an Inch square, And a square Shank just under the Head, an Inch deep,
and almost quarter and half quarter Inch square, that the square Notch
in the hinder end of the Plate may slide on it from end to end of the
Notch; Under this square Shank is a round Pin filed with a Male-Screw
upon it, to which is fitted a _Nut_ with a Female-Screw in it, and Ears
on its outside to twist about, and draw the Head of the Shank close
down to the _Tympan_, and so hold the _Point-Plate_ fast in its Place.
¶. 20. _Of the_ Hammer, _described at_ h, _and_ Sheeps-Foot _described
at_ i _in Plate_ 9.
The _Hammer_ is a common _Hammer_ about a quarter of a Pound weight; It
hath no _Claws_ but a _Pen_, which stands the _Press-man_ instead when
the _Chase_ proves so big, that he is forced to use small _Quoins_.
The Figure of the _Sheeps-Foot_ is description sufficient. Its use is
to nail and un-nail the _Balls_.
The _Sheeps-Foot_ is all made of Iron, with an Hammer-head at one end,
to drive the _Ball-Nails_ into the _Ball-Stocks_, and a Claw at the
other end, to draw the _Ball-Nails_ out of the _Ball-Stocks_.
¶. 21. _Of the_ Foot-step, Girts, Stay _of the_ Carriage, Stay _of the_
Frisket, Ball-Stocks, Paper-Bench, Lye-Trough, Lye-Brush, Lye-Kettle,
Tray _to_ wet Paper _in_, Weights to Press Paper, Pelts, _or_ Leather,
Wool _or_ Hair, Ball-Nails _or_ Pumping-Nails.
The _Foot-Step_ is an Inch-Board about a Foot broad, and sixteen
Inches long. This Board is nailed upon a piece of Timber about seven
or eight Inches high, and is Bevil’d away on its upper-side, as is
also the Board on its under-side at its hither end, that the Board may
stand aslope upon the Floor. It is placed fast on the Floor under the
Carriage of the Press. Its Office shall be shewed when we come to treat
of Exercise of the _Press-man_.
_Girts_ are Thongs of Leather, cut out of the Back of an Horse-hide,
or a Bulls hide, sometimes an Hogs-hide. They are about an Inch and
an half, or an Inch and three quarters broad. Two of them are used to
carry the _Carriage_ out and in. These two have each of them one of
their ends nailed to the _Barrel_ on the _Spindle_ of the _Rounce_,
and the other ends nailed to the _Barrel_ behind the _Carriage_ in the
_Planck_ of the _Coffin_, and to the _Barrel_ on the fore-end of the
Frame of the _Coffin_.
The _Stay_ of the _Carriage_ is sometimes a piece of the same _Girt_
fastned to the outside of the further _Cheek_, and to the further
hinder side of the Frame of the _Carriage_. It is fastned at such a
length by the _Press-man_, that the _Carriage_ may ride so far out, as
that the Irons of the _Tympan_ may just rise free and clear off the
fore-side of the _Plattin_.
Another way to stay the _Carriage_ is to let an Iron Pin into the
upper-side of the further Rail of the Frame of the _Ribs_, just in the
place where the further hinder Rail of the _Carriage_ stands projecting
over the _Rib-Rail_, when the Iron of the _Tympan_ may just rise free
from the Fore-side of the _Plattin_; for then that projecting will stop
against the Iron Pin.
The _Stay_ of the _Frisket_ is made by fastning a Batten upon the
middle of the Top-side of the _Cap_, and by fastning a Batten to the
former Batten perpendicularly downwards, just at such a distance, that
the upper-side of the _Frisket_ may stop against it when it is turned
up just a little beyond a Perpendicular. When a _Press_ stands at a
convenient distance from a Wall, that Wall performs the office of the
aforesaid _Stay_.
_Ball-Stocks_ are Turn’d of _Alder_ or _Maple_. Their Shape is
delineated in Plate 9. at g: They are about seven Inches in Diameter,
and have their under-side Turned hollow, to contain the greater
quantity of _Wool_ or _Hair_, to keep the _Ball-Leathers_ plump the
longer.
The _Lye-Trough_ (delineated in Plate 9. at k) is a Square Trough made
of Inch-Boards, about four Inches deep, two Foot four Inches long,
and one Foot nine Inches broad, and flat in the Bottom. Its inside is
Leaded with Sheet-Lead, which reaches up over the upper Edges of the
_Trough_. In the middle of the two ends (for so I call the shortest
sides) on the outer-sides as _a a_, is fastned a round Iron Pin, which
moves in a round hole made in an Iron Stud with a square Sprig under
it, to be drove and fastned into a _Wooden Horse_, which _Horse_ I need
not describe, because in Plate aforesaid I have given you the Figure of
it.
The _Paper-Bench_ is only a common Bench about three Foot eight Inches
long, one Foot eight Inches broad, and three Foot four Inches high.
The _Lye-Brush_ is made of _Hogs-Bristles_ fastned into a Board with
Brass-Wyer, for durance sake: Its Board is commonly about nine Inches
long, and four and an half Inches broad; and the length of the Bristles
about three Inches.
To perform the Office of a _Lye-Kettle_ (which commonly holds about
three Gallons) the old-fashion’d _Chafers_ are most commodious, as well
because they are more handy and manageable than _Kettles_ with Bails,
as also because they keep _Lye_ longer hot.
The _Tray_ to _Wet Paper_ in is only a common Butchers Tray, large
enough to _Wet_ the largest _Paper_ in.
The _Weight_ to _Press Paper_ with, is either Mettal, or Stone, flat on
the Bottom, to ly steddy on the _Paper-Board_: It must be about 50 or
60 pound weight.
For _Pelts_ or _Leather_, _Ball-Nails_ or _Pumping-Nails_, _Wool_ or
_Hair_, _Vellom_ or _Parchment_ or _Forrel_, the _Press-man_
generally eases the _Master-Printer_ of the trouble of choosing, though
not the charge of paying for them: And for _Paste_, _Sallad Oyl_, and
such accidental Requisites as the _Press-man_ in his work may want, the
_Devil_ commonly fetches for him.
¶. 22. _Of_ Racks _to Hang_ Paper _on, and of the_ Peel.
Our Master-_Printer_ must provide _Racks_ to hang _Paper_ on to _Dry_.
They are made of Deal-board Battens, square, an Inch thick, and an
Inch and an half deep, and the length the whole length of the Deal,
which is commonly about ten or eleven Foot long, or else so long as
the convenience of the Room will allow: The two upper corners of these
_Rails_ are rounded off that they may not mark the _Paper_.
These _Racks_ are Hung over Head, either in the _Printing-House_, or
_Ware-house_, or both, or any other Room that is most convenient to
_Dry Paper_ in; they are hung athwart two _Rails_ an Inch thick, and
about three or four Inches deep, which _Rails_ are fastned to some
Joysts or other Timber in the Ceiling by Stiles perpendicular to the
Ceiling; These _Rails_ stand so wide assunder, that each end of the
_Racks_ may hang beyond them about the distance of two Foot, and have
on their upper edge at ten Inches distance from one another, so many
square Notches cut into them as the whole length of the _Rail_ will
bear; Into these square notches the _Racks_ are laid parallel to each
other with the flat side downwards, and the Rounded off side upwards.
The _Peel_ is described in Plate 9. at l, which Figure sufficiently
shews what it is; And therefore I shall need say no more to it, only
its Handle may be longer or shorter according as the height of the Room
it is to be used in may require.
¶. 23. _Of_ Inck.
The providing of good _Inck_, or rather good _Varnish_ for _Inck_, is
none of the least incumbent cares upon our _Master-Printer_, though
Custom has almost made it so here in _England_; for the process of
making _Inck_ being as well laborious to the Body, as noysom and
ungrateful to the Sence, and by several odd accidents dangerous of
Firing the Place it is made in, Our _English Master-Printers_ do
generally discharge themselves of that trouble; and instead of having
good _Inck_, content themselves that they pay an _Inck-maker_ for good
_Inck_, which may yet be better or worse according to the Conscience of
the _Inck-maker_.
