This is the first time I have cast this particular font, and although it mostly went well, I had one sort that miscast. The problem first showed up on a carbon-paper proof of the type:The ‘st’ ligature seemed to be…
Category: Equipment
Lanston Monotype Wedge Substitutions
Based on the data from Alembic Press’s Monotype information, there are a few normal wedges that are interchangeable. So far, this is just theoretical, so I haven’t tried this. And of course, any errors in my source data will reflect…
Making a Vandercook 320 carriage stop
As part of getting a Vandercook 320 proof press into working condition, I had to make a carriage stop/bumper block. One of the original ones was missing from the press. Another of the stops was held on with only one…
Another press spotted in a movie
Last night I was watching Terry Gilliam’s 1995 movie 12 Monkeys and in one scene I noticed one of my presses in the background. Well, of course not actually my press, but the same model. During the first scene inside…
Monotype Computer Control: First Run
I have my 12-point Binny Old Style diecase set up, so last Saturday, I tried my first run with my laptop controlling my Monotype Composition Caster. The text is a little note to include when I ship type across the…
Finding Missing Composition Matrices
I have a Monotype diecase for Lanston 12-point #21EFG Binny Old Style which includes most French accents, but was missing question and exclamations marks in both roman and italic, as well as the small cap Z. I was quite pleased…
Mystery Monotype Diecase Combs
When running a Monotype Composition Caster to cast from cellular matrices, the matrices are usually contained in a diecase, which holds a 225, 255, or 272 matrices in a grid arrangement. The caster positions this diecase to select the appropriate…
Video: First run of Monotype Compostion Caster Computer Control
I just posted a video on YouTube of the first run of my Monotype Composition Caster under control of my laptop computer. I have been working on the hardware and software for this interface on and off over several years,…
A collection of Monotype pumps
Someone recently asked me about spare parts for the pump for a Monotype caster so I went through what I have. In that last photo, top-to-bottom: A pair of wear shoes for Lanston pump bodies An English standard…
Giving up on Strip Casting (for now)
After several unsuccessful attempts at casting strip material on my Monotype Composition Caster, I’m giving up for a while. The problems I’ve been fighting with include: Unfused strip material, which easily breaks up into pieces Blowback through the nozzle seat…
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