Dave Seat's Linograph Project

[Dave Hughes]

It looks like Dave Seat, of Hot Metal Services has acquired a Linograph, complete with magazines and matrices, and is planning on restoring it back to working order.

From Facebook:

I would love to see one of these working! I would love to see some more pictures of the machine in the meantime, but haven't located any yet.

[Dave Hughes]

There is quite a comprehensive article on the history and development of the Linograph machine on Metal Type here: The Linograph



Intriguingly, Terry Foster included this snippet of info in the article he wrote:

An early Linograph machine, in working order but not having been operated for several years, is in the Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a gas-pot heated model.

[Dave Hughes]

I haven't seen an update on Dave Seat's project recently, but I'm keeping an eye out.

In the meantime, there seems to be another preserved Linograph at Kunstprenteverket - The Art Printworks in Norway.

They posted this teaser on Instagram recently:

View this post on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8zVMSPqdwQ/

These pictures give a great overview of the Print Works.

View this post on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9GJ9eOqkQv/

[Dave Hughes]

Great news. Dave has found some time in his busy schedule to take a look at the Linograph. Here's his update:

[Shoal Creek Press]

WAY TO GO! Thanks for the updates on this project.

[Dave Hughes]

Some more great pics (and video this time) - we see the magazine-changing mechanism which is unlike any linecaster I've ever seen, and the machine "cycling."

[Dave Hughes]

Looks like Dave's made some great progress. I've got to say that the machine's second elevator looks somehow neater than the familiar Lino/Inter version!

https://www.facebook.com/100040289893095/videos/897070508667967/

[realdougwilson]

@Dave Hughes Thank you for re-posting the videos to this thread. For those of us that don't have Facebook (me), it blocks me from seeing anything after a few images (which is frustrating!).

[Dave Hughes]

Thanks @realdougwilson I've always found Facebook to be an unsatisfactory platform, but I joined quite recently.

There's a big letterpress contingent on there, but I still find it difficult to find stuff, etc. They also make it quite tricky to share items, apart from just linking to it.

As with a lot of things in this world, being popular doesn't always mean that it is good.

[Dave Hughes]

Taken from the October 1922 edition of the "Inland Printer" -  advertisements for the Linograph: