CUTTING AND CREASING (Continued)
We have now described the machinery and material which are essential
for a modern cutting and creasing plant, and with these matters
disposed of we will next take up the subjects of making the steel
dies, press-work, etc.
MAKING A CUTTING AND CREASING DIE
No matter what shape or size of a folding box or carton which may be
wanted, it will require both creasing and cutting, and this means of
course that both steel scoring rules and steel cutting rules will be
needed in making the die.
Hard steel cutting rule is to be used for all straight cutting lines
in the die.
Soft steel cutting rule is to be used for all round corners or
odd-shaped sections of the die.
For the average folding box or carton 2-point cutting and creasing
rules will be thick enough for their functions, but in the case of a
large die for exceedingly heavy-weight box-board, 3-point, 4-point,
or 6-point cutting and creasing rules will be found better for the
press-work than the 2-point rules.
The regular 2-point cutting rule, turned upside down, or inverted,
will serve as scoring rule, although the special scoring rule, made
for this purpose by the manufacturers, will always produce the best
results on account of it having a rounded face instead of a blunt
face.
[Illustration: Steel die form from Simonds Mfg. Co.]
On common-grade folding-box work, when the stock is heavy and tough,
some die-makers use inverted cutting rules for scoring rules--usually
old cutting rules which have lost their sharp edges by long service
in other dies. By placing two 2-point inverted cutting rules together
a 4-point crease is obtained. By placing three 2-point cutting rules
together (inverted), a 6-point crease is obtained. Wide creases of
this kind are needed only in heavy work, such as for example, suit
boxes, flower boxes and hat boxes in large sizes.
A 2-point crease, or rather a fine crease obtained from standard
2-point scoring rule having a rounded face, will do well for the
great majority of folding boxes.
BUILDING THE DIE
Now for the building of the die, say a die for cutting and creasing
a carton for holding a medicine bottle: Take the “dummy,” or an
old carton of the required size and form, and with the aid of a
foot-ruler find out the lengths and number of pieces of rule which
will be required for the die. Jot down the figures upon a tablet. For
example, you will need four long pieces of 2-point scoring rule, all
of the same length; four short pieces of 2-point scoring rule, all of
the same length; then you will need four “L’s” for cutting flaps,
these “L” pieces to have slightly rounded corners and to be made from
_soft_ steel cutting rule. Also will be needed two pieces of soft
cutting rule which are to be bent in the form of a large “U,” these
to be used for cutting the folding top and folding bottom of the
carton. Other pieces of both scoring and cutting rule will be needed
to make the die complete, and with careful application of the ruler,
the correct lengths may be ascertained.
[Illustration: =Carton for Cough Drops.= Plain lines represent steel
cutting rules. Dotted lines represent steel creasing rules.]
After all of the various measurements of the rules have been taken
and marked down on the tablet, the next step is to cut the rules
on the steel rule cutter to the essential sizes, following the
measurements which have been written down. The steel rule cutter
is equipped with a movable gage and this gage is accurately set to
provide for the cutting of each rule. A number of the rules are cut
to the same sizes. Your figures on the tablet should tell how many
pieces of each size are wanted. It is really a simple matter to cut
the rules, but too much care cannot be taken in doing the cutting
accurately.
The pieces of soft steel cutting rule which are to have rounded
corners or odd shapes are now bent to the proper forms on a rule
bending press, or with the aid of a vise. Extreme care should be
taken in bending the rules in such a way that none of the bended
lines are on an angle. In other words, each “bend” should be truly
vertical so that when the odd-shaped rule lies in the die its cutting
surface will be perfectly level. One of the great advantages of the
steel rule bending press and its molds is that all rule bending on
this machine is done perpendicularly true. An experienced die-maker
can do wonders in rule bending with an ordinary vise and a pair of
pliers, but the beginner will not find this work easy.
[Illustration: Steel die for =Soap Container=. Plain lines represent
steel cutting rules. Dotted lines represent steel scoring rules.]
With all of the required number of pieces of cutting and creasing
rule cut to sizes and bent to the proper shapes, the next step is to
“set up” the die with lead, steel, or iron furniture. In the case of
a large-size die, the main blanking-out is done with black walnut or
cherry furniture, but with a small-size die, practically all of the
blanking-out may be done with labor-saving metal furniture.
[Illustration: Steel die form for =Medicine Bottle Carton=. Plain
lines represent steel cutting rules. Dotted lines represent steel
scoring rules.]
WORKING CONDITIONS
The die-maker should work upon the surface of an imposing table.
First, he places on the table the chase in which the die is to be
locked up. Second, he fills in the chase with regular printer’s wood
furniture, leaving space in the center for the die, and placing
locking quoins near the top of the chase and on the right-hand side
of the chase. Third, the cutting and creasing rules are set in the
open space in the center of the chase, filling in with metal or wood
furniture. Fourth, after the die has been carefully set and blanked
out, the entire job is locked up with the aid of a quoin-key and the
quoins.
Note these points: Printers’ wood furniture is not as high as black
walnut or cherry wood used inside the die, and the printers’ wood
furniture is only used as locking-up material on the outer sides of
the die.
There are several varieties of printers’ quoins, but the best quoins
for the die-maker’s purpose are called “Hemple Improved Quoins.” They
are of iron, wedge-shaped, and contain ridges which make them hold
tightly. By inserting a quoin-key between the “teeth” of a pair of
quoins, and turning the key one way or the other way, the quoins are
locked or unlocked.
The quoins should not be placed directly against the sides of the
chase, or against the sides of the wood furniture. Small strips of
reglet, 6-points wide, placed on either side of each pair of quoins
protects the wood furniture from damage by the quoins, and prevents
loosening of the quoins at the sides of the chase.
An assortment of printers’ leads and brasses--2-point leads and
1-point brasses, in the smaller sizes, will be of great utility to
the die-maker in blanking out. A lead or brass, inserted here and
there between the furniture in the die, will often solve intricate
construction.
[Illustration: Looks like plan for a monoplane, but is layout for
steel die form for small =drug carton=. Plain lines represent steel
cutting rules. Dotted lines represent steel creasing rules. As many
as 24 complete dies are run together in one large form.]
ACCURACY REQUIRED
The die should be blanked out so accurately that when the quoins
are tightened all material in the die will “lift” without any of
the furniture falling out. After the form has been locked up, the
die-maker rests one end of the chase on a block of furniture. He then
strikes the ends of the fingers over all material in the die to see
if any parts of the die are loose. If all holds firmly, the form is
ready for press. If any parts are found loose, the form is unlocked,
and the loose places are fixed up by inserting small strips of
manila paper between the loose pieces of furniture.
With the aid of a straight-edge, an L-square, or a T-square, the
die-maker tests all lines of the die to ascertain if any rules are
binding or out of register. All defects of this nature must be
corrected before the die goes to press.
Intricate rule bending is made more easy by heating the soft steel
rule in a gas flame before bending. When working with heated rule the
die-maker wears canvas gloves to protect his hands. To harden soft
rule, after bending, heat again and dip the heated rule in fish oil.
MAKING STEEL DIES FOR “CUT-OUTS”
Some box-makers, in addition to manufacturing set-up and folding
boxes, also make advertising “cut-outs,” cardboard fans,
wall-pockets, fancy calendars, photograph mounts, and “set-in”
forms for holiday boxes for holding neckties, suspenders, garters,
collar buttons, etc. Work of this variety is also cut on cutting and
creasing presses, but the dies and make-ready are different than the
dies and make-ready for folding boxes.
Steel dies for all kinds of “cut-outs” are made of 2-point cutting
rules. For add shapes like hearts, fans, fancy calendars, etc.,
“soft” cutting rule is used. For straight-line work such as squares,
oblongs, diamonds, keystone and triangle, “hard” cutting rule is used.
The steel cutting rules for dies of this class are inserted in
laminated board, of three, four or more plies, for the reason
that laminated board will not warp or be affected by atmospheric
conditions.
[Illustration: Steel die form for cut-out from Simonds Mfg. Co.]
