Matricesare sometimes either through a careless, or sometimes through an unlucky stroak or two of theFilemade too thin. And sometimes theFootof theMatriceis too much taken away, and the Letter bythat means stands too high inLine: And sometimes theFaceof theMatricesis too much taken away; So that the Letter will not standHigh enough against Paper.
To remedy all or any part of these inconveniencies,Foundersare forced to makeBotcheson theMatrice: As first, If theMatricebe too thin on the right or left-ide, or both; They prick up that side, by laying theMatriceflat on theWork-Bench, with the thin side upwards, and holding the point of aPunch-Graveraslope upon the thin side, with anHammerdrive the point into the thin side of theMatrice, and so raise aBurupon that side; whichBur(though it thicken not theMatrice, yet it) makes the side of theMatricestand off theRegister, and consequently is equevalent to thickning it.
The higher thisBuris raised, the better is theMatrice Botcht; because the thin fine points thus raised (if not pretty well flatted into the Substance of theBur) will quickly either wear off by the pressure of theRegisteragainst them, or else flatten into theBodyof theBur, and both ways makes theMatriceagain too thin.
Sometimes they do notBotchtheMatricethus for this fault; but only Paste a piece of Paper, or a Card, (according as it may want thickness) against the thin side of theMatriceand so thicken it.
But to mend the sides I use another Expedient,viz.by Soldering a piece ofPlate-Brassagainst its thin side or sides, which is much better thanBotchingit.
Secondly, If theMatricebe filed away too much at theFoot, they knock it up with thePenof theHammer; and stretch it between theFootand theOrificeof theMatrice, and thenJustifieit again inLine. Or a piece may beSolderedunder theFoot.
Thirdly, If theFaceof theMatricebe too much taken away, and either thePunchspoiled or theNotchin the back of theMatricemade so, as it cannot beSunkendeeper, they raise aBuron theFace, as they did on the thin sides, to keep theMatriceoff theCarriagesandBodieswhich Lengthens the height of the Letteragainst Paperso much as is the height of the raisedBur. But of all theBotchesthis is the worst, because theBeardlies now nearer theFace: And the hollow standing off of theFaceof theMatricefrom theCarriagesandBodies, subjects the Mettal to run between them, and so pesters the Workman to get the Letter out of theMoldandMatrice.
HAvingJustifiedtheMoldandMatrice, we come now toCastingofLetters: But yet we have neitherFurnance,Mettal, orLadle. Wherefore it is theFounderscare, first to provide these.
TheFurnanceI have described in Plate 20. It is built of Brick upright, with four square sides and a Stone on the top, in which Stone is a wide round hole for thePanto stand in.
a b c dThe square Stone at the top, covering the wholeFurnance. This is indeed theFurnance.a d,b cThe breadth two Foot and one Inch.a b,c dThe Length two Foot three Inches. Into the Breadth and Length about the whole Stone, is let in even with the top of the Stone a squareIron Bandtwo Inches deep, and a quarter and half quarter of an Inch thick to preserve the Edges of the Stone from battering.eThe round hole the Pan stands in, which hath anIron Platelet into it eight Inches diameter, an Inch and half broad and one quarter of an Inch thick.ThisIron-Plate fits theinsideof theHoleso far as it is Circular, and consequently is aSegmentof aCircle. But where theSmoak-ventbreaks off the Circularity of the Stone, there ends this Plate ofIron, that the Smoak may have the freer vent. Its Office also is to preserve the Edge of theHolefrom battering, with the oft taking out and putting in theIron Pan.fTheFunnelseven Inches high, and five Inches wide.gTheStoke-Holefour Inches wide, and six Inches long.h hThe height of theFurnancetwo Foot ten Inches.iTheAir-Holejust underneath the Hearth to let in Air that the Fire may burn the freer.kTheAsh-Holewhere the Ashes that fall from the Hearth are taken away.l m n oTheBenchtwo Foot broad, three Foot long, and two Foot eight Inches high. TheBenchis to empty the Letters out of theMoldupon, as theFounder Caststhem.
