Chapter IX: Part 9

Varnish is the common menstruum adopted for all colours in printing. Red is the colour generally used with black. Trieste or English Vermilion, with a small portion of lake, produces a beautiful red, which should be ground with a muller on a marble slab till it be perfectly smooth. If it be in the smallest degree gritty, it clogs the form, and consequently produces a thick and imperfect impression; no pains should, therefore, be spared to render it perfectly smooth; it may then be made to work as clear and free from picks as black. A cheaper red, but not so brilliant, may be prepared with orange mineral, rose pink, and red lead.

Prussian blue makes also an excellent colour, but will require much time and labour to make it perfectly smooth. It is also ground with the best varnish, but made considerably thicker, by allowing a greater portion of colour with the same quantity of varnish than the red; it will then work clear and free from picks. As this colour dries rather rapidly, the rollers should be frequently washed.

Other colours may be made,—viz., lake and Indian red, which produce a deep red; verditure and indigo, for blues; orpiment, pink, yellow ochre, for yellows; verdigris and green verditure, for green, &c. All these colours should be ground with soft varnish, being in themselves driers, or they will choke up the form. The consistency of the ink must be governed by the quality of the work to be executed. For a posting-bill or coarse job, the ink should be very thin, the proportion of varnish being much greater than required for fine work. Should the work be a wood-cut, or small type, the pigment should be made as thick as possible.

The best colours for printing are those of the lightest body and brightest colour.

HOW TO USE DRY COLOURS.

To produce fine qualities of coloured printing inks by mixing pure dry colours with varnish, the printer will do well to give heed to the following particulars:—

1. No more should be mixed at a time than will be required for the job in hand.

2. Coloured inks should be mixed upon a slate or marble slab, by means of the muller, and never upon an iron or other metallic table. The table, before mixing, should be thoroughly clean, and perfectly free from the slightest soil or trace of other inks.

3. For working coloured inks, the roller should not be too hard, and should possess a biting, elastic face. When change of colour is required, it should be cleaned with turpentine, and a moist sponge passed over the face, allowing a few minutes for the roller to dry before resuming its use.

For bronze printing, the roller should have a firm face, or the tenacity of the preparation may destroy it; yet it must have sufficient elasticity to deposit the preparation freely and cleanly on the type.

4. Various shades may be produced by observing the following directions:—

BRIGHT PINK INK.—Use carmine or crimson lake.

DEEP SCARLET.—To carmine add a little deep vermilion.

BRIGHT RED.—To pale vermilion add carmine.

DEEP LILAC.—To cobalt blue add a little carmine.

PALE LILAC.—To carmine add a little cobalt blue.

BRIGHT PALE BLUE.—Cobalt.

DEEP BRONZE BLUE.—Chinese.

GREEN.—To pale chrome add Chinese blue; any shade can be
obtained by increasing or diminishing either colour.

EMERALD GREEN.—Mix pale chrome with a little Chinese blue, then
add the emerald until the tint is satisfactory.

AMBER.—To pale chrome add a little carmine.

DEEP BROWN.—Burnt umber, with a little scarlet lake.

PALE BROWN.—Burnt sienna; a rich shade is made by adding a
little lake as above.

5. GOLD PREPARATION. Print as with ordinary ink, then put on the bronze powder with a broad camel-hair brush; allow the impressions to remain a short time for the preparation to set, then clean off the superfluous bronze: the impressions will be much improved if passed through rollers.

HOW TO MULTIPLY COLOURS.

A printer who has on hand a stock of yellow, carmine, blue, and black inks, may produce other colours and shades by intermixing as follows:—

Yellow and carmine, mixed, will give Vermilion.
Carmine and blue Purple.
Blue and black Deep blue.
Carmine, yellow, and black Brown.
Yellow and blue Green.
Yellow and black Bronze green.
Yellow, blue, and black Deep green.

Lighter shades may be obtained by adding proper proportions of white ink.

CONTRAST OF COLOURS.

It is wrongly supposed that the art of arranging colours so as to produce the best effects in printing is entirely dependent on the taste of the operator; for harmony is determined by fixed natural laws. The increasing demand for decorative or ornamental work renders it of some importance to the letter-press printer to make himself acquainted with these laws; as, without some attention to them, the most elegant designs of the type founder, and the finest inks that can be made, may yield but an indifferent, if not a decidedly unpleasing, result.

The following remarks will be of use to persons to whom the subject is new; but for a thorough explanation of it they should refer to Chevreul on _Colours_,—a valuable work in the French language, which has been translated into English.

I. We may, in the first place, consider WHITE LIGHT as composed of three primary colours—blue, red, and yellow—duly blended; these three, in an infinite variety of proportion, serving to produce all the hues in creation. If we take any two of these primaries and mix them, we have a _secondary_ colour. Thus, blue and red form _violet_, blue and yellow give _green_, red and yellow make _orange_. Each of these secondary colours harmonizes perfectly with the primary which does not enter into its composition. Violet, for instance,—itself a mixture of red and blue,—harmonizes with yellow; green, having no red in its composition, agrees well with red; orange, in the same way, forms a perfect contrast with blue. Either of these contrasts has the effect of mutually brightening the colours employed; a red and a green, &c. being more beautiful when placed side by side than when viewed singly. This is termed the HARMONY OF CONTRAST OF COLOURS; and a good example of it is seen in the scarlet geranium, or the holly; the one showing a light green leaf opposed to a bright red flower, and the other a deep green leaf with a dark red berry.