The design, or several different designs, which are to be cut out,
are marked with pencil on the surface of the piece of laminated
board, which must be of a size to accommodate the dies. These pencil
lines are then followed with a jig-saw, and in the grooves made by
the saw the steel cutting rules are inserted. The die is then ready
for press.
It should be mentioned, however, that it is possible to build a plain
“cut-out” die, like a square or oblong, merely by cutting the rules
to the proper sizes and then blanking out the inside space with metal
or ordinary wood furniture. But, an odd-shaped “cut-out” die should
always be inserted in laminated board.
As many as half-a-dozen “cut-out” dies for cardboard fans,
advertising novelties, etc., may be placed in rows in the one
section of laminated board, and the entire six articles may be cut
simultaneously on the press.
Half-a-dozen dies for folding boxes, or more than this number, can
also be run together in the same form, according to the size of the
cutting and creasing press.
CUTTING AND CREASING ON PLATEN PRESSES
[Illustration: Hartford Cutter and Creaser.]
Cutting and creasing for folding boxes can be done successfully on
platen printing presses of the John Thompson and Hartford type,
provided that a printing press of this type be fitted with a steel
platen plate, and provided also that the inking rollers of the press
be removed. The steel platen plate is removable, and is held to the
platen of the press by means of counter-sunk screws. When printing
is to be done on the press the platen plate is taken off.
The National Machine Company, of Hartford, Conn., and John Thompson
Press Company, of New York City, both manufacture standard cutting
and creasing presses which are built especially for this work. These
presses, which are not designed for printing purposes, are fitted
with removable, steel platen plates, and by having a number of these
platen plates, the folding box maker can save the makeready, or
“female dies” on the plates, and may keep them stored away for future
orders on the same kind of work. In saving such “female dies” on the
platen plates, however, it would also be essential to save the forms
containing the steel cutting and creasing dies so that all would
perfectly register when the dies and plates are again put on the
presses.
MAKING READY A STEEL CUTTING AND CREASING DIE
This applies to making ready the die on a regular Hartford or John
Thomson cutter and creaser, and as mentioned before, the form may
have more than one duplicate of the same die, if desired. For
example, the form may contain say eight complete cutting and creasing
dies, arranged together for cutting eight small cartons from a single
sheet of stock.
First, put on the steel platen plate, and see that it is free from
all old makeready material. Second, take a sheet of chip-board,
news-board or straw-board, and cut it nearly the full size of the
platen plate. Then with LePage glue carefully spread all over one
side of the sheet of box-board, apply the sheet of box-board to the
surface of the platen plate.
[Illustration: John Thomson Cutter and Creaser.]
Third, place the chase containing the die, or series of dies, on
the press. Fourth, with a small printer’s hand inking roller and
printers’ black ink, apply the ink to _all creasing rules_ in the
form. Fifth, take a sheet of the stock which is to be cut and
creased, and by slowly turning the fly-wheels of the press, take an
impression of the form on this sheet of stock. If all of the cutting
rules cut through the stock clearly, the impression is right. If the
cutting rules do not cut sharply, more impression will be required,
and this is obtained by moving the slides holding the throw-off
bar up one or two notches. Do not move the slides up more than one
notch at one time, and keep moving them, after taking additional
impressions on blank sheets of stock until finally the impression is
rightly adjusted.
The first inking of the form was for the purpose of showing the
positions of the creasing rules. Never mind additional inking while
the impression is being adjusted. After the impression has been made
right, ink all of the creasing rules in the form again and then take
an impression of the form on the sheet of box-board which has been
glued to the platen plate. Now comes the most tedious part of the
makeready:
All of the inked creasing lines which appear on the platen must be
carefully cut out with a sharp makeready knife. That is, the thin
lines made on the sheet of box-board on the platen by the inked
creasing rules must be cut away with the knife in long, narrow strips
so as to form the female part of the die. If the creasing rules are
2-point size, cut away about _3-points_; if 4-point creasing rule,
cut away about 5-points; if 6-point creasing rule, cut away about
7-points. In making these grooves slightly wider than the size of the
creasing rules, the stock will press into the grooves easily and will
form the proper creasing or scoring.
Do not cut away any other parts of the sheet of box-board which has
been glued to the platen plate. The steel cutting rules should cut
into this sheet of box-board.
