the Papertrail
type: channel
date: 2026-04-21T15:32:32Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
generator agent: https://wordpress.org/
items: Monotype Fo(u)nt Scheme Oddity
items: Monotype Computer Interface Compatibility Woes
items: Papermaking in Japan—Part 3
items: Papermaking in Japan—Part 2
items: Papermaking in Japan—Part 1
items: Monotype Computer Interface—Creeping Obsolescence
items: Grimsby Wayzgoose, April 25th, 2026
items: BOUND Book Arts Fair, December 7th, 2025
items: Whitlock Timing Issue?
items: Ludlow Throat Heater Replacement

Monotype Fo(u)nt Scheme Oddity
type: item
date: 2026-04-21T15:32:32Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Font Casting
description: I was casting some type this week when I noticed an oddity on the font schemes listed in the back of the The Monotype Casting Machine Manual, which is the basis for my usual casting font schemes. The font scheme… Read more ›
encoded: I was casting some type this week when I noticed an oddity on the font schemes listed in the back of the The Monotype Casting Machine Manual, which is the basis for my usual casting font schemes. The font scheme gives the count of how many of each sort are cast to make up a font, and these were based on English text from around the early twentieth century. Although some foundries would sell type with uppercase, lowercase, points (punctuation), and figures each being packaged separately, allowing the customer to make their own upper-/lowercase balance, the Monotype schemes are for a complete set including both upper- and lowercase as well as figures and points. There are two basic schemes: The ‘body’ scheme represents the letter frequencies encountered when composing running text in full sentences and paragraphs. The ‘jobber’ scheme represents the frequencies encountered when composing titles, headings, point-form lists, and other such items which generally require many more uppercase letters. If you compare the two classes of schemes, it is generally the case that the counts of lowercase are the same, but in the Jobber schemes, the uppercase count if increased by about 2 less than 0.28 times the count of the corresponding lowercase. So, for instance with the letter ‘e’, either scheme has 118 lowercase, the body scheme has 12 uppercase, and the jobber scheme has 44 uppercase, which is close to 12+0.28×118-2 (equaling about 43). That 0.28 figure is very vaguely in the ballpark of the reciprocal of the average word length (5 letters), and so what you would expect for titles, where pretty much every word is capitalized. For the rarer letters, this formula gets fudged a bit, with uppercase ‘Z’ having 4 sorts in either case, and ‘F’ having 6 in body and 10 in jobber, but with 24 lowercase, the formula yields 13. Some other letters are one or two extra uppercase away from the formula as well. The real outlier, though, is M, where the jobber scheme actually has 4 fewer than…

Monotype Computer Interface Compatibility Woes
type: item
date: 2026-04-14T14:24:33Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Caster Computer Control
subject: Equipment Acquisition, Repair, and Maintenance
subject: Kevin
description: MS Windows So far, I have been using a MS Windows system to connect to my Monotype computer interface. The software that runs on the computer is written in Java so it can be run on other operating systems without… Read more ›
encoded: MS Windows So far, I have been using a MS Windows system to connect to my Monotype computer interface. The software that runs on the computer is written in Java so it can be run on other operating systems without needing to be modified or compiled for that system. All you need is to have a sufficiently new Java installation on the computer. Moving to Linux I had recently set up a Linux system (specifically, Ubuntu) and one thing I wanted to try was my computer interface. After a bit of fiddling around, one change in the Java code, and one change in the firmware on the interface, I got it to work. Sort of. There are some issues, though: The first is that, as with many other devices, Ubuntu presents the connected USB devices as special files in its file system. By default, only root (the “super user”) can access these files, so for now to get things to work I must use the root account to grant access to these special files to my (unprivileged) user account. Each time the USB is disconnected and reconnected, a fresh special file entry is made, so the permissions must be fixed again. Ubuntu provides a solution to this problem. There is a specific shell script which is run when changes are made to these special files, and this script runs as root, so it can sniff the new files and, based on what it finds, do things, including setting permissions, to suit. For this interface, code can be added to the script to recognize the Monotype interface and set the required permissions automatically. The second problem is that the communications seem a bit flaky. At times the Java code is unable to obtain even basic information like the device type. It seems that the code on Linux that is communicating with the USB interface does not do any retrying if there is a transient error. Some analysis reveals that at some level this appears as the standard Linux error code EPIPE, but other USB-specific code is referring to a STALL condition on the interface. For some reason this is not a pr…

Papermaking in Japan—Part 3
type: item
date: 2026-04-05T14:23:43Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Kevin
subject: Oguni Washi intensive workshop
subject: Paul Denhoed
description: Arrival in Nagaoka I arrived in town about an hour before the other participants and walked to my hotel, the Route Inn Nagaoka Ekimae just across the street from the train station. It was before the check-in time of 3pm,… Read more ›
encoded: Arrival in Nagaoka I arrived in town about an hour before the other participants and walked to my hotel, the Route Inn Nagaoka Ekimae just across the street from the train station. It was before the check-in time of 3pm, and I expected to have to leave my luggage in storage until then, but my room was already ready so I got to check in early. Paul Denhoed, the workshop organizer, had already made all the booking arrangements including my extra night’s stay after the workshop due to the timing of my return flight. I returned to the train station to meet everyone else as they arrived, and we all trekked back to the hotel and checked in. Paul actually lives in Tokyo so he was also staying at the hotel. One interesting perq of the hotel was that you had the option to forego some of the full daily room cleanings, and instead receive tokens for either of the dispensing machines near the lobby, one for alcoholic beverages, and one for non-alcoholic. The tokens are different and so you have to decide when you collect the tokens, though I expect you could trade them at the front desk. Daily schedule Every day, we would get breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Breakfast was a buffet which included some western items (generally scrambled eggs, bacon or sausages, and bread) but was mostly Japanese food usually also with some other Asian offering like a curry or stir-fry. There was always soup, and a rice dispensing machine—you put your bowl on the stand and press a button for a small, medium or large serving! <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4516" class="wp-image-4516 size-large" src="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260317_070053-1-649x1024.jpg" alt="" width="605" height="955" srcset="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260317_070053-1-649x1024.jpg 649w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260317_070053-1-190x300.jpg 190w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260317_070053-1-768x1213.jpg 7…

Papermaking in Japan—Part 2
type: item
date: 2026-03-30T15:52:23Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Kevin
subject: Oguni Washi intensive workshop
description: For my trip to Japan for the Oguni Washi intensive workshop, I opted to stay a few days in Tokyo beforehand. This gave me a better combination of travel time and airfare for the flights, and also gave me some… Read more ›
encoded: For my trip to Japan for the Oguni Washi intensive workshop, I opted to stay a few days in Tokyo beforehand. This gave me a better combination of travel time and airfare for the flights, and also gave me some time to adjust to the 13-hour time difference from home. One nice surprise was the cost of things, in general. I’ve heard that Japan has a reputation of being an expensive place to travel, but I found that the costs for meals and local transportation were not much different than back home, and the hotels, at least the ones I stayed at, were cheaper than at home. It was very convenient that at the time, the Japanese Yen was worth almost exactly one Canadian cent, so converting prices in my head was trivial. Given the high standards for the transportation systems, it was actually much better value that at home. The flight out I had a direct flight from Toronto to Haneda Airport on Air Canada, flight number AC 1 (!). I also booked Air Canada’s bus service from the Waterloo Regional Airport to Toronto. At the time there seemed to be no additional cost for this, and it has the big advantage that it is considered a leg of the journey so it the bus were late (for instance, due to traffic) and I were to miss the flight to Haneda as a result, I would be re-booked on a later flight. The flight was pretty much a great circle course (the equivalent to a straight line on a sphere), which took us over Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories. I didn’t get good pictures of these through the window, but I did get a good shot of the Mackenzie River. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4503" class="size-large wp-image-4503" src="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260310_184143-1024x485.jpg" alt="" width="605" height="287" srcset="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260310_184143-1024x485.jpg 1024w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260310_184143-300x142.jpg 300w, https://papertrail.ca/b…