The _mixing_ of colours is a very different thing from _contrasting_ them; for strange as it may seem, although one combination of the primary colours gives _white_, yet another proportion will produce _black_. While, then, red and green look beautiful side by side, it does not generally answer to print red ink on _green paper_. The reason is, that as the ink is slightly transparent, some of the green shows through it, and appears somewhat black, and thus lowers the brilliance of the red in the same degree as so much black ink would, if mixed with it. This remark will apply to orange or yellow on a blue paper, &c. The darker and fuller the body of colour used, the less it is affected in this manner.

The most perfect contrasts are those above mentioned, which are formed by the complementary colours; yet the primaries blue, red, and yellow also agree well together. But if such colours as are not in harmony are placed near each other, the effect is very damaging to their brightness. While red is made more brilliant by the proximity of green, it is dimmed and spoiled by placing it next an orange. Neither blue nor red contrasts well with violet, because the latter contains each of these colours in its composition. In any case where they must come into juxtaposition, the unpleasant effect may be lessened by adding a little of the opposite colour: so, if a violet is to contrast with red, it will be well to give it a shade of blue, making it more _purple_; if, on the other hand, it is to contrast with blue or green, it should be made _redder_.

II. COLOURS WITH BLACK. In all contrasts, the depth of the colour is an important element, but especially so in such as are to be affected by the presence of black. In but few instances will the latter bear the neighbourhood of a very deep colour to advantage, while it harmonizes with the lighter ones by contrast of tone. Yellow, from its near approach to white, should always be worked “full;” orange and green should also be full, and moderately deep in tone, to contrast with black. If a blue is employed, it should be light, or it will impoverish the black and be weakened itself. A very light blue border, with a broad margin of white between it and the body of matter enclosed, will give a clean, bright look to black ink, and whiteness to the paper. A light pink (such as carmine reduced with flake-white or with clear varnish) is also good; yet perhaps the preceding is preferable. Dark and heavy borders are frequently a positive injury to printing, where the working in a light shade would have secured a good effect; for the border should always be so far secondary to the matter enclosed as not to draw off the attention too much to itself.

III. COLOURS ON TINTED PAPERS AND TINTED GROUNDS. Besides the kind of harmony already mentioned, there is another, which is produced by the contrast of light and dark shades of the _same_ colour. This might be employed in letter-press more frequently than it is at present, with some advantage, as the effects it is capable of yielding are very chaste and pleasing. In a photograph or an engraving, all the effect is dependent on difference of tones of one colour; and the beauty of a wood in summer consists chiefly in the contrast displayed by a variety of shades of green only. A deep green ink on a paper of a light tone of the same colour is especially good, if a heavy letter is used; and indeed in most printing in colours, full, solid-faced letter should be preferred to outlines or shaded ones, which are difficult to work, and have at best but an inferior appearance unless the darkest tones are employed. A deep blue on a light blue ground, or against a light blue border, is also good; and without the latter accompaniment it is not unpleasant on a blue wove writing-paper. To secure the proper effect, however, the tints should be of the same _hue_; that is, if the groundwork is of a bluish green, the colour that is to be worked upon it should also be a green inclining to blue; if, on the other hand, the ground is of a yellower green, the body of ink should also be yellower; and so on. This may easily be managed by adding a small portion of ink of the colour required, until the hue is matched.

IV. NEUTRAL TINTS. In selecting borders for the more chaste description of printing, it is a pretty safe rule to avoid such as cover much surface, if they are to be worked in any strong colour or in black. When lighter tints are used, they will bear extension over a larger surface; and in this case a pale gray or neutral border will have a beneficial effect on any body with which it is contrasted, as well as on black itself, which is purified by its proximity. If the central printing is in black _only_, or in black and yellow, a _lavender_ gray may be substituted for the border. And in any case in which the central matter is all in one colour, it will improve it to have a border of gray which is _slightly tinged with the complementary of such colour_. Thus, if the body be red, a very small portion of _green_ may be added to the gray; and so forth.

It must be remembered that in ornamental printing absolute cleanliness is indispensable. The same roller should never be used for different colours, even after it has been washed. Instead of hanging exposed to dust and to the air, rollers should be kept in a tightly-closed box; and in this manner they will remain a long time in good order. The tins of ink should be similarly preserved, and the lids never left off except at the moment of using from them. These are small matters; but it is only by patient attention to minute details that excellence can be attained in printing.

OILING A PRESS.

Excessive lubrication is wasteful, unclean, and hurtful to a press. A small quantity of oil should be used at a time, as a large amount will overrun on the press, and hold the dust and grit caused by sweeping the floor; these, working into the journals, will wear the press more than use. The best oil should be used, whether sperm, lard, or coal. Kerosene may be used to clean the ways of a press when they have become gummed by the use of improper oil. Presses should always be kept scrupulously clean.

HOW TO TREAT WOOD TYPE.

To prevent warping, all very large wood type should be set up on the edge when put away, so that both sides may be equally exposed to the air. In cleaning it, neither ley nor water should be employed under any circumstances. Turpentine, camphene, benzine, or kerosene oil may be used; but turpentine and camphene are the best. Procure a small, shallow pan; lay the form flat on a board; pour about six tablespoonfuls of turpentine into the pan; touch the face of the brush to the turpentine, and pass it quickly over the form before it evaporates. Six to eight spoonfuls of fluid will be found sufficient to clean a large form, if thus used.

WAREHOUSE DEPARTMENT.

THE WAREHOUSEMAN.

