Novice

[Merry]

I have a whole load of old metal type and would like to hand print wedding invitations.  A friend has a hand press, but I don't have a composing stick or any other equipment.  Will I be able to set up a simple 5 or 6 line invitation? What other kit is absolutely essential?

[Dave Hughes]

Hi Merry, Welcome to the forum.

I presume your friend, the owner of the hand press, has a chase, furniture, quoins, etc. to get the type onto the press.

If that is the case, all you would need, I suggest, is the composing stick.

[Merry]

Sadly not.  They only use the press for lino cut printing at the moment and don't have any of those other things.  The invitations will only be a few lines long, so I was wondering if it would be possible to improvise something that would do the same job, without having to shell out for loads of new kit.

Thanks for your speedy reply.

M

[Dave Hughes]

You should be able to improvise securing the type directly onto the machine bed, with whatever your friend used for securing their lino cuts.

Obviously securing Ludlow or Linotype slugs would present less problems than individual pieces of type.

[pschlacter01]

it is ...DAVE you're right