Ordinarily, the counter-die, after having been made in the manner
described, would be completed, but in the case of a long run of work,
the following additional makeready is done:
THE KIND OF MAKEREADY THAT IS WORTH WHILE
After the grooves have been cleanly cut, and after all strips of the
box-board have been removed from the grooves, lay a sheet of plain
white paper over the entire counter-die and pull an impression of
the form on this sheet. Then turn over the sheet of paper; study the
detail of the impression and see if any of the cutting and creasing
rules are weak in certain places. With a blue pencil mark rings
around any of the weak places which may appear. Then with a sharp
knife, flour paste and French folio paper, “spot up” all circles made
by the blue pencil with pieces of the French folio. Some places,
extra weak, may call for two or three circles of the French folio.
After the sheet has been “spotted up”, loosen the counter-sunk
screws in the platen plate; lift off the plate, and with a small
quantity of flour paste attach the “spot-up” sheet to the under-side
of the platen plate in true position so that it will register with
the counter-die, or makeready on the other side of the plate. Paste
the “spot-up” sheet, face up, to the under side of the plate. Then
replace the platen plate with the “spot-up” sheet under it. This
process of makeready is worth while on all forms which are to have
long runs, and it will cause all of the weak cutting and creasing
rules to have an even impression. Strange as it may seem to the
beginner, the little pieces of French folio, when properly placed
under the platen plate, will do wonders in making a die even. In
the case of rules which have been in service for some time, several
“spot-up” sheets may be needed under the platen plate, and in the
case of worn rules, the “spotting up” should be done with pieces of
book paper, or even with heavy Manila paper. An exceedingly weak
place will require a heavy piece of paper under the platen plate.
PUTTING ON THE FEEDING GUIDES
The feeding guides may be of brass, wood or lead. Pieces of 12-point
printer’s brass rule, about two inches long, make the best guides for
heavy sheets of box board. 12-point slugs, about two inches long, or
pieces of 12-point reglet, will serve well as feeding guides for the
general run of work. Rub brass or lead slugs on a sheet of fine emery
paper before applying the glue, as the rubbing helps in making the
guides hold firmly. Use only LePage glue in attaching the guides.
After the guides have been put on in the proper position, fenders are
then applied at the inner sides of the two bottom guides, and one
fender at the lower end of the side guide. There are three guides,
two at the bottom and one on the left-hand side. The fenders are
formed of heavy-weight folding cardboard, or of 1-point brass rule,
about one-and-one-half inches long. The fenders are used to prevent
the sheets of box-board from extending over the guides in the feeding.
CORKING THE STEEL-DIE FORM
After the make-ready for a cutting and creasing form has been
completed, the form must be corked so as to prevent the sheets of
box-board from adhering to the cutting rules as each impression
is taken. One good method of corking is gluing rows of small-size
corks to the wood furniture in the form, the rows of corks placed on
either side of all cutting rules in the form. In the case of metal
furniture, the corks are glued to flat, solid places in the metal
furniture, or are inserted in the small, open places in labor-saving
lead furniture, as the case may be. The corks when properly glued
or inserted, should stand up about one-quarter-of-an-inch above the
steel cutting rules, so that when an impression is taken on a sheet
of box-board, the corks will have force enough to “push” the sheet
off the cutting rules.
Another method of corking is that done with long strips of cork, high
enough for the purpose. These strips of cork are glued on the metal
or wood furniture in the same way as individual corks are applied.
The Armstrong Cork Company, of Pittsburgh, Pa., can supply cork in
strips made expressly for use on cutting and creasing presses. Use
LePage glue in applying the corks, and put on plenty of strip cork,
or individual corks, so that the sheets will leave the form without
breaking.
FEEDING THE SHEETS OF BOX-BOARD
The operator of a cutting and creasing press cannot be too careful
when feeding sheets into the press. It is dangerous work, and the
feeder must be constantly watchful over his hands. _Never reach the
hand in the press after a sheet which may stick to the form, or after
sections of a sheet which may have broken apart in the cutting._ Your
hands are too precious to “take any chances.” Keep corking the form
until all sheets leave the cutting rules without any difficulty. Bend
the sheets of box-board, in small lots, so that the shape of the
sheets makes easy feeding. Always be careful when feeding, and keep
your eyes on your work.