The warehouseman should be a man sober and upright, and thoroughly competent to the business, on whom entire reliance may be placed,—one who will act upon the principle of making his employer’s interest the end of all his action. The employer or foreman should frequently look to the concerns of the warehouse, and see that all the work is forwarded with despatch and accuracy.

The warehouseman should be provided with a book, termed “The Warehouse Book,” with pages annexed, on the following plan, and about the size of foolscap quarto:—

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|BUTLER’S NEW AMERICAN ARITHMETIC. (NO. PRINTED, 5000.) |
+--------+------------------+----------+------------------+------------+
| | RECEIPT OF |NO. OF |TO WHOM | |
| DATE. | PAPER, AND OF |COPIES |DELIVERED, AND |FOR WHOM. |
| | WHOM. |DELIVERED.|RECEIPTED FOR. | |
+--------+------------------+----------+------------------+------------+
| | | | | |
|1878. | | | | |
|May 3. | 43 reams of E. C.| | | |
| | & P. H. Warren. | | | |
|June 8. | 40 ditto. | | | |
| ” 24. | | 2500 |Speel & Co. |J. H. Butler|
| ” 30. | | 2000 |R. Eyelet, binder.| & Co. |
|Aug. 4. | | 300 |Paul Picot. | ” |
| ” 5. | With waste | 230 |Wm. Crouse. | ” |
| | | ---- | | |
| | | 5030 | | |
+--------+------------------+----------+------------------+------------+

When the paper is brought, the warehouseman should at once compare it with the bill of delivery, and, if right, enter the quantity immediately into the warehouse book. The number of printed copies delivered to the binder or publisher should also be entered, and his signature be taken at the time of delivery. This plan will prevent disputes with the bookseller or author relative to the receipt of paper or the delivery of sheets.

Having entered the receipt of the paper, the warehouseman should then write on each bundle, with red chalk, the title of the book it is to be used for, and remove it into a convenient part of the warehouse, or into a store-room provided for that purpose.

GIVING OUT PAPER TO WET.

A bundle of paper consists of two reams, or forty quires, each quire containing twenty-four sheets. Formerly, the two outside quires were called cassie quires, as they were mostly made up of torn, stained, wrinkled, or otherwise imperfect sheets. At present, all the quires are considered good, although some outer sheets are injured by the twine used in tying up the bundles.

It is the general custom to print of every work what is termed an _even_ number,—either 250, 500, 750, 1000, &c. These quantities are given out for the wetter in _tokens_,—viz.: for 250 sheets, one token, containing 10 quires 18 sheets; for 500, two tokens, one 11 quires, and the other 10 quires and a half; for 750, three tokens, two of them 11 quires each, and the other 10 quires 6 sheets; and for 1000, four tokens, three of them 11 quires each, and the other 10 quires. If a work is printed in half-sheets, it of course requires only half the above quantities.

It would be difficult to form any positive and invariable rule for the quantity to be given out for short numbers, as it must depend in some degree upon the quality of the paper. The more expensive papers, on which, generally, short numbers or line copies are printed, must be given out more sparingly than common paper, and the tympan and register sheets be supplied by a more common sort, cut to the size of the finer. For numbers up to 150, on ordinary paper, six sheets over will be sufficient. Some publishers are very testy on this point of allowance for waste.

In giving out paper for what are termed _jobs_, the amount necessary can easily be found by a simple calculation in division.

For example, a job, (label or any thing else,) 750 in number, 32 on a sheet, will require 24 sheets, which will give an overplus of 18. Where a sheet has to be cut into many parts, allowance must be made for accidents. The overplus sheets are allowed for tympan-sheets, register-sheets, and other incidents, such as bad sheets, faults committed in rolling, pulling, bad register, &c.; in any of these casualties, the pressman doubles the sheet in the middle and lays it across the heap. In laying out the paper, the warehouseman reverses every other token, to enable the wetter to distinguish the different tokens. When this is done, he labels the heap, thus: _American Printer, May 10, 1878_,—that the pressman may know how long it has been wet, and the state it is in for working.

32)750(23
64
---
110
96
---
14

HANGING UP PAPER TO DRY.

When the paper is worked off and counted, the warehouseman carries the heap to the drying-room, where the poles are fixed for the purpose of hanging the sheets upon to dry, and lays it down on a table of convenient height, with one end of the heap toward him. He then takes the handle of the peel in one hand, and lays the top part down upon the heap, so that the upper edge may reach near the middle of the sheet; then, with the other hand, he doubles over as much of the printed paper as he thinks sufficient to hang up at one lift, which should be about twelve sheets, according to the pole-room to hang them.

In hanging up the lifts, he places them so that each lift will lap about an inch over the preceding one. It is necessary, where the end of the pole is exposed to a strong current of air from a window, to _lock_ the last lift. This is done by folding a lift two or three times, so as to concentrate its weight in a small compass, and hanging this over the last lift near the window.

TAKING DOWN SHEETS WHEN DRY.

When the sheets are sufficiently dry, the warehouseman takes his peel and begins with the last lift hung up, on account of the wrapper being with that lift, and proceeds in the reverse order of hanging them up, successively taking them down, and brushing them, if dusty, till he has finished the whole.

Another way of taking the sheets down from the poles is, to lay the flat side of the peel against the edge of that lift which hangs over the other sheets, and push the peel forward, forcing them to slide, one lift over another. But by this method the dust which settles on the sheets while hanging is rubbed in.

FILLING IN AND PRESSING SHEETS.

