioned, I think they are not worth naming. Yet we have oneBodymore which is sometimes used inEngland; that is aSmall Pica, but I account it no great discretion in aMaster-Printerto provide it; because it differs so little from thePica, that unless the Workmen be carefuller than they sometimes are, it may be mingled with thePica, and so the Beauty of bothFountsmay be spoil’d.
These aforesaidBodiesare commonlyCastwith aRomain,Italica, and sometimes anEnglish Face. He also provides someBodieswith theMusick, theGreek, theHebrew, and theSyriack Face: But these, or some of these, as he reckons his oppertunities may be to use them.
And that the Reader may the better understand the sizes of these severalBodies, I shall give him this Table following; wherein is set down the number of eachBodythat is contained in one Foot.
His care in the choice of theseLettersare,
First, That theLetterhave a true shape: Which he may know, as by the §. ofLetter-Cutting.
I confess this piece of Judgement,viz.knowing of true Shape, may admit of some controversy, because neither the Ancients whom we received the knowledge of theseLettersfrom, nor any other authentick Authority have delivered us Rules, either to make or know true shape by: And therefore it may be objected that every one that makesLettersbut tolerably likeRomain,Italick,&c.may pretend his to be true shap’d.
To this I answer, that though we can plead no Ancient Authority for the shape ofLetters, yet doubtless (if we judge rationally) we must conclude that theRomain Letterswere Originally invented and contrived to be made and consist of Circles, Arches of Circles, and straight Lines; and therefore thoseLettersthat have these Figures, either entire, or else properly mixt, so as the Course and Progress of thePen may best admit, may deserve the name of true Shape, rather than those that have not.
Besides, Since the late madeDutch-Lettersare so generally, and indeed most deservedly accounted the best, as for their Shape, consisting so exactly of Mathematical Regular Figures as aforesaid, And for the commodious Fatness they have beyond otherLetters, which easing the Eyes in Reading, renders them more Legible; As also the true placing their Fats and their Leans, with the sweet driving them into one another, and indeed all the accomplishments that can renderLetterregular and beautiful, do more visibly appear in them than in anyLettersCut by any other People: And therefore I think we may account the Rules they were made by, to be the Rules of true shap’dLetters.
For my own part, I liked theirLettersso well, especially those that were Cut byChristophel Van DijckofAmsterdam, that I set my self to examine the Proportions of all and every the parts and Members of everyLetter, and was so well pleased with the Harmony and Decorum of their Symetrie, and found so much Regularity in every part, and so good reason for his Order and Method, that I examined the biggest of hisLetterswith Glasses, which so magnified the wholeLetter, that I could easily distinguish, and with small Deviders measure off the size, scituation and form of every part, and the proportion every part bore to the whole; and for my own future satisfaction collected my Observations into a Book, which I have inserted in myExercisesonLetter-Cutting. For therein I have exhibited tothe World the true Shape ofChristophel Van DijcksaforesaidLetters, largely Engraven in Copper Plates.
Whence I conclude, That since common consent of Book-men assign the Garland to theDutch-Lettersas of lateCut, and that now thoseLettersare reduced unto a Rule, I think the Objection is Answered; And ourMaster-Printerscare in the choice of good and true shap’dLettersis no difficult Task: For if it be a large BodiedLetter, asEnglish,Great-Primmerand upwards, it will shew it self; and if it be small, asPearl,Nomparel, &c. though it may be difficult to judge the exact Symetry with the naked Eye, yet by the help of aMagnifying-Glassor two if occasion be, even those smallLetterswill appear as large as the biggest BodiedLettersshall to the naked Eye: And then it will be no difficult Task to judge of the Order and Decorum even of the smallest BodiedLetters. For indeed, to my wonder and astonishment, I have observ’dV. Dijcks Pearl Dutch Lettersin Glasses that have Magnified them to greatLetters, and found the whole Shape bear such true proportion to his greatLetters, both for theThickness,Shape,FatsandLeans, as if with Compasses he could have measur’d and set off in that small compass every particular Member, and the true breadth of everyFatandLean Stroakin eachLetter, not to exceed or want (when magnified) ofLetter Cutto theBodyit was Magnified to.
His second care in the choice ofLettersis, That they be deepCut; for then they willPrintclear the longer, and be less subject to entertainPicks.
His third care, That they be deep sunck in theMatricesleast the bottom line of aPageBeard. Yet though they be deep sunk, His care ought to be to see the Beard also well cut off by theFounder.
