Multigraph Typesetter help needed

[John Nixon]

Does anyone have any information on how these mats were assembled before transfer to the printing unit.

Can't find a manual anywhere.

[tjtrower]

Although I don't have any material to help with your quest, I do have the equipment -- and the type is assembled in a long slide that positively holds the type as it is assembled. If you spot a mistake, all type up to that point has to be slid off and a correction made.

Once a line is assembled, it is then slid onto the slotted drum used on a Multigraph, held in place by a special clamp, and the next line assembled.

It was described as a machine so easy to use even your secretary can do it!

[Julius Stafford-Baker]

At one time there was someone with specially modified Monotype machines to cast the little slotted type required.

They were somewhere south west of London,  maybe Giuildford-ish, and there was an effort to preserve one.  Result I know not.

But I did use this kit myself in an Army unit of the old Ordnance Corps and produced the unit Christmas Dinner menus on it!  There were just two sizes of type face. Both sort of Gill Sans.

The special clamp referred to above were tiny spring clip things that one rammed at both ends of the setting to get eg centred style for those menus.  The
proper use was labels for  military spare parts,  ammo etc.  in big Stores Depots.

[Minty1310]

Hi,
I worked at the company in question for a short period in 1981-82, the company name was H.Young & Co. Based in Catteshall Lane Godalming, the manager was a gentleman named Mike Farmer (sadly no longer with us).

The type was produced on standard Monotype Casters and Supercasters with special moulds and adapted type carriers, only able to cast individual characters by pricking the paper tape

Lines of letters cast onto slotted carriers about 6-8 inches long, the orders were made up and the letters sold by the inch, the cost varied depending on type size/font which varied from 6pt to 30pt in numerous fonts. I worked part time running the casters and servicing the machines and moulds as I had been trained by Monotype Corp. in Salfords.


H. Young & Co. shared the premises with another conventional trade typesetting Co. called Service Typesetters based in London and Godalming.


I started working life as a Compositor and progressed onto Casters and Supercasters but also worked in different areas running  Heidleberg platens and Cylinders, Litho film processing and plate making under carbon arc lamps, eventually running my own business for 27 years.

[Franz]

Are y'all referring to one of these? This one has been cast two days ago.



Reply to learn more 

[John Nixon]

Hi there @Franz

Wellington done, the "odd" uses for Monotype are really neat.

Would love to see a video of it actually casting.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers, John

[Franz]

John,

I appreciate your nice words about my monotype efforts, just here that's too much credit. The short type had been cast at Rainer Gerstenberg's in Darmstadt Germany when I visited last year.

I made a video:


https://vimeo.com/999671455