If some well-intended Genii were somehow to materialize a complete Linotype or Intertype in your shop, all set up and ready to go, it would run just fine for one day. Starting the next day, however, you'd discover that there are actually quite a few tools and supplies and other fiddly bits that are required to keep these machines going.
For the newcomer to hot metal, the problem is that the old hands always had these things available in their shops. They were a part of the daily environment, and as such were more or less invisible. They don't get talked about, therefore. They increasingly difficult to find (not only has the hot metal trade declined, but hot metal relied in turn on man products from the casting and jewelry trades, many of which are no longer available). More importantly for the newcomer, it is not initially clear just what you might need, and what might be available as modern alternatives.
The list here is basically for Linotype/Intertypes, but many of the items are necessary for Ludlows as well. I don't yet have any experience with Monotypes or Elrods.
Leather Shoes
These machines involve molten lead. Plastic/synthetic shoes/sneakers melt. Wear good leather shoes.
Safety Glasses
These aren't typically worn at the machine, but should be worn during any number of maintenance operations (such as operating a soft brass wire wheel to clean matrices).
(Note: Matrix Tools are important enough, and often specialized enough, to get a special section of their own later.)
Cotton Rags
It sounds too simple to mention, but rags are important, and rags in contact with hot surfaces must be of a natural fiber such as cotton - no synthetics! Safety warnings about rags and moving machinery.
(Except consumables for ingot casting.)
Mold Polish
Note: Star also sold Puts [sic; meaning Putz] Pomade as "a completely non-abrasive polish"; this product is still available.
A Top Light
An extra light clipped to the top of the Distributor to illuminate the back of the Distributor and the machine. My thanks to Bud Lang for this suggestion; it's a good one.
Making an Enclosed Plunger Cleaner
[TO DO] [1. Making an enclosed manual plunger cleaner out of a cheap sandblasting cabinet.] [2. Putting a homebrew mechanical plunger cleaner (an Ewald equivalent) in it]
Soft Brass Wheel for Matrix Cleaning
Emphasis on soft wire; an ordinary brass wire wheel is hard brass, which might well ruin the matrices.
Linotype Alloy
NOT foundry type metal, old type, spacing material, monotype metal, soft lead, tire weights, fishing weights, curtain weights, toy soldiers, bullets, or any unknown leadlike alloy. For a discussion of the metallurgy of Linotype Metal (which is distinctive, it is the eutectic alloy of its three constituent metals), see the For a "Type Metal" Notebook in the "Making Printing Matrices and Type" Notebooks.
"Plus Metal."
Casting Safety Equipment and Attire
Heat-resistant gloves. Safety glasses and face shields. Natural fiber clothing. Leather boots.
"Pig Caster"
The part missing from my Hammond EasyKaster which is basically a table to hold the long ingot molds, with a movable channel/spout for redirecting the lead from the main spout to each mold.
Metal Feeder Ingot Molds
These are the "long" molds for ingots to be hung from a metal feeder and fed into the pot. E.g., Intertype part no. U-1363.
Matrices
[Probably just a link here to the section elsewhere on understanding matrices.] [Make sure that the above includes matrices in relation to magazines; what runs in what.] [But also cover spaces as non-font items.] [And also matrices in relation to molds and liners.]
I'm not sure that these were very common. They are fun, but you don't need them. I wish I had any of them; I don't.
Hartco Spaceband [Cleaning] Machine
I've only heard rumor of this one; I don't even have a picture of one. It was sold by the Linotype Parts Co. before they became Star Parts.
A 2008 search of the USPTO records indicated that while "LINOTYPE" remains a trademark in category 9 for software and typefaces, the original trademark in category 7 for a "machine for producing type bars" / "typesetting machine" (registered 1909-06-29) had expired in both its original and later registrations
A 2008 search of the USPTO records indicated that the trademark "INTERTYPE", originally registered 1913-06-03, was expired.
A 2008 search of the USPTO records indicated that the trademark "LUDLOW" in category 7 for printing machinery, registered 1949-11-01, was expired. A search for "ELROD" discovered no trademark registration at all.
All portions of this document not noted otherwise are Copyright © 2008 by David M. MacMillan and Rollande Krandall.
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