And a Fourth Care in the choice ofLetteris, That hisLetterbe Cast upon good Mettal, that it may last the longer.
Of each Body he provides aFountsuitable to such sorts of Work as he designs to do; But he provides not an equal weight of everyFount; Because all these Bodies are not in equal use: For theLong-Primmer,PicaandEnglishare the Bodies that are generally most used; And therefore he provides very largeFountsof these,viz.of theLong-Primmerin a smallPrinting-House, Five hundred Pounds weightRomainandItalica, whereof One hundred and fifty Pounds may beItalica. Of thePicaandEnglish,RomanandItalica, Eight, Nine hundred, or a Thousand Pounds weight: when as of otherFountsThree or Four hundred Pounds weight is accounted a goodFount: And of theCannonandGreat-Cannon, One hundred Pounds or somewhat less may serve his turn; Because the common use of them is to set Titles with.
BesidesLettershe Provides Characters of Astronomical Signs,Planets,Aspects,AlgebraicalCharacters, Physical and Chimical Characters,&c.And these of several of the most used Bodies.
He Provides alsoFlowersto set over the Head of aPageat the beginning of a Book: But they are now accounted old-fashion, and therefore much out of use. YetWooden-Borders, if well Drawn, and neatly Cut, may bePrintedin a Creditable Book, As also,Wooden-Letterswell Drawn and neatly Cut may be used at the beginning of aDedication,Preface,Section,&c.Yet instead ofWooden Letters,CapitalsCast in Mettal generally now serves; because but few or goodCuttersinWoodappear.
He also providesBrass-Rulesof about Sixteen Inches long, that theCompositermay cut them into such Lengths as his Work requires.
In the choice of hisBrass-Rules, he examines that they be exactlyLetter high; for if they be much too high, they may cut throughPaper,TinpanandBlanketstoo; And if they be but a little too high, not only the Sholder, or Beard, on either side them willPrintblack; but they will bear thePlattinoff theLettersthat stand near them, so that thoseLetterswill notPrintat all: And if they be too low, then theRulesthemselves will notPrint.
It sometimes happens through the unskilfulness of theJoyner, (for they commonly, but unproperly, imployJoynersto make them) that a Length shall be hollow in the middle both on the Face and Foot, and shall run driving higher and higher towards both ends: Hence it comes to pass, that when theCompositercuts a piece ofRuleto his intended Length, theRuleshallPrinthard at one end, and the other shall notPrintat all; So that he shall be forced to knock up the foot of the low end, as shall be shewn in its proper place.
But the carefulMaster-Printerhaving found that hisBrass-RulesisLetterhigh all the whole Length, will also examine whether it be straight all the whole Length, which he does by applying both theFace and Foot to the surface of theCorrecting-stone; And if the Face and Foot comply so closely with theCorrecting-stone, that light cannot be seen between them, he concludes theBrass-Ruleis straight.
Image: Plate 1.
Plate 1.
Then he examines the Face or Edge of theRule, whether it have an Edge of an equal breadth all the whole Length, and that the Edge be neither too thick nor too fine for his porpose.
He should also take care that theBrass, before it be cut out, be well and skilfully Planish’t, nor would that charge be ill bestowd; for it would be saved out of the thickness of theBrassthat is commonly used: For theJoynersbeing unskilful in Planishing, buy Neal’d thickBrassthat theRulemay be strong enough, and so cut it into slips without Hammering, which makes theRuleeasily bow any way and stand so, and will never come to so good and smooth an Edge as Planish’tBrasswill. Besides,Brasswell Planish’t will be stiffer and stronger at half the thickness than unplanish’tBrasswill at the whole: As I shall further shew when I come to Exercise uponMathematical Instrument-making.
Next he providesCases. A Pair ofCasesis anUpper-Caseand aLower-Case.
TheUpper-Caseand theLower-Caseare of an equal length, breadth and depth,viz.Two Foot nine Inches long, One Foot four Inches and an half broad, and about an Inch and a quarter deep, besides the bottom Board; But for small BodiedLettersthey are made somewhat shallower, and for great Bodies deeper.
Long-Primmerand downwards are accounted small Bodies;Englishand upwards are accounted great Bodies.
The conveniencies of a shallowCaseis, that theLettersin each Box lye more visible to the last, as being less shadowed by the sides of theBoxes.
The conveniencies of a deepCaseis, that it will hold a great manyLetters, so that aCompositerneeds not so oftenDestribute. 2dly. It is not so soonLow, (asCompositerssay when theCasegrows towards empty) and aLow Caseis unconvenient for aCompositerto work at, partly because theCasestanding shelving downwards towards them, theLettersthat are in theCasetend towards the hither-side of theCase, and are shadowed by the hither side of thatBoxthey lye in, so that they are not so easily seen by the Eye, or so ready to come at with the Fingers, as if they lay in the middle of theBox.
TheseCasesare encompassed about with aFrameabout Three quarters of an Inch broad, that the ends of the several partitions may be let into the substance of theFrame: But the hithermost side of theFrameis about half an Inch higher than the other sides, that when either theGalleyor another pair ofCasesare set upon them, the bottom edge of theGalley, or of thoseCasesmay stop against that higherFrame, and not slide off.
Both theUpperand theLower-Casehave a thick Partition about three quarters of an Inch broad, Duff-tail’d into the middle of the upper and under Rail of theFrame. This Partition is made thus broad, that Grooves may be made on either side of it to receivethe ends of those Partitions that devide the breadth of theCase, and also to strengthen the wholeFrame; for the bottom Board is as well nailed to this thick Partition as to the outerFrameof theCase.
But the devisions for the severalBoxesof theUpperandLower-Casesare not alike: for each half of the whole length of theUpper-Caseis devided into seven equal parts, as you may see in Plate 1. at A, and its breadth into seven equal parts, so that the wholeUpper-Caseis divided into Ninety eight squareBoxes, whose sides are all equal to one another.
But the Two halfs of the length of theLower-Caseare not thus devided; for each half of the length of theLower-Caseis devided into Eight equal parts, and its breadth into Seven; but it is not throughout thus devided neither; for then theBoxeswould be all of equal size: But theLower-Caseis devided into four several sizes ofBoxes, as you may see in Plate 1. B.
The reason of these different sizes ofBoxesis, That the biggestBoxesmay be disposed nearest theCompositershand, because the English Language, and consequently all EnglishCoppyruns most upon such and such Sorts; so that theBoxesthat holds those Sorts ought to be most capacious.
His care in the choice of theseCasesis, That the Wood they are made of be well-season’d Stuff.
That the Partitions be strong, and true let into one another, and that the ends fill up and stand firm in the Grooves of theFrameand middleRailof theCase.
There is an inconvenience that often happens, these thin Partitions, especially if they be made of unseason’d Stuff,viz.as the Stuff dries it shrinks in theGrooves of theFrame, and so not only grows loose, but sometimes starts out above the top of theFrame. To prevent this inconvenience, I have of late caused the ends of these thin partitions to be made Male-Duf-tails, broadest on the under-side, and have them fitted into Female-Duf-tails in the Frame of theCase, and middle Rail before the bottom Boards are nailed on.
That the Partitions be full anEnglishBody thick.
That the Partitions lye close to the bottom of theCase, that so theLettersslide not through an upper into an underBox, when the Papers of theBoxesmay be worn.
Framesare in mostPrinting-Housesmade of thickDeal-board Battens, having their severalRails Tennantedinto theStiles: but these sorts ofFramesare, in respect of their matter (viz.Fir) so weak, and in respect of their substance (viz.little above an Inch thick) so slight, that experience teaches us, when they are even new made, they tremble and totter, and having lasted a little while, the thinness of theirTennantsbeing a little above a quarter of an Inch thick, according to the Rules ofJoynery, as I have shewn inNumb.5. §. 17. They Craze, theirTennantsbreak, orMortessessplit, and put theMaster-Printerto a fresh Charge.
It is rationally to be imagined that theFramesshould be designed to last as long as thePrinting-house; and therefore ourMaster-Printerought to take care that they be made of matter strong enough, and of substance big enough to do the Service they are intendedfor; that they stand substantial and firm in their place, so as a small Jostle against them shake them not, which often reiterated weakens theFrame-work, and at that present is subject to shake theLetterin theGalleydown.
I shall not offer to impose Rules upon any here, especially since I have no Authority from Prescript or Custom; yet I shall set down the Scantlings that I my self thought fit to use on this occasion. A Delineation of theFramesare in Plate 1. at C.
a a a aTheFore-Rails.b b b bTheHind-Rails.cTheTop Fore-Rail.dTheBottom Fore-Rail.eTheTop Hind-Rail.fTheBottom Hind-Rail.g g g gTheEnd-Rail.h h h h Cross-Bearers.