STRIPPING
After the sheets of box-board have been cut and creased, they are
taken to the finishing room where girls and boys do the stripping,
which means removing all waste material from the sheets. About fifty
sheets at a time are stripped. Intricate cut-outs, box-corners, fancy
shapes, etc., are “hammered out” with the aid of a mallet. A small
pile of the stock is laid over the edge of a large wooden box, and
with a blow of the mallet the waste material falls out into the box.
GLUING FOLDING BOXES
There are several well-known gluing machines on the market which are
designed particularly for gluing together folding boxes or cartons.
The ordinary gluing machine is fitted with a feeding table, a series
of steel rollers, a glue fountain and a gluing wheel. As the operator
feeds the sheets, hot glue is applied to the flaps. The operator then
folds each sheet so that the glued flap is in the right position. The
series of steel rollers then press the glued flaps firmly together,
completing the operation.
[Illustration: Staude Gluing Machine]
One of the best gluing machines on the market is the “Staude
Automatic,” made by the E. G. Staude Manufacturing Company, of St.
Paul, Minn. This machine is fitted with a vertical stacker and other
improved devices which make it possible for the folding box-maker to
handle a wide range of work at high speed.
[Illustration: Walter Scott Cylinder Press Equipped for Cutting and
Creasing.]
Another excellent gluing machine is known as the “International,”
made by the International Paper Box Machine Company, of Nashua, N. H.
This machine is equipped with an electric counting device and other
improved features which make it a great labor-saver.
CUTTING AND CREASING ON CYLINDER PRESSES
Spacious forms containing a large number of steel cutting and
creasing dies are being handled on cylinder presses, and the dies
and make-ready are practically the same as for cutting and creasing
on platen presses. The Walter Scott & Company, of Plainfield, N. J.,
manufacture special cylinder presses for use on cutting and creasing
forms, and on order, these presses will be furnished with one- or
two-color printing attachments.
Cutting and creasing can be done on any style of cylinder press,
provided that the cylinder of the press is fitted with a flexible
steel sheet on the order of a steel platen plate. The cylinder must
be timed and adjusted to provide for the steel surface sheet. These
changes should be made by an expert machinist.
Make-ready for cutting and creasing on a cylinder press is
practically the same as on a platen press.
MAKING READY A STEEL CUTTING DIE FOR ADVERTISING NOVELTIES, ETC.
This refers to a steel cutting die to be used only for cut-outs, such
as fans, inserts for set-up boxes, fancy calendars, wall pockets,
photo mounts, leather goods, etc. All of this kind of work can be cut
out on a standard cutting and creasing press, or on a cylinder press,
from dies made of steel cutting rule. As mentioned before, a die of
this character does not contain any creasing rules, and is set in
grooves sawed in laminated board.
The make-ready for a cutting die is altogether different than the
make-ready on a cutting and creasing form. The make-ready is very
simple. No counter-die, or “female die,” is required. The cutting
rules merely strike the bare surface of the platen plate.
If desired, a sheet of chip-board, news-board or straw-board may be
glued to the surface of the platen plate, but this is not necessary.
The main thing is to have the impression even, and of just the right
strength to make a clean, sharp cut of the stock.
The form is corked in the same manner as a form for cutting and
creasing.
Guides and fenders are glued to pieces of heavy Manila paper which
first have been glued to the surface of the platen plate. The Manila
paper is used merely for holding the guides and fenders firmly.
In the case of the stock falling apart on the form, after the
impression has been made, file a few small slots at various points
on the edges of the steel cutting rules. Use a three-edge file for
this purpose. The slots break certain places of the cutting rules,
and thereby prevent the stock from falling apart until it reaches the
stripping department. The small slots do not mar the finished work.
Rough edges of cut-outs, such as fans, odd shapes, advertising
novelties, etc., are easily smoothed by taking small piles of the
cut-outs and rubbing the edges with emery paper or sand paper.