When the sheets are taken down, the warehouseman removes them to the warehouse, where they are filled in between smooth pasteboards made for the purpose. This operation is generally performed by boys, who, after a little practice, become exceedingly expert at it. We shall try to be somewhat minute in our description of this operation. We will suppose the pasteboards to have sheets between them, which will be the case after they have been once used. The warehouse being provided with long tables or benches, secured to the wall, and a sufficient number of movable tables about the size of the largest paper, the warehouseman places one of the small tables endwise against the long one, forming a right angle, upon which to lay the pressed sheets as they come out of the boards; the boy then takes his stand at the right side of the table, with the dry unpressed sheets at his right hand and the pasteboards at his left, somewhat elevated, leaving sufficient space before him to fill in the sheets. He then proceeds as follows. He first moistens the thumb of his right hand and reaches across to the pasteboards at his left, drawing one off with his thumb and placing it before him; he then catches a sheet of the dry paper also with his right hand and places it as near the centre of the pasteboard as possible; then, twisting his body nimbly round to the left, he slides the pressed sheet from the pile of pasteboards to the table at his left side, and, in resuming his former position, again draws off a pasteboard with his thumb; and so on, till the gross or bundle is filled. It is then laid aside, and another bundle filled and laid across the former, taking care always to keep the bundles separated until they are put in press, when they are separated by smooth boards made of cherry or other hard wood. The bundles being all filled in, the warehouseman proceeds to fill up the standing-press, putting in one bundle at a time and placing a pressing-board between them; there should also be a stout plank introduced between the top board and the platen. In case the press should not hold quite as much as desired, more may be got in by unscrewing the press after it has been once screwed down. The press is finally screwed down as tight as possible. It should remain so for at least twelve hours, when it should be entirely emptied before the sheets are taken out of the boards. The sides of the piles or heaps must be kept perfectly even. In large offices, hydraulic presses are used.

COUNTING OUT AND PUTTING AWAY SHEETS.

When the sheets are taken out, the warehouseman knocks them up, and, after counting them into quires, ties them up in wrappers, marking the name of the work and signature on each bundle. Two or three sheets of each signature should be laid aside, in case the author, bookseller, or employer should want a copy of the work or a specimen of as many sheets as are finished.

STANDARD SIZES OF MACHINE-MADE PAPER.

(_Furnished by A. G. Elliot & Co., Philadelphia._)

PRINTING PAPER.

Medium inches, 19 × 24
Royal 20 × 25
Super Royal 21 × 27
Imperial 22 × 32
Royal and Half, 25 × 30
Double Medium 24 × 38
Imperial and Half 32 × 33
Double Super Royal 27 × 42
Double Imperial, 32 × 44.

Other sizes kept on hand, but without technical names, are as follows:—22 × 28; 24 × 36; 25 × 39; 26 × 40; 28 × 42.

WRITING PAPER.

Note inches, 8 × 10
Packet Note 9 × 11½
Letter 10 × 16
Commercial Post 11 × 17
Packet Post 11½ × 18½
Foolscap 13 × 16
Flat Cap 14 × 17
Crown 15 × 19
Demy 16 × 21
Folio 17 × 22
Medium 18 × 23
Royal 19 × 24
Super Royal 20 × 28
Imperial 23 × 31
Elephant 23 × 28
Columbier 23 × 34
Atlas 26 × 33
Double Elephant 27 × 40
Antiquarian 31 × 53

A TABLE

_For ascertaining the Number of Forms for a Book of any Size, and the Quantity of Paper necessary to print a thousand copies in any form, from Octavo to 36mo, half-sheetwise._