That our Neighbours the _Hollanders_ who exhibit Patterns of good
_Printing_ to all the World, are careful and industrious in all the
circumstances of good _Printing_, is very notorious to all Book-men;
yet should they content themselves with such _Inck_ as we do, their
Work would appear notwithstanding the other circumstances they observe,
far less graceful than it does, as well as ours would appear more
beautiful if we used such _Inck_ as they do: for there is many Reasons,
considering how the _Inck_ is made with us and with them, why their
_Inck_ must needs be better than ours. As _First_, They make theirs
all of good old _Linseed-Oyl_ alone, and perhaps a little _Rosin_ in
it sometimes, when as our _Inck-makers_ to save charges mingle many
times _Trane-Oyl_ among theirs, and a great deal of _Rosin_; which
_Trane-Oyl_ by its grossness, Furs and Choaks up a _Form_, and by its
fatness hinders the _Inck_ from drying; so that when the Work comes
to the _Binders_, it _Sets off_; and besides is dull, smeary and
unpleasant to the Eye. And the _Rosin_ if too great a quantity be put
in, and the _Form_ be not very _Lean Beaten_, makes the _Inck_ turn
yellow: And the same does New _Linseed-Oyl_.
_Secondly_, They seldom _Boyl_ or _Burn_ it to that consistence the
_Hollanders_ do, because they not only save labour and Fewel, but have
a greater weight of _Inck_ out of the same quantity of _Oyl_ when less
_Burnt_ away than when more _Burnt_ away; which want of Burning makes
the _Inck_ also, though made of good old _Linseed-Oyl_ Fat and Smeary,
and hinders its _Drying_; so that when it comes to the _Binders_ it
also _Sets off_.
_Thirdly_, They do not use that way of clearing their _Inck_ the
_Hollanders_ do, or indeed any other way than meer Burning it, whereby
the _Inck_ remains more _Oyly_ and _Greasie_ than if it were well
clarified.
_Fourthly_, They to save the _Press-man_ the labour of _Rubbing_ the
_Blacking_ into _Varnish_ on the _Inck-Block_, _Boyl_ the _Blacking_ in
the _Varnish_, or at least put the _Blacking_ in whilst the _Varnish_
is yet _Boyling-hot_, which so _Burns_ and _Rubifies_ the _Blacking_,
that it loses much of its brisk and vivid black complexion.
_Fifthly_, Because _Blacking_ is dear, and adds little to the weight
of _Inck_, they stint themselves to a quantity which they exceed not;
so that sometimes the _Inck_ proves so unsufferable _Pale_, that the
_Press-man_ is forc’d to _Rub_ in more _Blacking_ upon the _Block_; yet
this he is often so loth to do, that he will rather hazard the content
the Colour shall give, than take the pains to amend it: satisfying
himself that he can lay the blame upon the _Inck-maker_.
Having thus hinted at the difference between the _Dutch_ and _English
Inck_, I shall now give you the Receipt and manner of making the
_Dutch-Varnish_.
They provide a _Kettle_ or a _Caldron_, but a _Caldron_ is more proper,
such an one as is described in Plate 9. at m. This Vessel should hold
twice so much _Oyl_ as they intend to _Boyl_, that the _Scum_ may be
some considerable time a _Rising_ from the top of the _Oyl_ to the top
of the Vessel to prevent danger. This _Caldron_ hath a Copper Cover to
fit the Mouth of it, and this Cover hath an Handle at the top of it to
take it off and put it on by. This _Caldron_ is set upon a good strong
Iron _Trevet_, and fill’d half full of old _Linseed-Oyl_, the older
the better, and hath a good Fire made under it of solid matter, either
_Sea Coal_, _Charcoal_ or pretty big Chumps of Wood that will burn well
without much Flame; for should the Flame rise too high, and the _Oyl_
be very hot at the taking off the Cover of the _Caldron_, the fume of
the _Oyl_ might be apt to take Fire at the Flame, and endanger the loss
of the _Oyl_ and Firing the House: Thus they let _Oyl_ heat in the
_Caldron_ till they think it is Boyling-hot; which to know, they peel
the outer Films of an _Oynion_ off it, and prick the _Oynion_ fast upon
the end of a small long Stick, and so put it into the heating _Oyl_:
If it be Boyling-hot, or almost Boyling-hot, the _Oynion_ will put the
_Oyl_ into a Fermentation, so that a Scum will gather on the top of the
_Oyl_, and rise by degrees, and that more or less according as it is
more or less Hot: But if it be so very Hot that the Scum rises apace,
they quickly take the _Oynion_ out, and by degrees the Scum will fall.
