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A Print Devil can be any age
Was 9 year old kid who knew nothin’ about printing.
Walked down a dirt road, stopped at print shop,
sat on doorstep – ‘n watched.
 ‘Bout ‘hour went by — i asked this guy wearin’ a
‘sorta’ funny lookin’ thing on his head with no top,
had a green visor hangin’ over his eyes. “like those card
dealers in `Vegas wear.”
Need help sweepin’ floors or somthin’?
Answer comes back.
Maybe.
“ `mon in. Grab a sody water – ice cooler over there.
We’ll talk about it.”
Another worker saw me . . . walked over . . .
asked — “don’t ua’ work for Mayor Phil at milk barn?”
Yup. just got done sweepin’ alleys (area behind cows when milked).
Guy with “funny hat” asked sum questions.
Hows ur’ spelling?
We do 10 new words a day.
Get ‘em all correct?
Nope.
Any hunderds?
Yup. One, maybe two.
Someone tole’ me ua’ wash them there glass bottles on
that steam spittin’ spinning brush?
Yup. ‘bout 20 cases (240 bottles) each day [Quart - Pint - 1/2 Pint]
Why ua’ wanna’ work here?
Washin’ bottles, feedin’ cows and collecting eggs - 1 year - tired of that.
Had fun riding Peanuts [pony] rounding up cows - 5 p.m. milking.
dog Shep came with every day.
Cows saw us – started moving to barn.
Does Farmer Phil know ur’ tired of doin’ this?
Yup. He tole’ me to stop by here.
OK. ‘comon. I’ll show ua’ where the broom is –
OK. ‘comon. and don’t get near those printin’ machines.
OK. ‘comon. They sometimes get hungry when ‘ua walk by ‘em.
OK. ‘comon. Sorta’ reach out n’ grab a shirt sleeve. They ain’t fussy.
OK. ‘comon. Like to chew fingers off!
• • • • and life went on . . . at the print shop . . . ‘till we moved
down Menominee river, 60 miles, Marinette, Wi., where
dad obtained new employ.
Pony I rode, Peanuts, herded cows to barn for milking time.
Below: Shetland Pony looks like Peanuts.
Shedding “winter coat.”
Printers don’t talk everyday words like normal 9 year olds speak
No S-I-R R E E E E E E E E . . .
I talked farm
words like hay bales, corn cobs, oats, glass milk bottles, halters, reins, tugs, double tree, hitch pin, clevis, horse shoes, ice corks, milk pails, saddle, cinch ring, milk crates along with a spinning brush that spit [200°±] steam inside of bottle.
Printers used words like picas, points, didots, cicero, line rule, leads, coppers, brasses, mutt, nut & thin spaces, slugs, hell box, type notch, reglets, quoins, leaders, galleys, gutters, turtles, quoin key, space bands, vice jaws, hot metal, matrices, distributor box, metal pot, 1st elevator, 2nd elevator, clutch leathers, quadders, distributor box, mixers and on and on.
I was telling mother about all these words and mentioned the word “hell box” which caused her, while pealing potatoes, to turn around and point a knife at me and exclaim “their ain’t no such thing as a hell
box!” You better get back to milk bottles, oats and that pony.
Next day my dad stopped at this print shop and did in fact find out there was a “hell box.”
[U never threw a broken part or bent matrix away. Those things went into the hell box. Never know
when u’ might need a bent or broken part to get a print press or hot metal linecasting machine or press
running again.]
For a kid who knew “gee” and “haa” to get horses to turn left or right and how horse apples got from
stalls to the pile in the farm yard, this Print Devil thing was a whole new world!
. . . from Print Devil to ? ? ?
First exposure to graphics and printing was hand setting newspaper headlines for a
North Eastern Wisconsin Newspaper. It was different than sweepin’.
This time I got to assemble “type characters” onto a galley that became column heading in the
newspaper. The next day I got to distribute those letters back into the wood box (california job case) so
they could be used another time. I’m still called a "printer's devil", just doing different stuff.
What are Leads & Slugs?
All Foundry Type had a NICK on the front edge of each character.
After setting the first line and before inserting any lead (space between lines) the compositor would make a quick check to see that all characters in the line were set correctly. If one character showed up
with no nick - it’s time to turn the character around so the nick shows before inserting a “lead” space
strip of lead material – thickness of 1, 2, 3 points thick which are precut in many different lengths.