I made theRailsandStilesof well-seasoned fineOak, clean, (that is free from Knots and Shakes) theStilesandRailstwo Inches and an half square, the Top and BottomFore-Railsand the BottomHind-Railfour Foot three Inches long, besides theirTennants; And the TopHind-Railfive Foot three Inches long. The twoFore-Railsand BottomHind-Railhad Iron Female-Screws let into them, which, through an hole made in theStiles, received a Male-Screw with a long shank, and a Sholder at the end of it to screw them tight and firm together, even as the Rails of aBedstedare screwed into theMortessesof aBed-Post.
EachBack-Stilewas four Foot one Inch and an half high besides theirTennants, and eachFore-Stilethree Foot three Inches high, eachForeandBack-Stilehad twoRailsone Foot seven Inches long, besides theirTennantsTennanted and Pin’d into them, because not intended to be taken assunder.
It must be considered, that theFore-stilesbe of a convenient height for the pitch of an ordinary Man to stand and work at, which the heighth aforesaid is; And that theHind stilesbe so much higher than theFore-stiles, that when theCross-Bearersare laid upon the upperForeandHind-Rail, and theCaseslaid on them, theCasesmay have a convenient declivity from the upper-side theUpper-Case, to the lower side theLower-Case.
The Reason of this declivity is, because theCasesstanding thus before the Workman, the fartherBoxesof theUpper-Caseare more ready and easie to come at, than if they lay flat; they being in this position somewhat nearer the hand, and theLettersin thoseBoxessomewhat easier seen.
If the Workman prove taller than Ordinary, he lays another or two pair ofCasesunder theCaseshe uses, to mount them: If the Workman be short, as Lads,&c.He lays aPaper-board(or sometimes two) on the floor by the Fore-side of theFrame, and standing to work on it, mounts himself.
TheBearersare made ofSlit-Deal, about two Inches broad, and so long as to reach from theFore-Railthrough theUpper-Rail, and are let in, so as to lye even with the superficies of theForeandHind-Rail, and at such a distance on both theRails, as you may see in the Figure.
Image: Plate 2.
Plate 2.
On the Superficies of theFore-Rail, even with its Fore-Edge is nailed a smallRigletabout half an Inch high, and a quarter and half quarter of an Inch thick, that theCasesset on theFramehaving the aforesaid declivity, may by it be stop’t from sliding off.
OurMaster-Printeris also to provideGalleysof different sizes, That theCompositermay be suited with small ones when heComposessmallPages, and with great ones for greatPages.
TheGalleyis marked A in Plate 2.
a b cThe Sides or Frame of theGalley.dTheSlice.
TheseGalleysare commonly made of two flatWainscot Boards, each about a quarter and half quarter of an Inch thick, the uppermost to slide in Grooves of the Frame, close down to the undermost, though for smallPagesa single Board with two sides for the Frame may serve well enough: ThoseWainscot Boardsare an Oblong Square, having its length longer than its breadth, even as the form of aPagehath. The three Sides of the Frame are fixed fast and square down on the upper Plain of the undermost Board, to stand about three fifth parts of the height of theLetterabove the superficies of theSlice. The Sides of the Frame must be broad enough to admit of a pretty many good strongOaken Pinsalongthe Sides, to be drove hard into the Bottom Board, and almost quite through the Sides of the Frame, that the Frame may be firmly fixed to it: But by no means must they be Glewed on to the Bottom Board, because theCompositermay sometimes have occasion to wet thePagein theGalley, and then (theGalleystanding aslope upon theCase) the Water will soak between the sides of the Frame, and under Board, and quickly loosen it.
TheCorrecting-Stonemarked B in Plate 2. is made ofMarble,Purbeck, or any other Stone that may be made flat and smooth: But yet the harder the Stone is the better; whereforeMarbleis more preferable thanPurbeck. First, Because it is a more compact Stone, having fewer and smaller Pores in it thanPurbeck. And Secondly, because it is harder, and therefore less subject to be prick’d with the corners of aChase, if through carelessness (as it sometimes happens) it be pitch’d on the Face of the Stone.
It is necessary to have it capacious,viz.large enough to hold twoChasesand more, that theCompositermay sometimes for his convenience, set somePagesby on it ready toImpose, though twoChaseslye on theStone: Therefore aStoneof about Four Foot and an half long, and Two Foot broad is a convenient size for the generality of Work.
