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 as errors here as well (as will confusion on my part).

First, the following are completely equivalent:

S5 S718
S284 S77
S235B S236B

Furthermore, if you have Unit Shift available but are only using 15-row matcases, you can use Unit Shift to find the correct width from the next narrower row position for the following wedges:

Original Wedge Substitute(s)
S5 S77 S176 S284
S27 S5 S718
S29 S135
S34 S135
S77 S176
S119 S5 S77 S176 S284 S718
S150 S5 S27 S119 S718
S166 S22 S176
S176 S22
S266 S77 S176 S284 S301 S303
S283 S5 S77 S176 S266 S284 S718
S284 S176
S297 S595 S604
S298 S294
S299 S22 S176
S300 S294 S298
S302 S459
S303 S301
S314 S316
S320 S298 S300
S459 S297 S595 S604
S521 S22 S176
S606 S108 S604
S614 S200
S718 S77 S176 S284

So, for instance, if the arrangement calls for an S119 wedge, and you want to use S5 instead, when you need to cast from row 5 of the matcase (width 8 units on S119, but 9 units on S5), you instead code for row 4 with Unit Shift engaged. This will move the wedge to position 4 (width 8 units on S5 wedge) but the matcase to row position 5 selecting the correct matrix. I think this will all happen automatically if you are using the CompCat software to drive the caster and tell it you have an S5 wedge installed when you generate the ribbon file. Note that if you ribbon codes for row 15 with Unit Shift selected, the matcase may crash against the left hand side of the bridge (so don’t do that).

Finally, again using Unit Shift, you can also adjust (lengthen) the front drawbar so that the rows in the matrix case get their regular width when Unit Shift is selected for the cast, and without Unit Shift selected, you get the width from the next larger row. Note, though, that if your ribbon codes for row 1 with no Unit Shift, the matcase may crash against the right side of the bridge (again, so don’t do that).

Original Wedge Substitute(s)
S5 S27 S119 S124
S22 S176
S77 S5 S119 S124 S718
S119 S124
S200 S541 S614
S266 S283
S284 S5 S119 S124 S718
S294 S298
S297 S459
S300 S320
S301 S266 S303
S303 S266
S316 S314
S426 S283
S431 S22
S459 S302
S604 S297 S459 S595
S606 S299
S660 S606
S718 S27 S119 S124
S721 S301

This is the reverse of the first effect; To get this when using CompCat you must make up a 16-row MCA with the first row empty and the remaining rows shifted down one from their normal positions, and you must have the individual mats coded with their proper widths as if using the original wedge and a 15-row matcase.

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