Also used for spacing between lines of type are “slugs” – that are cast in long strips then precut to
lengths desired for line spacing. Thickness = 6, 12, 18 & 24 pt. thick.
‘bout this time, 1948, let’s see . . . I delivered milk bottles from a horse drawn cart to customers door
steps, raised “squab” for sale, sold fresh eggs from my two chickens, learned how to swim in
Menominee River (Michigan/Wisconsin border), delivered 98 papers to homes - tossin’ ‘em from my
bicycle, made ice cream at a dairy, worked as helper in a Mobil Gas- 2 bay - Station, learned a lot of
mechanical stuff about cars, worked at Radio WMAM, Marinette, wi., helped with installation of WMBV
-TV, ch. 11, Marinette, Wi. (now in Green Bay, next to Lambeau Field. FOX broadcasting owns station.)
and all of a sudden it was 1955. Out the High School door in June and onto one of those iron boats that
picked up iron ore in Duluth, Mn. and hauled it to Inland Steel, Indiana. Then back to Duluth for another
load. July, Aug. & Sept. E’nuf of that. Back to the Mobil station. . . then into U. S. Navy – Nov. of ‘55.
Some of my Navy days consisted of building another TV station on Adak, Alaska, operating a garbage
barge for U.S. Navy, converting a Navy Picket boat into a sport fishing boat for Navy dependents in
San Diego.
Winnecone Wi. newspaper/print shop, after U.S. Navy, was next stop . . .
other activities will be filled in — later. . . . much later.
‘Bout 1960 I got back to basics of printing at Milwaukee Vocational School.
Linotypes, Intertypes, Ludlows and more.
What’s a point?
What’s set width?
What’s % of ink color reduction?
United States uses a measurement system based on inches, feet, yards etc.
For typesetting, 72 points = 1 inch. 1 point = .01387 thousandths of 1 inch
rounded up to .014 thousandths of 1 inch.
Aril & Arial Narrow typeface used in examples below.
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6 pt. type = ..084 thousandths of an inch.
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Sample
left is
6 pt. type = .084 thousandths of an inch. It’s used in advertisements, usually at the bottom, items that advertisers are required by law to reveal/publish BUT don’t want you to read nor understand. Also used in legal forms requiring signatures and Credit Card Co. rules about the use/payments etc. that You agree to before using the service.
Technology for type
composition using
computers, 1973 era.
allowed composition of
text to “squeeze” the set
width of characters - by
selecting a “Narrow”
typeface.
Around 2009, technology offered commands to auto-squeeze
any type face to
desired width. Some
states have a minimum
point size for classified
and legal documents type,
however, no state has
established a minimum set
width that this author is
aware of.
“squeeze” the set width of characters. to make sure –
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
you can’t read certain type – 100 % black ink – 60 % = 40 % for black.
If still readable – reduce it another 10% or 20%.
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Below line = 7 pt. Arial typeface.
Example of how things work in publishing world - legal forms, magazines and newspapers.
Example of how things work in publishing world - legal forms, magazines and newspapers.
Example - ^ above = 7 pt. Arial Narrow typeface. Publishers (2001) also have another tool
@ their fingertips. The ability to “squeeze” spaces between words.
Most difficult to read where one word stops and the next starts. No - I don’t have that
feature on my internet page.
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8 pt. type = .112 thousandths of an inch.
10 pt. type = .140 thousandths of an inch.
12 pt. type = .168 thousandths of an inch.
14 pt. type = .196 thousandths of an inch.
Composing (composition) Stick
Above is Capital Letter “B” Foundry type — See “NICK” on character.
Composition “stick” was designed for persons – “right handers” - therefore held composing stick in left hand. Usually held in left hand allowing right hand to pick type characters from the type drawer
(down page) one character at a time. I’ve seen a good typesetter pick two or three characters at a time.
Note: in between the word “Art and” is a space, then after the word “and” a word space is being held
with the left thumb. Possibly this line will get blank spaces inserted to fill out to upper edge (above
thumb) top end of composing stick. Typesetter will then choose a “lead” or “slug” of desired thickness
and length and inserts next to the type and spaces. The next line will start next to the adjustable
measure guide. (under the Cap letter “A”
Adjustable line length clamp is adjustable to desired length of line required.