ThisStoneis to be laid upon a strongOaken-wood Frame, made like the Frame of a common Table, so high, that the Face of theStonemay lye about threeFoot and an Inch above the Floor: And under the upper Rail of the Frame may be fitted a Row or two of Draw-Boxes, as ata a a a a aandb b bon each of its longest Sides to holdFlowers,Brass-Rules,Braces,Quotations, smallScabbords, &c.
Letter-Boardsare Oblong Squares, about two Foot long, eighteen Inches broad, and an Inch and a quarter thick. They ought to be made of clean and well-season’d Stuff, and all of one piece: Their upper-side is to be Plained very flat and smooth, and their under-side is Clamped with pieces about two Inches square, and within about four Inches of either end, as well to keep them from Warping, as to bear them off the Ground or any other Flat they stand on, that the Fingers of theCompositermay come at the bottom of the Board to remove it whither he will: They are commonly made ofFir, though not so thick as I have mentioned, or all of one Piece:Deal-Boardsof this breadth may serve to make them of; butJoynerscommonly putMaster-Printersoff with ordinaryDeal-Boards, which not being broad enough, they joyn two together; for which cause they frequently shrink, so as the joynt comes assunder, and theBoardbecomes useless, unless it be to serve for aPaper-Boardafterwards: For small and thinLetterswill, when the Form is open, drop through, so as theCompositercannot use the Board.
I us’d to make them ofSugar-Chest; That Stuff being commonly well-season’d, by the long lying of theSugarin it, and is besides a fine hard Wood, and therefore less subject to be injured by the end of theShooting-Stickwhen aFormisUnlocking.
Paper-Boardsare made just like theLetter-Boards, though seldom so large, unless for great Work: Nor need such strict care be taken in making them so exactly smooth: their Office being only to setHeaps of Paperon, and toPressthePaperwith.
ByFurnitureis meant theHead-sticks,Foot-sticks,Side-sticks,Gutter-sticks,Riglets,ScabbordsandQuoyns.
Head-sticksand all otherFurniture, exceptScabbord, are made of dryWainscot, that they may not shrink when theFormstands by; They areQuadrathigh, straight, and of an equal thickness all the length: They are made of several thicknesses for several Works,viz.from aBrevierwhich serves for someQuarto’sto six or eightPicathick, which is many times us’d toFolio’s: And many of theHead-sticksmay also serve to make InnerSide-sticksof; for theMaster-Printerprovides them of lengths long enough for theCompositerto cut to convenient Scantlins or Lengths, they being commonly about a Yard long when they come from theJoyners. AndNote, that theHeadandSide-sicksare calledRiglets, if they exceed not anEnglishthick.
OuterSide-sticksandFoot-sticksmarked C in Plate 2. are of the same heighth of theHead-sticks,viz.Quadrathigh, and are by theJoynercut to the given length, and to the breadth of the particularPagesthat are to beImposed: TheSide-sticksare placed against the outer-side of thePage, and theFoot-sticksagainst the foot or bottom of thePage: The outer-sides of theseSideandFoot-sticksare bevil’d or sloped from the further to the hither end.
Gutter-sticksmarked D in Plate 2. are as the former,Quadrathigh, and are used to set betweenPageson either side theCrosses, as inOctavo’s,Twelves,Sixteens, andFormsupwards; They are made of an equal thickness their whole length, likeHead-sticks; but they have a Groove, or Gutter laid on the upper-side of them, as well that the Water may drain away when theFormis Washed or Rinced, as that they should notPrint, when through the tenderness of theTinpan, thePlattinpresses it and thePaperlower than ordinary.
Scabbordis that sort ofScalecommonly sold by someIron-mongersin Bundles; And of which, theScabbordsforSwordsare made: TheCompositercuts itQuadrathigh, and to his Length.
TheMaster-Printeris to provide bothThickandThin Scabbord, that theCompositermay use either when different BodiedLetterhappens in aPage, to justifie thePageto a true length; And also that thePress-manmay chuseThickorThinto make truerRegister, as shall be shewed in proper place.
Quoynsare alsoQuadrathigh, and have one of their sides Bevil’d away to comply with the Bevil of theSideandFoot-sticks; they are of different Lengths, and different Breadths: The greatQuoynsabout three Inches square, except the Bevil on one side as aforesaid; and these sizes deminish downwardsto an Inch and an half in length, and half an Inch in breadth.
Of theseQuoynsourMaster-Printerprovides several hundreds, and should provide them of at the least ten different Breadths between the aforesaid sizes, that theCompositermay chuse such as will best fit theChaseandFurniture.