Papermaking in Japan—Part 1
type: item
date: 2026-03-25T13:05:12Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Kevin
subject: Oguni Washi intensive workshop
subject: Past Events
description: I recently returned from a week-long workshop on Japanese papermaking at a shop in Japan. The workshop ran from March 15th-21st, and was held at Oguni Washi, located in Oguni, about 20 minutes’ drive south of Nagaoka, in the Niigata… Read more ›
encoded: I recently returned from a week-long workshop on Japanese papermaking at a shop in Japan. The workshop ran from March 15th-21st, and was held at Oguni Washi, located in Oguni, about 20 minutes’ drive south of Nagaoka, in the Niigata prefecture of Japan. The workshop was organized and facilitated by Paul Denhoed, who in the distant past was also involved in the origins of the Papertrail, and hosted by Hiroaki and Chihiro Imai who run the paper mill. Paul is originally from Toronto but has been living in Japan for 25 years. The Imais only know a few words of English, so Paul, who speaks fluent Japanese, provided services as an interpreter. Paul did most of the teaching, with Hiroaki, whom we called Imai-san (more or less “Mr. Imai” but gender-neutral) doing most of the demonstrations and material preparations. Chihiro (also “Imai-san” when Hiroaki was not around) filled in the gaps when Horiaki was out on an errand or busy with other work. There were four participants from diverse backgrounds: myself, Alex Bonton from Montreal but originally from France, Michele (an Italian name, so pronounced mee-kay-lay) from Singapore but originally from northern Italy, and Clara from Florida but originally from Argentina. Alex has recently hosted a su-making workshop at Bishop’s University which I attended. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4487" class="wp-image-4487 size-large" src="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/S__61726744-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="605" height="340" srcset="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/S__61726744-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/S__61726744-300x169.jpg 300w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/S__61726744-768x432.jpg 768w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/S__61726744-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/S__61726744-100x56.jpg 100w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/S__…

Monotype Computer Interface—Creeping Obsolescence
type: item
date: 2026-02-10T15:59:31Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Caster Computer Control
subject: Kevin
description: It appears that my progress on my Monotype computer interface is so slow that parts obsolescence is catching up with me. A few months ago I was looking into future supply of parts for the interface and found that the… Read more ›
encoded: It appears that my progress on my Monotype computer interface is so slow that parts obsolescence is catching up with me. A few months ago I was looking into future supply of parts for the interface and found that the UDN2987 IC’s I was using had been discontinued by the manufacturer and were no longer available. These convert the individual air line signals from the low-power digital outputs of the microcontroller to high-current sources that can activate the solenoid pneumatic valves. There was nothing else with similar functionality (8 logic inputs driving 8 high-current loads) available either. All the new high-current drivers either use a custom single-bit interface to control them or use I²C (a standard for communications between digital components). This would ultimately simplify the circuit because these can all be chained and so use only one digital output on the microcontroller , whereas the current circuit needs 31 digital outputs, one for each air signal. But is still requires changing the circuit and PCB layout. Just this week, I received a notification that the NXP LPC1343 microcontroller chip I’m using was also becoming obsolete, and only available up until about a year from now. It is also implied that the entire family of microcontrollers was discontinued. I might switch to one of the ATMega microcontrollers used in Arduino products. That should at least ensure me reasonable support into the future. So it looks like I’m in for a major circuit redesign, but it should ultimately simplify the circuit and require a lower-line microcontroller. All that will be needed is one or two digital outputs (or I²C lines) and one analog (A/D) input to read the caster cycle sensor, a far cry from the 32 signals in the current design. On the other hand, this will allow the PCB to shrink a bit, providing an easier fit (it looks like the current version will require removing the ribbon take-up spool). The new controller version would also move the cycle sensor and re-ar…

Grimsby Wayzgoose, April 25th, 2026
type: item
date: 2026-02-05T22:03:34Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Grimsby Wayzgoose
subject: Upcoming Events
subject: Us
description: The 48th Grimsby Wayzgoose book arts fair will be held on Saturday, April 25th, 2026, and the Grimsby Public Art Gallery in Grimsby, Ontario. This fair features dozens of artists and artisans selling their book-arts-related wares, including paper, marbling, fine… Read more ›
encoded: The 48th Grimsby Wayzgoose book arts fair will be held on Saturday, April 25th, 2026, and the Grimsby Public Art Gallery in Grimsby, Ontario. This fair features dozens of artists and artisans selling their book-arts-related wares, including paper, marbling, fine press books, and printed ephemera. the Papertrail will have a table there selling some of our handmade paper, marbled paper, and other supplies for the book arts. If there is something specific you want to purchase from us, contact us ahead of the fair and we can bring your order along with us, so you avoid shipping charges. This event takes place at the Grimsby Public Library building, 18 Carnegie Lane, Grimsby, Ontario, and runs from 9am to 5pm. Admission is free, and free parking is available at both the front and rear entrances of the library as well as any of several nearby municipal parking lots. If you want to use public transit, the library is less than a block away from the Grimsby GO station (note this is a bus-only service; the GO Train does not stop in Grimsby, though there is infrequent Via Rail service).