+-------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+-------------+
|NO. OF | | | | | | | | PAPER FOR |
|FORMS. | 8vo. | 12mo.| 16mo.| 18mo.| 24mo.| 32mo.| 36mo.| 1000 COPIES.|
+-------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+-------------+
| |PAGES.|PAGES.|PAGES.|PAGES.|PAGES.|PAGES.|PAGES.| REAMS. QRS. |
| _1_ | 8 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 24 | 32 | 36 | _1_ _2_ |
| _2_ | 16 | 24 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 64 | 72 | _2_ _4_ |
| _3_ | 24 | 36 | 48 | 54 | 72 | 96 | 108 | _3_ _6_ |
| _4_ | 32 | 48 | 64 | 72 | 96 | 128 | 144 | _4_ _8_ |
| _5_ | 40 | 60 | 80 | 90 | 120 | 160 | 180 | _5_ _10_ |
| _6_ | 48 | 72 | 96 | 108 | 144 | 192 | 216 | _6_ _12_ |
| _7_ | 56 | 84 | 112 | 126 | 168 | 224 | 252 | _7_ _14_ |
| _8_ | 64 | 96 | 128 | 144 | 192 | 256 | 288 | _8_ _16_ |
| _9_ | 72 | 108 | 144 | 162 | 216 | 288 | 324 | _9_ _18_ |
| _10_ | 80 | 120 | 160 | 180 | 240 | 320 | 360 | _11_ |
| _11_ | 88 | 132 | 176 | 198 | 264 | 352 | 396 | _12_ _2_ |
| _12_ | 96 | 144 | 192 | 216 | 288 | 384 | 432 | _13_ _4_ |
| _13_ | 104 | 156 | 208 | 234 | 312 | 416 | 468 | _14_ _6_ |
| _14_ | 112 | 168 | 224 | 252 | 336 | 448 | 504 | _15_ _8_ |
| _15_ | 120 | 180 | 240 | 270 | 360 | 480 | ... | _16_ _10_ |
| _16_ | 128 | 192 | 256 | 288 | 384 | 512 | ... | _17_ _12_ |
| _17_ | 136 | 204 | 272 | 306 | 408 | ... | ... | _18_ _14_ |
| _18_ | 144 | 216 | 288 | 324 | 432 | ... | ... | _19_ _16_ |
| _19_ | 152 | 228 | 304 | 342 | 456 | ... | ... | _20_ _18_ |
| _20_ | 160 | 240 | 320 | 360 | 480 | ... | ... | _22_ |
| _21_ | 168 | 252 | 336 | 378 | 504 | ... | ... | _23_ _2_ |
| _22_ | 176 | 264 | 352 | 396 | ... | ... | ... | _24_ _4_ |
| _23_ | 184 | 276 | 368 | 414 | ... | ... | ... | _25_ _6_ |
| _24_ | 192 | 288 | 384 | 432 | ... | ... | ... | _26_ _8_ |
| _25_ | 200 | 300 | 400 | 450 | ... | ... | ... | _27_ _10_ |
| _26_ | 208 | 312 | 416 | 468 | ... | ... | ... | _28_ _12_ |
| _27_ | 216 | 324 | 432 | 486 | ... | ... | ... | _29_ _14_ |
| _28_ | 224 | 336 | 448 | 504 | ... | ... | ... | _30_ _16_ |
| _29_ | 232 | 348 | 464 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _31_ _18_ |
| _30_ | 240 | 360 | 480 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _33_ |
| _31_ | 248 | 372 | 496 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _34_ _2_ |
| _32_ | 256 | 384 | 512 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _35_ _4_ |
| _33_ | 264 | 396 | 528 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _36_ _6_ |
| _34_ | 272 | 408 | 544 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _37_ _8_ |
| _35_ | 280 | 420 | 560 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _38_ _10_ |
| _36_ | 288 | 432 | 576 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _39_ _12_ |
| _37_ | 296 | 444 | 592 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _40_ _14_ |
| _38_ | 304 | 456 | 608 | ... | ... | ... | ... | _41_ _16_ |
| _39_ | 312 | 468 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | _42_ _18_ |
| _40_ | 320 | 480 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | _44_ |
+-------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+-------------+

EXAMPLE.—_How many reams will be required for a 12mo book containing 408 pages?_ Find the number of pages (408) in the 12mo column: in the outer column on the left of the table the number of forms is seen, and in the outer column on the right the quantity of paper required is given.

JOBBING FACILITIES.

There is no department in the art that is better provided with means for its efficient prosecution than job printing. It is true that an establishment fully provided with all the old and new conveniences will involve a very considerable outlay; yet a beginner in a small way, who has to count the cost carefully, may avail himself of many facilities which were unknown a score of years ago. The smaller the capital, the more need for the exercise of a wise discretion in the selection of material. Regard should be had to the special line of work to be undertaken, and the type and presses adapted to that line should be selected. If the master himself shall work with head and hand, perseveringly and early and late, and shall do good work at fair prices—never cutting-under to secure a job at non-paying rates,—and shall be obliging in manner and punctual in delivery, and shall waste no dimes in drink or other useless expenses, the growth of his business will be only a matter of time; and he will gradually be able to order just what that growth necessitates, until he shall find himself the proprietor of a well-appointed office and a paying business. In his first outlay and in all his additions, the best of every kind should be gotten, if possible, as cheap things always prove dear.

It matters little how well appointed an office may be, there will be no gains in it unless the proprietor, counting the cost carefully, makes sure that every job shall pay a reasonable profit.

When a job is taken in, it should be fully entered in a volume, giving all particulars in regard to the number of copies, style, and price. This may serve as a Day Book or Blotter. A memorandum-slip, like the following, may be filled out for each job, and kept on file after the work shall have been completed:—

No. of Order _____________________

_Size of Card, Paper or Book, when finished_ _____________________

_Quality_ ________________________________________________________

_Number of Copies_ _______________________________________________

_Style of Type_ __________________________________________________

_Size of Form_ ___________________________________________________

_Colour of Ink_ __________________________________________________

_Time of Composition_ ____________________________________________

_Time on Press_ __________________________________________________

_Proof wanted_ ___________________________________________________

_Goods to be called for_ _________________________________________

_ ” ” delivered_ __________________________________________

_Price_ __________________________________________________________

_Paid in advance, $_ _____________________________________________

_Date_ ____________________________

It will be satisfactory to keep what may be called an Estimate Book, in which may be entered the particulars of estimates given for various kinds of work, whether the job be secured or not, these particulars will be time-saving when a similar piece of work comes in for estimate. Samples of paper, of all grades and colours, may be kept in a convenient receptacle, cut up into various sizes, and with memoranda written on each sample to denote the cost per ream, the weight, and the number of pieces in a sheet.

A useful thing to have in a job office is Ames’s Paper and Card Scale, for fractional sizes, showing the number of pieces of any required size that can be cut from a sheet without waste, with a table giving the number of sheets required to cut 1000 pieces, and another showing the cost of paper by the quire, sheet, and hundred sheets, at any given price per ream. Besides the above, we may mention Le Blond’s Chart, a very compact affair, showing the number of any given size of card that can be cut out of a card sheet 22 × 28 inches.