TheHearthlies seven Inches below the top of the roundHole, and hath under it another roundIron-Ringof the same demensions with the first, on which straightIron-Barsare fastened that theFireis laid on.
In the roundIron-Ring(or rather Segment) on the top of theFurnanceis set thePan, which is either aPlate Ladle, or a smallCast-Iron Kettlethat sinks into it within two Inches of theBrimsof thePan.
The MettalFoundersmakePrinting-Lettersof, isLeadhardned withIron: Thus they chusestub-Nailsfor the bestIronto Melt, as well because they are asuredstub-Nailsare made of good soft and toughIron, as because (they being in small pieces ofIron) will Melt the sooner.
To make theIron Run, they mingle an equal weight ofAntimony(beaten in an Iron-Morter into small pieces) andstub-Nailstogether. And preparing so many Earthen forty or fifty poundsMelting-Pots(made for that purpose to endure theFire) as they intend to use: TheyChargethese Pots with the mingledIronandAntimonyas full as they will hold.
Every time they MeltMettal, they build a newFurnanceto melt it in: ThisFurnanceis called anOpen Furnance; because the Air blows in through all its sides to Fan theFire: They make it of Bricks in a broad open place, as well because the Air may have free access to all its sides, as that the Vapours of theAntimony(which are Obnoxious) may the less offend those that officiate at theMakingtheMettal: And also because the Violent Fire made in theFurnanceshould not endanger the Firing any adjacent Houses.
They consider before they make theFurnancehow many Pots ofMettalthey intend to Melt, and make theFurnancesizable to that number: We will supposefivePots. Therefore they first make a Circle on the Ground capable to hold these fivePots, and wider yet by three or four Inches round about: Then within this Circle they lay a Course of Bricks close to one another to fill the Plain of that Platform, with their broad or flat sides downwards, and their ends all one way, and on this Course of Bricks they lay another Course of Bricks as before, only the Lengths of this Course of Bricks lies athwart the Breadths of the other Course of Bricks: Then they lay a third Course of Bricks with their lengths cross the Breadth of the second Course of Bricks.
Having thus raised a Platform, they place these fivePotsin the middle of it close to one another, and then on the Foundation or Platform raise theFurnanceround about by laying the Bricks of the firstLayend to end and flat, close to one another:On the secondLay, they place the middle of a Brick over aJoynt(asBrick-layerscall it) that is where the ends of two Bricks joyn together, and so again lay Bricks end to end till theyTrimround thePlatform. Then they lay a thirdLayof Bricks, covering theJoyntsof the secondLayof Bricks as before: So is the Foundation finisht.
Then they raise the Walls to theFurnanceon this Foundation; But do not lay the ends of their Bricks close together. But lay the ends of each Brick about three Inches off each other, to serve forWind-holestill theyTrimround about: Then they lay anotherLayof Bricks leaving other suchWind-holesover the middle of the lastLayof Bricks, and soTrimas they work round either with half Bricks or Bats that theWind-holesof the lastLaymay be covered: And in this manner and order they lay so manyLaystill the Walls of theFurnancebe raised about three Bricks higher than theMouthsof theMelting-Pots, still observing to leave suchWind-holesover the middle of every Brick that lies under eachLay.
Then they fill the sides of theFurnanceround about theMelting-Pots, and over them withCharcoal, andFireit at severalWind-holesin the bottom till it burn up and all over theFurnance, which a moderate Wind in about an Hours time will do: And about half an Hours time after they lay their Ears near the Ground and listen to hear aBublingin thePots; and this they do so often till they do hear it. When they hear thisBubling, they conclude theIronis melted: But yet they will let it stand, perhaps half an hour longer or more, according as they guessthe Fire to be Hotter or Cooler, that they may be the more assured it is all throughly Melted. And when it is Melted the MeltingPotwill not be a quarter full.
And in or against that time they make another smallFurnanceclose to the first, (to set anIron-Potin, in which they MeltLead) on that side from whence the Wind blows; Because the Person that Lades theLeadout of theIron-Pot(as shall be shewed by and by) may be the less annoyed with the Fumes of theMettal, in bothFurnances. ThisFurnanceis made of three or fourCourseof Bricks open to the windward, and wide enough to contain the designedIron-Pot, with room between it and the sides to hold a convenient quantity ofCharcoalunder it, and about it.