BOUND Book Arts Fair, December 7th, 2025
type: item
date: 2025-10-29T19:41:17Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: BOUND Book Arts Fair
subject: Past Events
subject: Us
description: The annual BOUND Book Arts Fair will take place this year on Saturday, December 7th, 2025, at the Arts & Letters Club, 14 Elm Street, in Toronto (just west off Yonge, a block south of Gerrard). This fair will feature… Read more ›
encoded: The annual BOUND Book Arts Fair will take place this year on Saturday, December 7th, 2025, at the Arts & Letters Club, 14 Elm Street, in Toronto (just west off Yonge, a block south of Gerrard). This fair will feature limited edition handmade books, artist’s books, prints, broadsides, cards, ephemera, and more. We’ll have a table there (on the third floor) selling paper, both marbled and handmade, bookbinding tools and supplies, as well as a few letterpress things too! The fair is open from 11am-5pm and admission is free.

Whitlock Timing Issue?
type: item
date: 2025-10-28T15:40:43Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Equipment Acquisition, Repair, and Maintenance
subject: Kevin
subject: Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum
description: When setting up the Mackenzie Printery‘s Whitlock press for this summer’s Marshville Heritage Festival, I noticed that the press bed has a line marked across it clearly labeled “H L”. I assume this stands for “Head Line”, which is the line… Read more ›
encoded: When setting up the Mackenzie Printery‘s Whitlock press for this summer’s Marshville Heritage Festival, I noticed that the press bed has a line marked across it clearly labeled “H L”. I assume this stands for “Head Line”, which is the line on the bed which aligns with the leading edge of the sheet of paper (or, perhaps, just clears the grippers). I had noticed that the actual forme of type on the bed, which was printing at the correct place on the paper, was well over this line and in fact almost hanging over the edge of the bed. I felt this might be an issue with the timing of the press. I took a copy of the poster that had just been printed, placed it on the inked forme still in the press (in the same orientation as the original impression), with the edge of the paper lined up with the “H L” mark, and rubbed the back of the paper to take a crude impression of the form. The two impressions were about 1⅛″ apart. This made me feel that the bed was off by a tooth in the gearing that drives it. I also took an impression of the bed drive gear using the oil/grease that was on it, and determined that the drive rack had a pitch of ¾″. Later, when the forme had been removed, I placed some lumps of Plasticine on the press bed to measure exactly how the edges of the impression area of the cylinder lined up with the bed. This required a bit of timing finesse and manual turning of the press to get good measurements rather than just smearing off the top of the Plasticine. This is how things looked at the leading edge; unfortunately, camera perspective distorts the apparent measurements off the measuring tape. The 7″ mark lines up with the “H L” line, and the impression in the Plasticine is about at the 5⅞″ mark, confirming my other measurement.<img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4453" src="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Leading-edge-1024x1003.jpg" alt="" width="605" height="593" srcset="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Leading-…

Ludlow Throat Heater Replacement
type: item
date: 2025-10-28T14:36:35Z
creator: kpmartin
subject: Equipment Acquisition, Repair, and Maintenance
subject: Kevin
subject: Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum
subject: Ludlow Typograph
description: Last year I had noticed that the Ludlow Typograph Model L at the Mackenzie Printery was taking a long time to warm up and was also producing poor slugs unless it was casting more or less continuously. Some investigation with… Read more ›
encoded: Last year I had noticed that the Ludlow Typograph Model L at the Mackenzie Printery was taking a long time to warm up and was also producing poor slugs unless it was casting more or less continuously. Some investigation with an ohmmeter revealed that the throat heater circuit was open. The pot on the Ludlow has three heaters, a main one for the pot proper, one for the mouthpiece that contacts the mould when casting, and one for the throat which is a passage between the pump and the mouthpiece. With the throat heater out of commission, the only thing keeping the type metal in the throat molten was conduction from the main pot or constant flow of metal from the main pot by casting a lot. The Printery had a collection of used and new-old-stock Ludlow throat heaters, part of a donation of items from Ruth Black a few years ago, so I started working on replacing the heater. This requires removing the pot, which in turn pretty much requires draining the pot (though even then it is still quite heavy). Once the pot is removed it can be flipped over and the covers for the throat heater and underside wiring can be removed. I left the wiring from the controller to the pot connected, so I had the pot perched on a chair behind the caster.<img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4442" src="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Old-heater-1024x270.jpg" alt="" width="605" height="160" srcset="https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Old-heater-1024x270.jpg 1024w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Old-heater-300x79.jpg 300w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Old-heater-768x202.jpg 768w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Old-heater-1536x405.jpg 1536w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Old-heater-100x26.jpg 100w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Old-heater-150x40.jpg 150w, https://papertrail.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Old-heater-200x53.jpg 200w, h…