The modern printer has every convenience that can be desired in the way of cases, and his type and other material are amply provided with receptacles well adapted for each special use. There are not only large and small cabinets, filled with job cases of various styles and capacities, but there may be had cases for rules, leads, and furniture, as well as blank cases for indefinite uses. We give representations of these.

All cases should be labelled, and the label should be printed in the same type that is contained in the case.

Capitals and lower-case job types should not be laid together in the same boxes. The saving of time in a year will pay for extra cases.

Job type-cases should be kept in cabinets, and not in stand-racks, as the latter cannot be used without interfering with the hand whose stand may contain the case wanted. Various kinds of cabinets are shown on pages 219-221, 231 and 234, some of which are constructed to hold cases and quad and space boxes.

All matter should be cleared away as soon as done with. This work can be done by careful boys. Standing galleys, or cabinets with galley tops, for type to be kept awhile, will be found useful and convenient; but matter preserved for occasional future use were better papered up and labeled or stored away locked up in a chase cabinet. (See p. 231.) A rack with sloping boards to support the forms will prove to be a safe and convenient place for keeping the forms of type which need to be held standing.

Labour-saving leads, and slugs, and reglets, cut to varying lengths, when not in use, should be kept in cases specially provided for them. And so with labour-saving brass rule, quotation furniture, rule, etc. It is economical as well as tidy to have appropriate places for every thing.

For fixed measures, or measures not often changed, the standard screw composing-sticks are probably the best; but for jobbing and table-work, where the measure is frequently altered, it will be well to use the new styles, such as are shown above; no screw-key or screw-driver being required, the latter can be quickly and easily set to a new measure.

The boxwood quoin will probably continue to hold its place, though not a few printers favour the use of the newly-invented iron articles offered by various manufacturers, such as Webb’s Mechanical Quoin, Ames’s, Hoe’s, Allen’s, and Hempel’s Patent Quoins. The latter quoin has, from its durability and easy application, crowded out all competitors.

Among the very handy things to have about an office, we may enumerate the circular and hollow quadrates, shown on pages 77 and 78; corner quadrates, cast in type-metal; and also the brass line-formers, shown on page 79, that enable the workman to curve lines expeditiously.

Even so simple a thing as a shooting-stick, commonly made of hickory or ash, is now to be had in brass or iron. These latter are certainly more durable, but dangerous in careless hands.

A novel invention is Armstrong’s Patent Combined Mallet and Shooting-Stick. This is desirable for general use, and for locking-up forms on the press, or of service where room for the use of the ordinary mallet and shooting-stick is limited to a confined space.

A mitering machine and lead-cutter are among the necessary adjuncts of a printing-office.

Perforating Rule is slightly higher than type, and is used in printing coupons and tickets which require to be partially severed while going through the press. It is made of brass or steel. A more convenient (as well as more expensive) article is Ames’s Patent Perforator: its knife, or perforator, lies below the surface of the type while the rollers pass over the form, and rises and makes a clean cut when the impression is on, without injuring the rollers.

Machines for perforating round holes are manufactured of several sizes. The lowest-priced machine may be worked on a counter, and will perforate every kind of card-board or paper. We give a cut of this style.

Imposing Stones may be had with drawers and cases underneath; but these we do not deem advisable, unless the printer be cramped in room, as the cases may be wanted when the stone is in use while imposing or correcting forms. For common use, the plain stone with a single drawer, and without a rim, will be found the nicest. When made otherwise, the rim should be fitted snugly to the stone, or the interstices will become filled with types, dropped in while correcting.

A very convenient device for the compositor is the Copy-Holder. This, however, is for the book compositor rather than for the jobber. Its utility consists in bringing the copy nearer to the eye of the workman, and in leaving all the boxes at command and uncovered by the manuscript or printed page. There is also a Lamp-Holder which will be found handy where gas is not accessible.

Card Cutters are made of several styles, and at prices from fourteen dollars to forty-five; and Paper Cutters are yet more numerous, some of them simple and low-priced, and others massive and costing twelve hundred dollars. We give an engraving of one of moderate price. An extensive run of business only would require the employment of a large paper cutter.

Several contrivances for facilitating press operations have been invented. We may mention Megill’s Patent Gauge Pin, of sizes suitable for various margins. Two small teeth, projecting from the lower side of the head of the pin, press into the tympan sheet and prevent the gauge from moving. There is also the Extension Feed-Guide, which furnishes a gauge below the edge of the platen, and is held firmly in place by the tympan-clamp.

When long numbers are printed, the Automatic Counter may be attached to the press. It counts only when the form is being printed, and shows the exact number in plain figures up to 100,000. Several styles of counting machines are made.

An ink fountain has been contrived for attachment to the Gordon job press, or any other press with similar plate distribution. It is quite a cosey little thing, and is operated by the impression arm of the press.

Iron furniture is made in sets containing twenty-one pieces, adapted for use on the eighth, quarter, and half medium job presses.

USEFUL RECEIPTS.[22]

_Printers’ rollers._—10 lbs. French or Irish heavy glue, 12 lbs. sugar or good quality molasses, and 3 lbs. glycerine. This will be sufficient to make two rollers twenty-nine by three and one-half inches, and can be readily recast by following the directions given for recasting rollers.

DIRECTIONS.—Soak the glue the necessary length of time that will enable it to melt with ease. After being melted, add the glycerine, and boil fifteen minutes or until thoroughly mixed, when the sugar or molasses may be added. Cook and stir continuously for fifteen minutes, the composition will then be ready for pouring. Strict attention should be given that the moulds be thoroughly cleansed and evenly oiled previous to pouring.

