"A Visit to the Monotype Factory" - And more videos

[Mechanic]

From Linotype the Film Library.

A film about the manufacturing process of the Monotype. See where and how the machine was made along with the official Monotype company band!

The Monotype is a wonder of mechanics and engineering and in this film you will see the process of manufacturing the Monotype from beginning to end.
The film starts by showing the Salfords, UK train station and entrance into the Monotype factory, then shows all of the milling, drilling, cutting, and casting required to make the casting machine. After that, we see the keyboard and paper-punch apparatus being constructed.
The film ends with footage of testing and calibrating the machine and images of the Monotypes being shipped all over the world.
See more printing, journalism, and typographic-related films at: www.printingfilms.com


https://vimeo.com/196097516

[John Cornelisse]

A few other films about Monotype:


https://vimeo.com/182735926


https://vimeo.com/179267928


https://vimeo.com/179267929

[nomoreprinting]

I totally loved the movie and will watch it an again.
Worked in a shop in 1970 that had one, but the keyboard was broken, so the operator could only cast rows of letters for the type cases.

[Keri Szafir]

Well, that's a pity. It was the case in our museum too: we have two operational casters and a keyboard, but no keybars - so, no chance of punching anything. There were no stopbars or justifying scales either, but John gave us a S5, and one of our artists found a justifying scale on eBay. The keyboard was not even a still exhibit; it was just standing there in a storeroom and collecting dust.
Before I made a computer control attachment, the casters were not turned on or maintained for years. Now I run one every now and then to test the software, make a demonstration for visitors etc. - after I get the typesetting utility ready, it'll cast composed text like it used to. The keyboard went back from storage to display this year, and I'd like to get a pair of keybars to get it complete enough for working demonstrations.

[John Cornelisse]

A little remark:

All casters were restored and operated in a period of two three years starting ten years ago. The machines were cleaned and made operational, quite a job, together with Pawel Tryzno the director of the museum. all moulds were cleaned and taken into action. The composition caster lacked all tongs on the top, was only used for producing spaces. The atelier was built to store all equipment, and the machines were placed on pallets, making it possible to move them easy when needed.

The composition caster has was operated with my first computer interface for demonstrations during some museum nights, when I was lodging  in Lodz.

Since the arrival of Krzysztof a few years a lot have changed for the better. He learned casting and maintaining all in a very short time. I have never seen before.

I could not take my old interface with me on my travels, because it cannot replaced or repaired and traveling it did. I was warned for this by my friends in Holland, they made it some 15-17 years ago, and most essential parts are not produced anymore. Electronics evolve very quickly.

Together with a few friends of mine in Holland and Krzysztof,  we were able to finance building a few new interfaces. And with Krzysztof  programming skills the needed software is growing.

[Ranger.JR]

From Linotype the Film Library.

A film about the manufacturing process of the Monotype. See where and how the machine was made along with the official Monotype company band!



https://vimeo.com/196097516

Thanks for the link.

[Dave Hughes]

I've embedded the video at the top of this thread now.

[wysiwyg]

I seem to remember visiting here with the London School of Printing College and being given, believe it or not, a pica with the Lord's Prayer printed on its face.

[Stafford-Baker]

I too went on a visit to Salfords from the London College of Printing, back in 1954. The manager showing us round  decided that we were to be trusted and showed us the extra shed at the back where they were making Aden Cannon for the RAF's new Hunter jets.

I later learnt that  the same sort of stuff was produced in WW2.  I remain a lifelong fan of the Corporation and all its works, both mechanical and typographic. Like Laurel and Hardy a very much Anglo American company.

We don't always march in step, the Yanks and us,  but mostly in the same direction,

[Minty1310]

I remember visiting in the early 70's with the West Surrey College of Art and Design, welcomed by the management in the boardroom with drinks etc. and guided around the factory.

In 1975 I attended a 3 week long Caster operators maintenance course in their training school, travelling there by train from Guildford every day, I remember walking across the field from the station into the factory.

I was taught to dismantle and rebuild/ repair and maintain various composition machines.

Also while I was there i witnessed a 'banging out' for one of their print machine minders, he ended up in a lined wooden machine crate filled with an awfull mix of gunge. Glad it wasn't me.