Into thisIron-Potthey put for every three Pound ofIron, about five and twenty pounds ofLead. And setting Fire to theCoalsin this littleFurnancethey Melt and Heat thisLeadRed-hot.
Hitherto a Man (nay, a Boy) might officiate all this Work; But now comes Labour would makeHerculessweat. Now they fall to pulling down so much of the side of the openFurnanceas stands above the Mouth of thatMelting-Potnext theIron-Pot, And having a thick strongIron Ladle, whoseHandleis about two Yards long, and theLadlebig enough to hold about ten Pounds ofLead, and thisLadleRed-hot that it chill not theMettal, they now I say with thisLadlefall to clearing this firstMelting-Potof all the Coals or filth that lie on the top of the MeltedMettal: while another Man at the same timestands provided with a long strong roundIron Stirring Poot; theHandleof whichStirring Pootis also about two Yards long or more, and thePootit self almost twice the length of the depth of the MeltingPot. ThisPootis nothing but a piece of the sameIronturned to a square with the Handle: And thisPootis also in a readiness heated Red-hot.
Now one Man with theLadleLadestheLeadout of theIron-Potinto the MeltingPot, while the other Man with thePootstirs and Labours theLeadandMettalin the MeltingPottogether till they think theLeadandMettalin the MeltingPotbe well incorporated: And thus they continueLadingandStirringtill they have near filled the MeltingPot.
Then they go to another nextMelting-Pot, and successively to all, and Lade and stirLeadinto them as they did into the first. Which done theMettalis made: And they pull down theWallsof theOpen Furnance, and rake away the Fire that theMettalmay cool in thePots.
Now (according to Custom) is Half a Pint of Sack mingled with Sallad Oyl, provided for each Workman to Drink; intended for an Antidote against the Poysonous Fumes of theAntimony, and to restore the Spirits that so Violent a Fire and Hard Labour may have exhausted.
Image: Plate 20.
Plate 20.
Letter-Ladlesdiffer nothing from other commonLadles, save in the size: Yet I have given you a Draft of one in Plate 20 at A. Of these theCasterhas many at Hand, and many of several sizes that he may successively chuse one to fit the several sizes ofLettershe has toCast; as well inBodiesas inThicknesses.
BEfore theCasterbegins toCasthe must kindle hisFirein theFurnance, toMelttheMettalin thePan. Therefore he takes thePanout of the Hole in the Stone, and there lays inCoalsand kindles them. And when it is well kindled, he sets thePanin again, and putsMettalinto it toMelt. If it be a smallBodyed-LetterheCasts, or a thinLetterof GreatBodies, hisMettalmust be very hot; nay, sometimes Red-hot to make the LetterCome. Then having chose aLadlethat will hold about so much as theLetterandBreakis, he lays it at theStoking-hole, where the Flame bursts out to heat. Then he ties a thin Leather cut into such a Figure as is described in Plate 20 at B with its narrow end against theFaceto theLeather-Grooveof theMatrice, by whipping a Brown Thread twice about theLeather-Groove, and fastning the Thread with a Knot. Then he puts both Halves of theMoldtogether, and putstheMatriceinto theMatrice Cheek, and places theFootof theMatriceon theStoolof theMold, and the broad end of theLeatherupon theWoodof the upper half of theMold, but not tight up, lest it might hinder theFootof theMatricefromSinkingclose down upon theStoolin a train of Work. Then laying a little Rosin on the upperWoodof theMold, and having hisCasting Ladlehot, he with the bolling side of it Melts the Rosin; And when it is yetMeltedpresses the broad end of theLeatherhard down on theWood, and so fastens it to theWood. All this is Preparation.