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_German Preservative for Rollers._—Corrosive sublimate 2 drachms, fine table salt 2 oz.; put together in half a gallon of soft water—let it stand twenty-four hours. When rollers are clean washed with ley, sponge them with the above mixture twice a week.

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_Directions for Recasting Rollers._—Sponge the face of the roller with hot water; scrape off the face thoroughly with a knife; take the composition off the stock and cut it up small. If the roller has been used only a short time, it may be melted about as readily as new composition; if it is older, put it in a sieve or basket and soak it in cold water for about fifteen or twenty minutes; take it out of the water, cover with a damp cloth, and leave over-night; then melt as usual. If composition is too hard, wait till it is melted, and stir in a sufficient quantity of common molasses; avoid heavy, clarified syrups.

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_Printers’ Ley._—No. 1.—Dissolve 28 lbs. of soda in 52 gallons of water, to which add 7 lbs. of soft-soap, boiled. Stir well together.

_Printers’ Ley._—No. 2.—Boil 3 gallons of water in a copper; throw in while boiling ½ lb. of unslacked lime and 2 lbs. of common soda; stir well for fifteen minutes. Let it settle till cold, when it must be taken out without disturbing the sediment, and the liquid is then fit for use.

_Printers’ Ley._—No. 3.—Table salt 2 oz., unslacked lime 2 lb., Scotch washing soda (bruised) 2 lb. Put together in 3 gallons of water, stir well; when settled, ready for use.

NOTE.—This ley, if prepared carefully, is very strong, and will
wash off almost any colour.

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_A Strong White Paste._—Dissolve 2½ oz. of gum-arabic in 2 quarts of water, and stir it into 1 pound of wheat flour until the whole becomes of a pasty consistency. It is then to be heated, and 1½ oz. each of sugar of lead and alum dissolved in a little water added thereto, and the composition well stirred until it shows signs of boiling, when it must be removed from the fire. Add while hot 6 drops of carbolic acid. This is a very tenacious and durable paste, and may be used on almost any substance.

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_Pastes for Fixing Labels on Glass._—No. 1.—Take of gum-arabic 1 oz., boiling water and glycerine 2 fluid ounces each. Make a solution.

No. 2.—Take of gum-arabic and powdered gum tragacanth ½ oz. each, water 1½ oz., acetic acid 20 drops. Mix. The acid is used to prevent chemical change, although a stiff paste made of tragacanth alone is not inclined to spoil by fermentation.

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_To Make a good Mucilage._—The best quality of mucilage is made by dissolving clear glue in equal volumes of water and strong vinegar, and adding one-fourth of an equal volume of alcohol, and a small quantity of a solution of alum in water. The action of the vinegar is due to the acetic acid which it contains. This prevents the composition from gelatinizing by cooling; but the same result may be accomplished by adding a small quantity of nitric acid. Some of the preparations offered for sale are merely boiled starch, or flour, mixed with nitric acid to prevent the gelatinizing.

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_Liquid Glue._—Take some good strong glue and mix it with full proof whisky. Let it digest for three or four days, and it will be ready for use.

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_Strong Mucilage._—The _Journal de Pharmacie_ states that if, to a strong solution of gum-arabic measuring 8⅓ fluid oz., a solution of 30 grains of sulphate of aluminium dissolved in ⅔ of an oz. of water be added, a very strong mucilage is formed, capable of fastening wood together, or mending porcelain or glass.

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_Gum for Backing Labels._—Take any quantity of clear, pure dextrine and mix it with boiling water until it assumes the consistency of ordinary mucilage. Apply thinly with a full-bodied, evenly made, and wide camel’s-hair brush. The paper should not be too thin or unsized. The preparation will dry quickly, and adhere when slightly wet.

NOTE.—No more of the dextrine should be mixed at one time than
can be used at once, as it cannot be remelted easily.

* * * * *

_Mucilage for Postage Stamps, Envelopes, etc._, is composed of dextrine 2 parts, acetic acid 1 part, alcohol 1 part, water 5 parts.

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_Common Prepared Glue._—Dissolve 2 lbs. good common glue in 3 pints warm water, and add 1 quart of strong vinegar. Ready to use after twenty-four hours.

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_For making Magenta Surface Paper._—1½ oz. of Magenta, (aniline,) ½ oz. Bismarck brown, (aniline,) 1 cake of glue; put these into 4 gallons of boiling water. Coat the paper with this, using an 8-inch double-filled camel’s-hair brush. Quantity given will coat two reams of double-crown. A hard-sized paper must be used.

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_Coloured Writing Inks._—The following receipts have been well tested, and are commended by good authorities as preferable to the solutions of aniline dyes, which are now so extensively used as coloured inks:—

GREEN.—Two parts acetate of copper, one part carbonate of potash, and eight parts of water. Boil until half evaporated, and filter.

BLUE.—Three parts Prussian blue, one part oxalic acid, and thirty parts of water. When dissolved, add one part of gum-arabic.

YELLOW.—One part fine orpiment, well rubbed up with four parts thick gum water.

RED.—With the aid of a gentle heat, dissolve four grains of carmine in 1 oz. of aqua ammoniæ, and add 6 grains of gum-arabic.

GOLD.—Rub gold leaf, such as is used by bookbinders, with honey, till it forms a uniform mixture. When the honey has been washed out with water, the gold powder will settle at the bottom, and must be mixed with gum water in sufficient quantity.