But if the _Oyl_ be Hot enough, and they intend to put any _Rosin_
in, the quantity is to every Gallon of _Oyl_ half a Pound, or rarely
a whole Pound. The _Rosin_ they beat small in a _Mortar_, and with an
Iron Ladle, or else by an Handful at a time strew it in gently into
the _Oyl_ lest it make the Scum rise too fast; but every Ladle-full or
Handful they put in so leasurely after one another, that the first must
be wholly dissolv’d before they put any more in; for else the Scum will
Rise too fast, as aforesaid: So that you may perceive a great care
is to keep the Scum down: For if it Boyl over into the Fire never so
little, the whole Body of _Oyl_ will take Fire immediately.
If the _Oyl_ be Hot enough to _Burn_, they _Burn_ it, and that so often
till it be _Hard_ enough, which sometimes is six, seven, eight times,
or more.
To _Burn_ it they take a long small Stick, or double up half a Sheet of
Paper, and light one end to set Fire to the _Oyl_; It will presently
Take if the _Oyl_ be Hot enough, if not, they Boyl it longer, till it
be.
To try if it be _Hard_ enough, they put the end of a Stick into the
_Oyl_, which will lick up about three or four drops, which they put
upon an Oyster-shell, or some such thing, and set it by to cool, and
when it is cold they touch it with their Fore or Middle-Finger and
Thumb, and try its consistence by sticking together of their Finger
and Thumb; for if it draw stiff like strong _Turpentine_ it is Hard
enough, if not, they Boyl it longer, or _Burn_ it again till it be so
consolidated.
When it is well Boyled they throw in an Ounce of Letharge of Silver to
every four Gallons of _Oyl_ to Clarifie it, and Boyl it gently once
again, and then take it off the Fire to stand and cool, and when it
is cool enough to put their Hand in, they Strain it through a Linnen
Cloath, and with their Hands wring all the _Varnish_ out into a Leaded
Stone Pot or Pan, and keeping it covered, set it by for their use; The
longer it stands by the better, because it is less subject to turn
Yellow on the Paper that is Printed with it.
This is the _Dutch_ way of making _Varnish_, and the way the English
_Inck-makers_ ought to use.
_Note_, _First_, That the _Varnish_ may be made without _Burning_ the
_Oyl_, _viz._ only with well and long Boyling it; for _Burning_ is but
a violent way of Boyling, to consolidate it the sooner.
_Secondly_, That an _Apple_ or a _Crust_ of _Bread_, _&c._ stuck upon
the end of a Stick instead of an _Oynion_ will also make the Scum of
the _Oyl_ rise: For it is only the Air contained in the Pores of the
_Apple_, _Crust_ or _Oynion_, &c. pressed or forced out by the violent
heat of the _Oyl_, that raises the many Bubbles on the top of the
_Oyl_: And the connection of those Bubbles are vulgarly called _Scum_.
_Thirdly_, The English _Inck-makers_ that often make _Inck_, and that
in great quantities, because one Man may serve all _England_, instead
of setting a _Caldron_ on a _Trevet_, build a _Furnace_ under a great
_Caldron_, and Trim it about so with Brick, that it Boyls far sooner
and more securely than on a _Trevet_; because if the _Oyl_ should
chance to Boyl over, yet can it not run into the Fire, being Fenced
round about with Brick as aforesaid, and the _Stoking-hole_ lying far
under the _Caldron_.
_Fourthly_, When for want of a _Caldron_ the _Master-Printer_ makes
_Varnish_ in a _Kettle_, He provides a great piece of thick _Canvass_,
big enough when three or four double to cover the _Kettle_, and also
to hang half round the sides of the _Kettle_: This _Canvass_ (to make
it more soluble) is wet in Water, and the Water well wrung out again,
so that the _Canvass_ remains only moist: Its use is to throw flat
over the Mouth of the _Kettle_ when the _Oyl_ is _Burning_, to keep
the smoak in, that it may stifle the Flame when they see cause to put
it out. But the Water as was said before, must be very well wrung out
of the _Canvass_, for should but a drop or two fall from the sides of
it into the _Oyl_ when it is Burning, it will so enrage the _Oyl_, and
raise the Scum, that it might endanger the working over the top of the
_Kettle_.