Lifting a lever allows movement to longer measure, then re clamping lever down again.
Adjustable Composing Stick
This shows how adjustable guide is operated plus “hand stick” is held.
Note spaces between each word plus a “lead” between the bottom of top line and second
line (typesetter’s thumb). This process continues until “stick” is full. Type will be
transferred onto metal galley tray – typesetter will continue with more typesetting
from type case below. With completion of typesetting accomplished a proof of type
in galley will be created on proof press. (down page) Proof read for errors. Correction
performed right on galley and then type can be placed into square iron frame known
as a “chase” – type will be held in “chase” by block of wood “furniture” then “quoins”
inserted between the furniture and “chase” frame - “keys” will be expanded with
“quoin key” – then chase placed onto platen press.
I’ve written and printed left handed since 193?. Been intimidated by – countless teachers
who wanted to tie my left hand behind my back – and concentrate using my right hand – however when I started typesetting and there were no composing sticks [below] for left
handed typesetting persons . . . it took but a mere two minutes to retrain my thinking about
holding the “stick” in left hand and doin’ type pickin’ with right hand. Wasn’t gonna’ walk
away from this learning experience. Nooo Si r r r Reee.
To this day I use either hand to complete tasks. Whichever is most handy.
Composition stick held in left hand required
right hand to pick characters from “job case”. [see white drawer below]
Each letter in the headline was an individual character molded from lead, more commonly known as
foundry type. The process was called "hand stickin’ type." You set the characters of foundry type, side
by side, upside down for the headline in a long metal tray referred to as a stick or type galley. (metal
tray made of heavy steel with 1//4” sides on 3 sides – leaving the end of the tray open so type could be
slid off of galley tray into a form. If the line of characters were too long for the space intended in the
newspaper you would distribute those characters back into the type drawer and go to the next smaller
size type face and reset the line again.
After a couple days of this, you got to know which type would fit into a given space.
The makeup person would determine the length of line and typeface that should fit. He would place a
white chalk mark on the metal galley where the line should end.
The foundry type (above) came in many different sizes – from 5 pt. (like classifieds ads in newspapers)
to 148 pt (like 2” high headlines in newspapers.)
The average size of text in news stories appearing in a newspaper is 8 pt type – 8 pt type.
§ § § § § § § § § §
The next lesson to learn is were all these characters were stored in the below drawer. Capital letters
were easy BUT lower case, ligatures, punctuation were a total mess.
(see California Job Case below:)
I never got a real explanation on why they were all mixed up.
I did find out that the “e”, being the most used vowel, required a larger space for storage.
California Job Case Type drawer(below) has 89 separate spaces for storage of characters
Some spaces for lower case letters were larger — used more often in
composition.
Larger type sizes were divided into two drawers — with larger spaces.
When selecting a drawer of type, you always pulled the drawer directly below your selected type drawer 1/2 way out. Then if you had to get to numbers in the top row of your type drawer and pulled the drawer out too far – it would fall to the next drawer – not all the way to the floor, creating one “hell
of a mess” – which was called “pied type.” Those who pied a drawer got the [mandatory] opportunity
to clean (redistribute) the characters to the correct square storage area within the drawer
On Their OWN Time! [after school hours]
Type (fonts) characters were stored in large drawers called California Job cases. These drawers were 32"
wide x 17" deep x 1.5" high which were divided into
many different size spaces. Larger spaces for vowels
and spacing materials. Smaller spaces for consonants,
numbers, ligatures, punctuation and special characters.
Most drawers of type had 89 separate spaces. The larger
type was divided between 2 drawers. Caps in one
drawer and lower case, the other. You would stick all
caps required for the headline, close that drawer and
select all lower-case to complete the headline. As many
as 60 drawers were in a type cabinet.
Above the 2 columns of type drawers are vertical stacks
of 1 and 2 pt. leads use as space between lines of hand
set type. Many different lengths - from 6 to 24 picas.
Above them, the angle storage squares held different
brass spaces used for spacing between characters
within the words - to justify the lines of type in a composing stick when required
This print devil had to stand on a stack 
of three CoCa-Cola cases to reach the top 4 drawers.
