LETTERING WITH CEMENT One of the branches of the cement business attracting attention at the present time is the manufacture of letters with cement. Cement letters have been used for years, but it is only recently that very much has been done in a prac tical way in this direction. The manufacture of cement letters has been restricted to the making of a few plain letters for special purposes. Some times letters of cement have been wanted to use on stone surfaces. Then, again, they are used on plate-glass fronts of stores, when properly finished. There are processes of coating the ce ment letters with finishing compositions by which a gloss is obtained. There are plating and nickeling operations for making the proper sur face on cement letters. But as a general rule, the cement letter is preferred in the rough state. The genuine surface of the cement presents a novelty in itself, and this surface is attractive to many persons. The makers of cement letters are often called upon to mould letters for exhibi tion purposes in advertising. In fact, the ce ment letter advertising tablets are among the most thriving divisions of the cement letter in dustry. The accompanying sketches will give
one an idea of the scope and service of the ce ment letter. The writer visited some of the ce ment works where letters were being made. The concrete block makers have in some cases put in cement letter-making devices as a side line of work.
While the plain letters are used to a larger degree than the fancy designs, you will observe some very unique effects in service. Letters constructed on the plan of the letter A shown in Fig. 24 are common. The letters of the old Eng lish type, as shown in the letter D, are popular. Then there are letters molded in form as in the G shown, and set upon a pin. The object of this combination is to align a number of letters on a certain level in the spelling out of a word or sentence. Then there are letters of the style shown in the R. There is an endless variety of patterns of letters, some with smooth, glossy surfaces, and others in mottled effect.