* * * * *
Having shewn you the _Master-Printers_ Office, I account it suitable
to proper Method, to let you know how the _Letter-Founder_ Cuts the
_Punches_, how the _Molds_ are made, the _Matrices_ Sunck, and the
_Letter Cast_ and _Drest_, for all these Operations precede the
_Compositers_ Trade, as the _Compositers_ does the _Press-mans_;
wherefore the next _Exercises_ shall be (God willing) upon _Cutting_ of
the _Steel-Punches_.
_MECHANICK EXERCISES:_
Or, the Doctrine of
=Handy-works.=
Applied to the Art of
=Letter-Cutting.=
_PREFACE._
LEtter-Cutting _is a Handy-Work hitherto kept so conceal’d among the
Artificers of it, that I cannot learn any one hath taught it any
other; But every one that has used it, Learnt it of his own Genuine
Inclination. Therefore, though I cannot (as in other Trades) describe
the general Practice of Work-men, yet the Rules I follow I shall shew
here, and have as good an Opinion of these Rules, as those have that
are shyest of discovering theirs. For, indeed, by the appearance of
some Work done, a judicious Eye may doubt whether they go by any Rule
at all, though Geometrick Rules, in no Practice whatever, ought to be
more nicely or exactly observed than in this._
§. 12. ¶. 1. _Of Letter-Cutters Tools._
The making of _Steel-Punches_ is a Branch of the _Smith_’s Trade:
For, as I told you in the Preface to _Numb._ 1. The _Black-Smith_’s
Trade comprehends all Trades that use either Forge or File, from the
_Anchor-Smith_, to the _Watch-maker_: They all working by the same
Rules, though not with equal exactness; and all using the same Tools,
though of different Sizes from those the Common _Black-Smith_ uses;
and that according to the various purposes they are applied, _&c._
Therefore, indeed, a _Letter-Cutter_ should have a Forge set up, as
by _Numb._ 1. But some _Letter-Cutters_ may seem to scorn to use a
Forge, as accounting it too hard Labour, and Ungenteel for themselves
to officiate at. Yet they all well know, that though they may have
a common _Black-Smith_ perform their much and heavy Work, that many
times a Forge of their own at Hand would be very commodious for them in
several accidental little and light Jobs, which (in a Train of Work)
they must meet withal.
But if our _Letter-Cutter_ will have no Forge, yet he must of necessity
accommodate himself with a _Vice_, _Hand-Vice_, _Hammers_, _Files_,
_Small_ and _Fine Files_ (commonly called _Watch-makers Files_) of
these he saves all, as they wear out, to smooth and burnish the Sides
and Face of his Letter with, as shall be shewed; _Gravers_, and
_Sculpters_ of all sorts, an _Anvil_, or a _Stake_, an _Oyl-stone_,
_&c._ And of these, such as are suitable and sizable to the several
Letters he is to Cut. These, or many of these Tools, being described
in _Numb._ 1. I refer my Reader thither, and proceed to give an account
of some Tools peculiar to the _Letter-Cutter_, though not of particular
use to the Common _Black-Smith_.
[Illustration: _Plate 10._]
¶. 2. _Of the_ Using-File.
This _File_ is about nine or ten Inches long, and three or four Inches
broad, and three quarters of an Inch thick: The two broad sides must
be exactly flat and straight: And the one side is commonly cut with a
_Bastard-Cut_, the other with a _Fine_ or _Smooth Cut_. (See _Numb._ 1.
_Fol._ 14, 15.) Its use is to _Rub_ a piece of Steel, Iron, or Brass,
_&c._ flat and straight upon, as shall be shewed hereafter.
In chusing it, you must see it be exactly Flat and Straight all its
Length and Breadth: For if it in any part Belly out, or be Hollow
inwards, what is Rubbed upon it will be Hollow, Rubbing on the Bellying
part; and Bellying, Rubbing on the Hollow part. You must also see that
it be very Hard; and therefore the thickest _Using-Files_ are likeliest
to prove best, because the thin commonly Warp in Hardning.
¶. 3. _Of the_ Flat-Gage.
The _Flat-Gage_ is described in _Plate_ 10. at A. It is made of a flat
piece of Box, or other Hard Wood. Its Length is three Inches and an
half, its Breadth two Inches and an half, and its Thickness one Inch
and an half. This is on the Flat, first made Square, but afterwards
hath one of its Corners (as _h_) a little rounded off, that it may the
easier comply with the Ball of the Hand. Out of one of its longest
Sides, _viz._ that not rounded off, is Cut through the thickness of it
an exact Square, whose one side _b f_, _c g_ is about an Inch and three
quarters long; and its other side _b d_, _c e_ about half an Inch long.
The Depth of these Sides and their Angle is exactly Square to the top
and bottom of the upper and under Superficies of the _Flat-Gage_.
Its Use is to hold a Rod of Steel, or Body of a _Mold_, _&c._ exactly
perpendicular to the Flat of the _Using-File_, that the end of it may
rub upon the _Using-File_, and be Filed away exactly Square, and that
to the Shank; as shall more at large be shewed in §. 2. ¶. 3.
¶. 4. _Of the_ Sliding-Gage.
The _Sliding-Gage_ is described in _Plate_ 10. at _Fig._ B. It is a
Tool commonly used by _Mathematical Instrument-Makers_, and I have
found it of great use in _Letter-Cutting_, and making of _Molds_, _&c._
_a a_ the Beam, _b_ the Tooth, _c c_ the Sliding Socket, _d d d d_ the
Shoulder of the Socket.
Its Use is to measure and set off Distances between the Sholder and the
Tooth, and to mark it off from the end, or else from the edge of your
Work.
I always use two or three of these _Gages_, that I need not remove the
Sholder when it is set to a Distance which I may have after-use for; as
shall in Working be shewed more fully.
¶. 5. _Of the_ Face-Gages, _marked_ C _in Plate 10._
The _Face-Gage_ is a Square Notch cut with a File into the edge of a
thin Plate of Steel, Iron, or Brass, the thickness of a piece of common
Latton, and the Notch about an _English_ deep. There be three of these
Gages made, for the Letters to be cut on one Body; but they may be all
made upon one thin Plate, the readier to be found, as at D. As first,
for the Long-Letters; Secondly, for the Assending Letters; And Thirdly,
for the Short-Letters. The Length of these several Notches, or Gages,
have their Proportions to the Body they are cut to, and are as follows.
We shall imagine (for in Practice it cannot well be perform’d, unless
in very large Bodies) that the Length of the whole Body is divided into
forty and two equal Parts.
The _Gage_ for the Long-Letters are the length of the whole Body,
_viz._ forty and two equal Parts. The _Gage_ for the Assending Letters,
_Roman_ and _Italica_, are five Seventh Parts of the Body, _viz._
thirty Parts of forty-two, and thirty and three Parts for _English_
Face. The _Gage_ for the Short-Letters are three Seventh Parts of the
whole Body, _viz._ eighteen Parts of forty-two for the _Roman_ and
_Italica_, and twenty two Parts for the _English_ Face.
It may indeed be thought impossible to divide a Body into seven
equal Parts, and much more difficult to divide each of those seven
equal Parts into six equal Parts, which are forty-two, as aforesaid,
especially if the Body be but small; but yet it is possible with
curious Working: For seven thin Spaces may be Cast and Rubb’d to do it.
And for dividing each of the thin Spaces into six equal Parts, you may
Cast and Rub Full Point . to be of the thickness of one thin Space,
and one sixth part of a thin Space: And you may Cast and Rub : to be
the thickness of one thin Space, and two sixth parts of a thin Space:
And you may Cast and Rub , to be the thickness of one thin Space, and
three sixth parts of a thin Space: And you may Cast and Rub - to be the
thickness of one thin Space, and four sixth parts of a thin Space: And
you may Cast and Rub ; to be the thickness of one thin Space, and five
sixth parts of a thin Space.
The reason why I propose . to be Cast and Rubb’d one sixth part thicker
than a thin Space, is only that it may be readily distinguished from :
, - ; which are two sixth parts, three sixth parts, four sixth parts,
five sixth parts thicker than a thin Space. And for six sixth parts
thicker than a thin Space, two thin Spaces does it.