_Size of Card, Paper or Book, when finished_ _____________________
_Quality_ ________________________________________________________
_Number of Copies_ _______________________________________________
_Style of Type_ __________________________________________________
_Size of Form_ ___________________________________________________
_Colour of Ink_ __________________________________________________
_Time of Composition_ ____________________________________________
_Time on Press_ __________________________________________________
_Proof wanted_ ___________________________________________________
_Goods to be called for_ _________________________________________
_ ” ” delivered_ __________________________________________
_Price_ __________________________________________________________
_Paid in advance, $_ _____________________________________________
_Date_ ____________________________
It will be satisfactory to keep what may be called an Estimate Book,
in which may be entered the particulars of estimates given for various
kinds of work, whether the job be secured or not, these particulars
will be time-saving when a similar piece of work comes in for estimate.
Samples of paper, of all grades and colours, may be kept in a convenient
receptacle, cut up into various sizes, and with memoranda written on each
sample to denote the cost per ream, the weight, and the number of pieces
in a sheet.
A useful thing to have in a job office is Ames’s Paper and Card Scale,
for fractional sizes, showing the number of pieces of any required size
that can be cut from a sheet without waste, with a table giving the
number of sheets required to cut 1000 pieces, and another showing the
cost of paper by the quire, sheet, and hundred sheets, at any given price
per ream. Besides the above, we may mention Le Blond’s Chart, a very
compact affair, showing the number of any given size of card that can be
cut out of a card sheet 22 × 28 inches.
[Illustration: JOB CASE.]
[Illustration: TRIPLE JOB CASE.]
[Illustration: LABOUR-SAVING RULE CASE.]
The modern printer has every convenience that can be desired in the
way of cases, and his type and other material are amply provided with
receptacles well adapted for each special use. There are not only
large and small cabinets, filled with job cases of various styles and
capacities, but there may be had cases for rules, leads, and furniture,
as well as blank cases for indefinite uses. We give representations of
these.
[Illustration: LABOUR-SAVING SLUG CASE.]
[Illustration: LABOUR-SAVING LEAD CASE.]
[Illustration: QUOTATION FURNITURE CASE.]
[Illustration: BLANK CASE.]
All cases should be labelled, and the label should be printed in the same
type that is contained in the case.
Capitals and lower-case job types should not be laid together in the same
boxes. The saving of time in a year will pay for extra cases.
[Illustration: CABINET OF CASES, WITH GALLEY TOP.]
Job type-cases should be kept in cabinets, and not in stand-racks, as the
latter cannot be used without interfering with the hand whose stand may
contain the case wanted. Various kinds of cabinets are shown on pages
219-221, 231 and 234, some of which are constructed to hold cases and
quad and space boxes.
All matter should be cleared away as soon as done with. This work can be
done by careful boys. Standing galleys, or cabinets with galley tops,
for type to be kept awhile, will be found useful and convenient; but
matter preserved for occasional future use were better papered up and
labeled or stored away locked up in a chase cabinet. (See p. 231.) A
rack with sloping boards to support the forms will prove to be a safe
and convenient place for keeping the forms of type which need to be held
standing.
Labour-saving leads, and slugs, and reglets, cut to varying lengths, when
not in use, should be kept in cases specially provided for them. And so
with labour-saving brass rule, quotation furniture, rule, etc. It is
economical as well as tidy to have appropriate places for every thing.
For fixed measures, or measures not often changed, the standard screw
composing-sticks are probably the best; but for jobbing and table-work,
where the measure is frequently altered, it will be well to use the new
styles, such as are shown above; no screw-key or screw-driver being
required, the latter can be quickly and easily set to a new measure.
[Illustration: WOODEN JOB STICK.]
[Illustration: FRANKLIN STICK.]
[Illustration: RAYMOND’S PATENT STICK.]
[Illustration: NEWBURY’S STICK.]
[Illustration: HOE’S PATENT STICK.]
[Illustration: GROVER’S STICK.]
[Illustration: ALBION STICK.]
The boxwood quoin will probably continue to hold its place, though not a
few printers favour the use of the newly-invented iron articles offered
by various manufacturers, such as Webb’s Mechanical Quoin, Ames’s, Hoe’s,
Allen’s, and Hempel’s Patent Quoins. The latter quoin has, from its
durability and easy application, crowded out all competitors.