(That's when a short bottle of Coke cost 5¢.
The cooler for the Coke was a large square tin box w/ folding covers.
¼ chunk of ice was delivered, via horse drawn wagon,
every other day for 10¢.
(Print Devil got elected to empty pail of water from cooler every 2 days)
“Hand set” type is composed up-side-down on a type galley. (picture right)
Place the galley onto a proof press, roll ink on face of characters with brayer (roller), place sheet of paper on type then move (large roller) impression roller
across paper.
Large roller in Proof Press picture (below)
Type will read correctly – (upper half of picture - right) > > >
Proof press (left) was invented around 1810
Type shops in the country used them until photo composition
arrived in the 1960’s
Present day hot metal type shops still use them
(believe it or not– hot metal typesetting is alive and well)
The trade is taught at
Linotype University
located in Denmark, Ia.
§ § § § § § § § § §
What the hell is a “HELL BOX” ?
The Hell Box keeps track of lost type and broken parts.
Never know what you’ll find in there!
§ § § § § § § § § §
 Cold Beer Here!
Another print devil daily duties was take two empty pails to the corner pub,
(Ye' Olde’ Oak Tavern on square – Marinette, WI.) and have them filled with beer.
A ritual performed each day when the newspaper was "put to bed." (Placed onto the press)
All comp room personnel would locate their mug, gather around this huge flat stone table (below)
where pages were "made up" (imposed/assembled) and partake in “swilling” of beer.
The barkeep traded 2 pails of beer for 2 FREE newspapers —
compliments of the newspaper publisher.
Printers, Typesetters, Proof Readers etc. that were waitin’ for the
Print Devil to return from Ye’ Olde’ Oak Tavern.
The “makeup” flat stone tables are in foreground
1875 Hand Cranked Flat Bed Press
Tramp Printer — Ever hear of them?
How about Drifters?
 Read on to learn more
Tramp Printers would traverse the country from East to West Coast and North to South, depending on where the best weather was. One could show up at any newspaper or commercial type shop and request work. It was difficult to find good people who could hand stick type and be a good speller.
They were never turned away. Always showed up with no
money. Most of the shops had a Chapel Chairman. Like a Union
steward today. The worker would converse with the Chair who
in turn went to the owner or publisher and cut a deal for the
Drifter to work. If the pub/owner refused, then another
permanent worker would take a day off and have this worker
take his place. The problem with a permanent worker taking a
day off, he would visit the other shops in the area and possibly
take employ at a different location. Then when the Tramp left
town – his former employer would be short of GOOD help.
People who could hand stick type were always in demand.
Owners would hire a housewife before a male. Women had
smaller fingers and could hand stick type faster than most
males. However in those days the rules were different for women. If they had children, they stayed at
home tending to them.
The tramp drifter wouldn’t stay for long. Maybe a week or so.
The local saloon always had food for them and a place to sleep. The tramp drifters never left town
without settling their tabs at the local saloon.
They might be back in 6 months. And be graciously welcomed by the Saloon keepers with
all sleepin’, eatin’, drinkin’ on the house!
 Long before Gutenberg's invention entered the scene, Germany was already a center of European book culture. Books were hand-made
by monks in monasteries, who toiled for weeks over a single
manuscript and were primarily responsible for copying religious
documents. Illuminated with gold and beautifully illustrated with
colorful drawings and designs, these books remain some of the most
important medieval cultural artifacts in Germany.
Guttenberg
and one of his assistants
page still under construction
Forward to 1955 —
This print devil joined the U.S. Navy. Started as a Seaman
Apprentice (same as printers devil — do the crappy work) and
was whisked away to Adak, Alaska to operate a TV station for the
entertainment of troops. (the devil worked at WLUK-TV 11
Marinette, WI. while in high school) Air Force, Marines and Navy
plus some dependents were stationed there.. Television, small
12" screens that produce black/white pictures on a glass tube
along with speakers that blurt out sound and have more snow on
the screen than picture.
Adak is so far out of touch with the real world that map makers
created a westward jog in the International Date Line so the last
island on the Aleutian Chain, Attu, would be included within the
continent of North America. Adak Island is 5 or 6 from the end of the chain.
Wow...
October 2010. Still workin’ with items to place on this page.
Haven’t forgot.
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