Now he comes toCasting. Wherefore placing the under-half of theMoldin his left hand, with theHookorHagforward, he clutches the ends of itsWoodbetween the lower part of theBallof his Thumb and his three hind-Fingers. Then he lays the upper half theMoldupon the under-half, so as theMale-Gagesmay fall into theFemale-Gages, and at the same time theFootof theMatriceplace it self upon theStool. And clasping his left-hand Thumb strong over the upper half of theMold, he nimbly catches hold of theBoworSpringwith his right-hand Fingers at the top of it, and his Thumb under it, and places the point of it against the middle of theNotchin the back-side of theMatrice, pressing it as well forwards towards theMold, as downwards by theSholderof theNotchclose upon theStool, while at the same time with his hinder-Fingers as aforesaid, he draws the under-half of theMoldtowards theBallof his Thumb, and thrusts by theBallof his Thumb the upper part towards his Fingers,that both theRegistersof theMoldmay press against both sides of theMatrice, and his Thumb and Fingers press both Halves of theMoldclose together.
Then he takes the Handle of hisLadlein his right Hand, and with theBollof it gives a stroak two or three outwards upon theSurfaceof theMelted Mettalto scum or clear it from the Film or Dust that may swim upon it. Then takes up theLadlefull ofMettal, and having hisMoldas aforesaid in his left hand, he a little twists the left side of hisBodyfrom theFurnance, and brings theGeatof hisLadle(full ofMettal) to theMouthof theMold, and twists the upper part of his right-hand towards him to turn theMettalinto it, while at the same moment of Time he Jilts theMoldin his left hand forwards to receive theMettalwith a strongShake(as it is call’d) not only into theBodiesof theMold, but while theMettalis yet hot, running swift and strongly into the veryFaceof theMatriceto receive its perfect Form there, as well as in theShanck.
Then he takes the upper half of theMoldoff the under-half, by placing his right-Hand Thumb on the end of theWoodnext his left-Hand Thumb, and his two middle-Fingers at the other end of theWood, and finding the Letter andBreaklie in the under-Half of theMold(as most commonly by reason of its weight it does) he throws or tosses the LetterBreakand all upon a Sheet of Waste-Paper laid for that purpose on theBenchjust a little beyond his left hand, and is then ready toCastanother Letter as before,and also the whole number that is to beCastwith thatMatrice.
But sometimes it happens that by aShake, or too big aLadle, the Mettal may spill or slabber over theMouthof the upper Half of theMold, so that the spiltMettalsticking about the outsides of theMouth, may lift the Letter off the under-half of theMold, and keep it in the upper half. Therefore he with the point of theHagin the Wood of the under-half of theMold, picks at the hollow in the fore part of theBreakmade by theShakingout of theMettal, and drawsBreakandLetterboth out. It sometimes sticks in the under-half of theMoldby the same cause, and then he uses the point of theHagin the upper half of theMold, to pick or hale it out, as before.
It also sometimes sticks when any of the Joynts of theMoldopen never so little, theMettalthus getting in between those Joynts: But this fault is not to be indured, for before he canCastany more, this fault must be mended.
But besidesLetters, there is to beCastfor a perfectFount(properly a Fund)SpacesThick and Thin, nQuadrats, mQuadratsandQuadrats. These are notCastwithMatricesbut withStops(as we may call them) Because when these areCastthey are all shorter than theShanckof the Letter, that they may notPrint. Therefore they take off theRegisterof the under-HalfMold, and fit a piece ofPlate-Brassabout aBrevierThick and aBrevierlonger than to reach to the edge of theBodyin the place of theRegister, and drill a hole in thisPlate-Brassright againstthe Hole in theCarriagethat theFemale-Screwlies in: This Hole is made so wide that theMale-Screwwhich screwed theRegisterclose to theCarriageandBodymay enter in at it, and screw thisPlate-Brassclose to them, as it did theRegister: Then they make a mark with the point of aNeedleon thePlate-Brassjust against the side of the Edge of theBody, and at this mark they double down the end of thePlate-Brassinwards to make a perfectSquarewith theinsideof the wholePlate. This doubling down is called theStopaforesaid, and must be made just so thick as they design the Thin or ThickSpaceto be, and must have its Upper and Under-Edges filed so exactly to theBody, that it may lie close upon the Under-Carriage, and just even so high as the upper-side of theBody. So that when the Upper half of theMoldis placed on the under-Half, andMettal Castin at theMouth(as before) theMettalshall descend no deeper between the twoBodiesthen just to hisStop: You must note that thisStopmust be filed exactly true as toBodyandThickness: For if it be never so little too big inBody, theCarriageof theMoldwill ride upon it and make theBodyof theSpacebigger. Or if theBodybe never so little too little, the HotMettalwill run beyond theStop; both which Miscarriages in making theStop, spoil theSpace.
If theSpacebe too short, they File the end of theStopshorter.
ThisBrevierthickPlatewill be thick enough forStopsfor the Thin or ThickSpacesof any Body though ofGreat-Cannon, and for the nQuadrat Stopof any Body under aGreat Primmer. And for the mQuadrat Stopof all to aBrevierand all Bodies under it. But forStopsthat require to be Thicker then aBrevier, instead of doubling theStopinwards on thePlate, ISolderon the inside of that end of thePlateaStopfull big enough in Body, and big enough in Thickness for theQuadratI intend to make, and afterwards file and fit theStopexactly as before.
When theyCasttheseSpacesorQuadrats, thisStopis always screwed fast upon theCarriageof the under-HalfMoldas aforesaid. So that they only fit the upper halfMoldon the under, andCasttheir Number almost twice as quick as they do the Letters inMatrices.
It is generally observed byWork-menas a Rule, That when theyCast QuadratstheyCastthem exactly to the Thickness of a set Number of m’s orBody,viz.two m’s thick, three m’s thick, four m’s thick,&c.And therefore theStopsaforesaid must all be filed exactly to their several intended thicknesses, The reason is, that when theCompositerIndents any Number of Lines, he may haveQuadratsso exactlyCastthat he shall not need toJustifiethem either withSpacesor other helps.
1. If the Letter be a smallBody, it requires a HarderShakethan a greatBodydoes: Or if it be a thin Letter though of a greaterBody, especiallysmalli, being a thin Letter its Tittle will hardlyCome; So that sometimes theCasteris forced to put a littleBlock-Tininto his Mettal, which makes the Mettal Thinner, and consequently have a freer flux to theFaceof theMatrice.
2. He often examines theRegistersof theMold, by oftenRubbingaCastLetter: For notwithstanding theRegisterswere carefullyJustifiedbefore, and hard screwed up; yet the constant thrusting of bothRegistersagainst the sides of theMatrice, may and often do force them more or less to drive backwards. Or a fall of one half or both Halfs of theMold, may drive them backwards or forwards: Therefore he examins, as I said, how theyRub, whether too Thick or too Thin. And if he see Cause, mends theRegisters, as I shew’d §. 5. ¶. 2.
Or if theMatricebeBotcht, as I shew’d you §. 5. ¶. 3. then thoseBotches(being only so many fine points rising out of the Body of theCopperof theMatrice) may with so many reiterated pressures of theRegistersagainst them, flatten more and more, and press towards the Body of theMatrice, and consequently make the Letter Thinner: Which if it do, this must be mended in theMatriceby re-raising it to its due Thickness.
3. He pretty often examins, as I shew’d in §. 5. ¶. 2. how the Letters stand inLine: For when great Numbers areCastwith oneMatrice, partly by pressing the point of theWyeragainst theBottom-Sholderof theNotchin the back-side of theMatrice, and partly by the softness of the matter of hisMatriceand hardness of theIron-stool, theFootof theMatrice(ifit wear not) may batter so much as to put the Letter out of Line. This must be mended with aBotch,viz.by knocking up theFootof theMatrice, as I shew’d §. 5. ¶. 3.
A Workman willCastabout four thousand of these Letters ordinarily in one day.
Breakingoff is commonly Boys-work: It is only toBreaktheBreakfrom theShanckof theLetter. All the care in it is, that he take up theLetterby its Thickness, not itsBody(unless its Thickness be equal to its Body) with the fore-inger and Thumb of his right Hand as close to theBreakas he can, lest if when theBreakbe between the fore-Finger and Thumb of his left hand, the force ofBreakingoff theBreakshould bow theShanckof theLetter.
RubbingofLettersis also most commonly Boys-work: But when they do it, they provideFinger-stallsfor the two fore-Fingers of the right-Hand: For else the Skin of their Fingers would quickly rub off with the sharp greet of the Stone. TheseFinger-stallsare made of oldBall-LeatherorPeltsthatPrintershave done with: Then having an heap of one sort ofLetterslying upon the Stone before them, with the left hand they pick up theLetterto beRub’d, and lay it down in theRubbingplace withone of its sides upwards they clap the Balls of the fore-Finger and middle-Finger upon the fore and hinder-ends of theLetter, andRubbingtheLetterpretty lightly backwards about eight or nine Inches, they bring it forwards again with an hard pressingRubupon theStone; where the fore-Finger and Thumb of the left-Hand is ready to receive it, and quickly turn the opposite side of theLetter, to take such aRubas the other side had.
But inRubbingthey are very careful that they press the Balls of their Fingers equally hard on theHeadandFootof theLetter. For if theHeadandFootbe not equally prest on theStone, either theHeadorFootwilldrive-outwhen theLetterscome to beComposedin theStick; So that withoutRubbingover again they cannot beDrest.
Amongst theItalick-Lettersmany are to beKern’d, some only on one side, and some both sides. TheKern’d-Lettersare such as have part of theirFacehanging over one side or both sides of theirShanck: These cannot beRub’d, because part of theFacewouldRubaway when the whole side of theShanckis toucht by theStone: Therefore they must beKern’d, asFounderscall it: Which to do, they provide a small Stick bigger or less, according as theBodyof theLetterthat is to beKern’d. ThisKerning-stickis somewhat more than an Handful long, and it matters not whether it be square or round: But if it be square the Edges of it must be prettywell rounded away, lest with long usage and hard Cutting they Gall the Hand. The upper-side of thisKerning-Stickis flatted away somewhat more than the length of theLetter, and on that flat part is cut away a flat bottom with two square sides like theSidesorLedgesof theLining-stickto serve for twoSholders. That side to beKern’dandscrap’d, is laid upwards, and its opposite side on the bottom of theKerning-stickwith theFootof theLetteragainst the bottomSholder, and the side of theLetteragainst the sideSholderof theKerning-stick.
He also provides aKerning-Knife: This is a pretty strong piece of a broken Knife, about three Inches long, which he fits into a Wooden-Handle: But first he breaks off the Back of the Knife towards the Point, so as the whole edge lying in a straight line the piece broken off from the back to the edge may leave an angle at the point of about 45 Degrees, which irregular breaking (for so we must suppose it) he eitherGrindsorRubsoff on aGrind-stone. Then he takes a piece of a Broom-stick for his Handle, and splits one end of it about two Inches long towards the other end, and the split part he either Cuts or Rasps away about aBrevierdeep round about that end of the Handle. Then he puts about an Inch and an half of his broken blade into the split or slit in the Handle, and ties a four or five doubled Paper a little below the Rasped part of the Handle round about it, to either aPicaorLong-Primmerthick of the slit end of the Handle. ThisPaperis so ordered that all its sides round about shall stand equally distant from allthe Rasped part of the Handle: For then setting the other end of the Handle in Clay, or otherwise fastening it upright, whenMettalis poured in between the Rasped part of the Handle and the Paper about it, thatMettalwill make a strongFerrilto theHandleof theKnife. The irregularities that may happen inCastingthisFerrilmay be Rasped away to make it more handy and Handsome.
Now to return again where I left off. Holding the Handle of theKerning-stickin his left hand, He lays the side of theLetterto beKern’dupwards with theFaceof theLettertowards the end of theKerning-stick: the side of theLetteragainst the sideSholderof theKerning-stick, and theFootof theLetteragainst the bottomSholderof theKerning-stick, and laying the end of the Ball of his left-Hand Thumb hard upon theShanckof theLetterto keep itsSideandFootsteddy against theSholdersof theKerning-stick, he with theKerning-Knifein his right-Hand cuts off about one quarter of theMettalbetween theBeardof theShanckand theFaceof theLetter. Then turning hisKnifeso as the back of it may lean towards him, he scrapes towards him with the edge of theKnifeabout half the length of that upper-side,viz.about so much as his Thumb does not cover: Then he turns theFaceof theLetteragainst the lowerSholderof theKerning-stick, and scraping fromwards him with a stroak or two of hisKnifesmoothens that end of theLetteralso.
If the other side of theLetterbe not to beKern’dit was beforeRub’don theStone, as was shewed in the last ¶: But if it be to beKern’d, then he makes a little hole in hisKerning-stick, close to the lowerSholderof it and full deep enough to receive all that part of theFaceof theLetterthat hangs over theShanck, that theShanckof theLettermay lie flat and solid on the bottom of theKerning-stick, and that so theShanckof theLetterbow not when the weight of the hand presses the edge of theKerning-Knifehard upon it. Into this hole he puts (as before said) so much of theFaceof theLetteras hangs over the side of theShanck, and so scrapes the lower end of theLetterandKernsthe upper end, as he did the former side of theLetter.
I described in §. 5. ¶. 2. theLining-stick, But now we are come toSetting up, orComposingofLetters. TheFoundermust provide manyComposing-Sticks; five or six dozen at the least. TheseComposing-sticksare indeed but longLining-sticks, about seven or eight and twenty Inches longHandleand all: Whereof theHandleis about three Inches and an half long: But as theLining-stickI described was made ofBrass: So theseComposing-sticksare made ofBeech-Wood.
When the BoySetsupLetters(for it is commonly Boys-Work) TheCaster Castsabout an hundredQuadratsof the sameBodyabout half an Inch broad at least, let theBodybe what it will, and ofthe length of the wholeCarriage, only by placing a flatBrassorIron Plateupon theStoolof theMoldclose against theCarriageandBody, to stop theMettalfrom running farther.
The Boy (I say) takes theComposing-stickby theHandlein his left hand, clasping it about with his four Fingers, and puts theQuadratfirst into theComposing-stick, and lays the Ball of his Thumb upon it, and with the fore-Finger and Thumb of his right-Hand, assisted by his middle-Finger to turn theLetterto a proper position, with itsNickupwards towards the bottom side of theComposing-stick; while it is coming to theStick, he at the same time lifts up the Thumb of his left-Hand, and with it receives and holds theLetteragainst the fore-side of theQuadrat, and after it, all theLettersof the same sort, if theStickwill hold them, If not heSetsthem in so manySticksas will hold them: Observing toSetall theNicksof them upwards, as aforesaid. And as heSetaQuadratat the beginning of theComposing-stick, so he fills not hisStickso full, but that he maySetanother suchQuadratat the end of it.
1. If theyDrivea little out atHeadorFoot, so little as not to require newRubbingagain, then he holds his Thumb harder against theHeadorFoot, so as to draw theDrivingend inward: For else when they come toScraping, andDressingtheHookof theDressing-Hookdrawing Square, will endanger the middle or some other part ofLettersin theSticktoSpringout: And when they come into theDressing-block, theKnotsof theBlocksdrawing also square subject them to the same inconvenience. And if theyDriveout at theHead, theFeetwill more or less stand off one another: So that when theToothof thePlowcomes toDresstheFeet, it will more or less job against everyLetter, and be apt to make a bowing at theFeet, or at least make aBuron their sides at theFeet.
2. WhenShort-Lettersare begun to beSetup in aStick, the wholeStickmust be fill’d withShort-Letters: Because when they areDressing, theShort Lettersmust beBeardedon both sides theBody: And shouldShort-LettersorAscendingorDescendingorLongstand together, theShortcannot beBeardedbecause theStemsof theAscendingorDescendingorLong-Lettersreach upon theBodyto theBeard: So that theShort-Letterscannot beBearded, unless theStemsof the otherLettersshould be scraped off.
3. WhenLong-Lettersare begun to beSetup in theStick, none but such must fill it, for the reason aforesaid.
4. If anyLetters Kern’don one side be to beSetup, and theStemsof the sameLettersreach not to the oppositeBeardas s or f, inSettingup these or such likeLetters, every nextLetteris turned with itsNickdownwards, that theKernof eachLettermay lie over theBeardof its next. But then they must be allSetup again with aShort-Letterbetween each, that they may beBearded.
Image: Plate 21.
Plate 21.
As everyStick-fullis set up, he sets them by upon theRacks, ready for theDressertoDress, as shall be shewed in the next §.
TheRacksare described inPlate 21.at A. They are made of SquareDeal Battensabout seven Inches and an half long, as ata b a b a b, and are at the endsb b blet into two uprightStiles, standing about sixteen Inches and an half assunder, and the fore-ends of theRacksmounting a little, that whenSticksofLettersisSetby on any two parallelRacks, there may be no danger that theLettersin them shall slide off forward; but theirFeetrest against theBottom-Ledgesof theComposing-sticks. They set by as many of theseStickswithLetterin them, as will stand upon one another between every twoRails, and then set another pile ofStickswithLetterin them before the first, till the length of theRailbe also filled withSticksofLetterbefore one another. They set all theSticksofLetterswith their ends even to one another with theFacesof theLetterforwards.
ThisFrame of Racksis always placed near theDressing-Bench, that it may stand convenient to theLetter-DressersHand.
THere be several Tools and Machines used to theDressingofLetters: And unless I should describe them to you first, you might perhaps in my following discourse not well understandme: Wherefore I shall begin with them: They are as follows.
1. TheDressing-Sticks.2. TheBench,Blocksand its Appurtenances.3. TheDressing-Hook.4. TheDressing-Knife.5. ThePlow.6. TheMallet.
Of each of these in order.
I need give no other Description of theDressing-sticks, than I did in the last §. and ¶. of theComposing-Sticks: Only they are made of hard Wood, and of greater Substance, as well because hard Wood will work smoother than soft Wood, as because greater Substance is less Subject to warp or shake than smaller Substance is. And also because hard Wood is less Subject to be penetrated by the sharpness of theBurof theMettalon theLettersthan the soft.
TheBlock-Groveis described inPlate 21. a b. TheGroovein which theBlocksare laid, two Inches deep, and seven Inches and an half wide at one end, and seven Inches wide at the other end: One of theCheeksascis three Inches and an half broad at one end, and three Inches broad at the other end, and the otherCheekthree Inches broad the wholeLength: The Length of theseCheeksare two and twenty Inches.
Image: Plate 22.
Plate 22.
TheWedgee fis seven and twenty Inches and an half long, two Inches broad at one end, and three Inches and an half broad at the other end; And two Inches deep.
g g g gTheBenchon which theDressing-Blocksare placed, are about sixteen Inches broad, and two Foot ten Inches high from the Floor. TheBenchhath its farther Side, and both ends, railed about with slit-Deal about two Inches high, that theHook, theKnife, andPlow, &c. fall not off when the Workman is at Work.
TheBlocksare described inPlate 21at a b: They are made of hard Wood. TheseBlocksare six and twenty Inches long, and each two Inches square. They areMaleandFemale, a theMale, b theFemale: Through the whole Length of theMale-Blockruns aTongueas ata b, and aGrooveas atc d, for theTongueof thePlowto run in; ThisTongueis about half an Inch thick, and stands out square from the upper and under-sides of theBlock. About three Inches within the ends of theBlockis placed aKnotas atc c: TheseKnotsare small square pieces ofBox-wood, the one above, and the other below theTongue.
TheFemale Blockis such anotherBlockas theMale Block, only, instead of aTonguerunning through the length of it aGrooveis made to receive theTongueof theMale-Block, and theKnotsin thisBlockare made at the contrary ends, that when theFaceof aStickofLetteris placed on theTonguetheKnotin theMale-Blockstops theStickofLetterfrom sliding forwards, while the otherKnotin theFemale-Blockat the other end, by the knocking of aMalleton the end of theBlockforces theLetterbetween theBlocksforwards, and so the wholeStickofLettersbetween these twoKnotsare screwzed together, and by theWedgee finPlate 21(also with the force of aMallet)Wedgesthe twoBlocksand theStickofLetterin them also tight, and close between the sides of the twoBlocks; that afterwards thePlowmay more certainly do its Office upon theFootof theLetter; as shall be shewed hereafter.1