SILVER.—Silver leaf treated in precisely the same manner gives a silver ink. Both these inks may be polished with ivory when dry.

BLACK.—Three ounces crushed gall-nuts, two ounces crystallized sulphate of iron, two ounces gum-arabic, and twenty-four ounces water.

WHITE.—Fine French zinc-white, or white lead, rubbed up with gum water to the proper consistency.

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_Fireproof Ink._—Fireproof ink, which can be used either for writing or printing:—Copal 12 grains, graphite 22 drachms, sulphate of iron 2 drachms, tincture of nut-galls 2 drachms, and sulphate of indigo 8 drachms; these are thoroughly mixed and boiled in water, and the ink so obtained is said to be both fireproof and insoluble in water. When any other colour than black is desired, the graphite is replaced by any other mineral pigment of the required colour.

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_Printing Ink Varnish._—Printing ink varnish is made by adding 4 oz. of boiled linseed or neat’s-foot oil to 6 oz. of yellow rosin.

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_Lithographic Transfer Ink._—Three parts gum copal, 5 parts wax, 5 purified tallow, 4 soap, 5 shellac, 5 mastic, and one-half part sulphur. The copal is to be melted in a copper vessel, mixing in a little sweet oil, add the wax and tallow, and when these are well melted, light the mass and throw in the soap, well dried and cut in small pieces, then the shellac and mastic. The flame is to be increased by the addition of the flowers of sulphur, and so a perfect mixture of the copal with the other substances will be attained. The flame is to be alternately kindled and extinguished till the whole mass is reduced to one-fourth of its former bulk.

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_To give dark Printing Inks a Bronze or Changeable Hue._—Take 1½ lb. gum shellac and dissolve it in 1 gallon 95 per cent. alcohol spirits of cologne for 24 hours; then add 14 oz. aniline red; let it stand a few hours longer, when it will be ready for use. Add this to good blue, black, or other dark inks, as needed, in quantities to suit, when, if carefully done, they will be found to have a rich bronze or changeable hue.

* * * * *

_An Ink for Marking Tin or Zinc._—An ink composed of copper one part, dissolved in ten parts nitric acid, ten parts water being afterward added, is useful for marking on tin or zinc.

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_Quick-drying Preparations for Printers’ Inks to be used on Bookbinders’ Cases._—1 oz. beeswax, ¼ oz. gum-arabic dissolved in sufficient acetic acid to make a thin mucilage, ¼ oz. Brown’s Japan, ½ oz. asphaltum varnish. Incorporate with 1 lb. of wood-cut ink.

* * * * *

_A Dryer._—No. 1, for fine job work. Damar varnish 6 oz., bergamot 2 drachms, balsam copaiba 2 drachms, balsam of fir 3 oz., creosote 1 drachm, copal varnish 1 drachm. To enough ink for 1000 ordinary business cards, add from 8 to 12 drops of the “Indispensable,” and to larger quantities in proportion. When used for bronze, dry colours, diamond printing, etc., take twice the quantity; and where an extra quick dryer is desired, add a few drops of dissolved gum-arabic to the ink, after it has been mixed with No. 1. In all cases, mix well with the ink before applying to the rollers.

_Dryer._—No. 2.—For news and poster ink. Spirits of turpentine 1 qt., balsam copaiba 6 oz. Add a sufficient quantity to the ink to thin it to a proper consistency for working.

* * * * *

_Silvering Solution for Electrotype Plates._—Nitrate of silver 2 drachms, distilled water 37 drachms. Dissolve and add sal ammoniac 1 drachm, hypophosphate of soda 4 drachms, precipitated chalk 4 drachms. Agitate the preparation occasionally for twelve hours, when it will be ready for use. Apply with a piece of fine sponge.

* * * * *

_How to coat Electrotypes with Silver._—Electrotypes can be coated with silver (for working with red ink) in the following manner: One part copper, 5 parts pure tin; this alloy to be granulated, not too fine, and mixed with water and cream of tartar into a paste. To each 200 parts of the granulated alloy add 1 part oxide silver, the electro is then laid in it, and boiled for a short time, when it will be found to be beautifully plated. Fresh oxide must be added from time to time. This coating is quite equal in durability to silver or tin.

* * * * *

_To soften Leather Belting._—Castor oil is a good article for keeping leather belting soft and pliable.

* * * * *

_How to open a Ball of Twine._—A ball of twine, if opened from the inside, will run off easily enough and give no trouble in the untwining; but if begun from the outside, it will speedily get tangled and knotted.

* * * * *

_To prevent Adhesion._—M. GARDE, in _l’Imprimerie_, tells paper-makers how to obviate the inconvenience of the adhesion together of sized papers, on damping, by the coagulation of the size. This is effected in the mills, by dipping the sheets in a solution of alum or tannin. A secondary advantage obtained is that the paper becomes tougher.

* * * * *

_To detect ground Wood in Paper._—Mix three parts of strong nitric acid with one part of sulphuric acid: a drop of this solution will immediately turn paper containing an admixture of ground wood a brown colour.

* * * * *

_French Gold Printing._—French copal varnish 1 oz., mastic varnish ¼ of an oz.; mix together and add twenty drops to the black ink table, and distribute; take an impression and apply, with wool, gold leaf, Dutch metal, or bronze. Apply the bronze with cotton wool and rub _hard_ over the black ink. After each fifty printed, wipe off the superfluous gold from the type with a silk handkerchief.

* * * * *

_Transfer Varnish._—Take equal quantities of fir balsam and spirits turpentine. