TYPES, METHOD OF CASTING. The exact form of every type is cut out of well tempered steel, so as to form a steel punch, with a solid type at its extremity. This steel punch is used to convey a hollow impression from the type to a piece of brass or copper. This impression when well cleared of all roughness is the matrix of the type.
This matrix is placed at the bottom of a mould which is constructed with great ingenuity. The type metal, consisting of lead, with a due propor tion of regulus of antimony, is then melted, and by means of an iron ladle, the workman pours a por tion of it into the mould, which descends into the matrix and forms the type. By means of the me chanism of the mould, he is able to toss the type out on a piece of paper, and he proceeds to form other types in succession. This operation is ma naged with such dexterity that a workman can cast about 3000 of these letters in one day.
The types when sufficiently accumulated are taken away by boys, who break off the jets or little ingots of metal, while another set of boys take them from the first set and polish the broad side of the types upon smooth stones. Another set of boys
arrange the types on long rules or dressing sticks. A clever workman then polishes all the sides of each column or row with a sharp but thick-edged razor. The types are next bearded or barbed by running a plane faced with steel along the shoulder of the body next to the face, which takes a greater or a less quantity off the corner of each type. The next operation is that of grooving, which is per formed by a steel cutter which makes an uniform groove along the whole row of types.
When the types are thus dressed, the imperfect letters are picked out, and the whole are then put up into pages and papers ready for use.