The Office of theseQuoynsare toLockup theForm,viz.to wedge it up (by force of aMalletandShooting-stick) so close together, both on the sides and between Head and Foot of thePage, that everyLetterbearing hard against every nextLetter, the wholeFormmayRise; as shall be shewed hereafter.
Their farther Office is to makeRegisterat thePress.
Printers Malletshave aCilindrickHead, and a round Handle; The Head somewhat bigger, and the Handle somewhat longer than thoseJoynerscommonly use; Yet neither shape or size different for any reason to be given: But only a Custom always used to have them so. The Head is commonly made ofBeech.
TheShooting-stickmust be made ofBox, which Wood being very hard, and withal tough, will best and longest endure the knocking against theQuoyns. Its shape is a perfect Wedge about six Inches long, and its thicker end two Inches broad, and an Inch and an half thick; and its thin end about an Inch and an half broad, and half an Inch thick.
TheDressing-Blockshould be made ofPear-tree, Because it is a soft wood, and therefore less subject to injure the Face of theLetter; it is commonly about three Inches square, and an Inch high. Its Office is to run over the Face of theForm, and whilst it is thus running over, to be gently knock’t upon with the Head of theShooting stick, that suchLettersas may chance to stand up higher than the rest may be pressed down.
OurMaster-Printermust also provide a pair ofSheers, such asTaylorsuse, for the cutting ofBrass-Rules,Scabbords, &c.
A largeSpungeor two, or more, he must also provide, one for theCompositersuse, and for everyPressone.
Pretty finePackthreadto tye upPageswith; But this is often chosen (or at least directed) by theCompositer, either finer or courser, according to the great or smallLetterhe works upon.
Though everyCompositerby Custom is to provide himself aComposing-stick, yet ourMaster-Printerought to furnish his House with these Tools also, and such a number of them as is suitable to the size of his House; Because we will suppose ourMaster-Printerintends to keep some Apprentices, and they, unless by contract or courtesie, are not used to provide themselvesComposing-sticks: And besides, when severalCompositerswork upon the same Book, their Measures are all set alike, and theirTitlesby reason ofNotesorQuotationsbroader than their common Measure, So that aComposing-stickis kept on purpose for theTitles, which must therefore be common to all theCompositersthat work upon that Work; And no one of them is obliged to provide aComposing-stickin common for them all: Therefore it becomes ourMaster-Printerstask to provide them.
It is delineated in Plate 2. atE.
aTheHead.b bTheBottom.c cTheBack.dThe lowerSliding-Measure, orCheek.eThe upperSliding-Measure, orCheek.f fTheMale-Screw.gTheFemale-Screw.
TheseComposing-sticksare made of Iron Plate about the thickness of a thinScabbord, and about tenInches long doubled up square; so as the Bottom may be half an Inch and half a quarter broad, and the Back about an whole Inch broad. On the further end of this Iron Plate thus doubled up, as atais Soldered on an Iron Head about aLong-Primmerthick; But hath all its outer-edges Basil’d and Fil’d away into a Molding: This Iron Head must be so let into the Plate, and Soldered on to it, that it may stand truly square with the bottom, and also truly square with the Back, which may be known by applying the outer-sides of a square to the Back and Bottom; as I shewed,Numb.3.Fol.38, 39. About two Inches from the Head, in the Bottom, is begun a row of round holes about an Inch assunder, to receive the shank of theMale-Screwthat screws theSliding-Measuresfast down to the Bottom; so that theSliding-Measuresmay be set nearer or further from the Head, as the Measure of aPagemay require.
The lowerSliding-Measuremarkeddis an Iron Plate athick Scabbordthick, and of the Breadth of the inside of the Bottom; It is about four Inches long, and in its middle hath a Groove through it within half an Inch of the Fore-end, and three quarters of an Inch of the hinder end. This Groove is so wide all the way, that it may receive the Shank of theScrew. On the Fore-end of this Plate stands square upright another Iron Head about aBrevierthick, and reaches so high as the top of the Back.
The upperSliding-Measureis made just like the lower, only it is about three quarters of an Inch shorter.
Between these twoSliding-Measures,Marginal NotesareComposedto any Width.
Compositerscommonly examine the Truth of theirStickby applying the head of theSliding-Measureto the inside of the Head of theStick; and if they comply, they think they are square and true made: But this Rule only holds when the Head it self is square. But if it be not, ’tis easy to file theSliding-Measuresto comply with them: Therefore, as aforesaid, the square is the only way to examine them by.