[Illustration: HEMPEL’S QUOINS IN POSITION.]
[Illustration: HEMPEL’S QUOIN.]
Among the very handy things to have about an office, we may enumerate
the circular and hollow quadrates, shown on pages 77 and 78; corner
quadrates, cast in type-metal; and also the brass line-formers, shown on
page 79, that enable the workman to curve lines expeditiously.
[Illustration: CORNER QUADRATES.]
Even so simple a thing as a shooting-stick, commonly made of hickory or
ash, is now to be had in brass or iron. These latter are certainly more
durable, but dangerous in careless hands.
[Illustration: WOODEN SHOOTING-STICK.]
[Illustration: BRASS SHOOTING-STICK.]
[Illustration: IRON SHOOTING-STICK.]
[Illustration: ARMSTRONG’S COMBINED MALLET AND SHOOTING-STICK.]
A novel invention is Armstrong’s Patent Combined Mallet and
Shooting-Stick. This is desirable for general use, and for locking-up
forms on the press, or of service where room for the use of the ordinary
mallet and shooting-stick is limited to a confined space.
[Illustration: MITERING MACHINE.]
[Illustration: LEAD CUTTER.]
A mitering machine and lead-cutter are among the necessary adjuncts of a
printing-office.
Perforating Rule is slightly higher than type, and is used in printing
coupons and tickets which require to be partially severed while going
through the press. It is made of brass or steel. A more convenient (as
well as more expensive) article is Ames’s Patent Perforator: its knife,
or perforator, lies below the surface of the type while the rollers pass
over the form, and rises and makes a clean cut when the impression is on,
without injuring the rollers.
[Illustration: PERFORATING RULE.]
Machines for perforating round holes are manufactured of several sizes.
The lowest-priced machine may be worked on a counter, and will perforate
every kind of card-board or paper. We give a cut of this style.
[Illustration: ROUND HOLE PERFORATING MACHINE.]
Imposing Stones may be had with drawers and cases underneath; but these
we do not deem advisable, unless the printer be cramped in room, as the
cases may be wanted when the stone is in use while imposing or correcting
forms. For common use, the plain stone with a single drawer, and without
a rim, will be found the nicest. When made otherwise, the rim should be
fitted snugly to the stone, or the interstices will become filled with
types, dropped in while correcting.
[Illustration: IMPOSING STONE.]
A very convenient device for the compositor is the Copy-Holder. This,
however, is for the book compositor rather than for the jobber. Its
utility consists in bringing the copy nearer to the eye of the workman,
and in leaving all the boxes at command and uncovered by the manuscript
or printed page. There is also a Lamp-Holder which will be found handy
where gas is not accessible.
[Illustration: COPY-HOLDER.]
[Illustration: RUGGLES CARD CUTTER.]
Card Cutters are made of several styles, and at prices from fourteen
dollars to forty-five; and Paper Cutters are yet more numerous, some of
them simple and low-priced, and others massive and costing twelve hundred
dollars. We give an engraving of one of moderate price. An extensive run
of business only would require the employment of a large paper cutter.
[Illustration: MINERVA CUTTING MACHINE.]
[Illustration: MEGILL’S PATENT GAUGE PIN.]
[Illustration: EXTENSION FEED-GUIDE.]
Several contrivances for facilitating press operations have been
invented. We may mention Megill’s Patent Gauge Pin, of sizes suitable
for various margins. Two small teeth, projecting from the lower side of
the head of the pin, press into the tympan sheet and prevent the gauge
from moving. There is also the Extension Feed-Guide, which furnishes a
gauge below the edge of the platen, and is held firmly in place by the
tympan-clamp.
[Illustration: HART’S COUNTER.]
When long numbers are printed, the Automatic Counter may be attached to
the press. It counts only when the form is being printed, and shows the
exact number in plain figures up to 100,000. Several styles of counting
machines are made.
[Illustration: PATENT INK FOUNTAIN.]
An ink fountain has been contrived for attachment to the Gordon job
press, or any other press with similar plate distribution. It is quite a
cosey little thing, and is operated by the impression arm of the press.
Iron furniture is made in sets containing twenty-one pieces, adapted for
use on the eighth, quarter, and half medium job presses.
[Illustration]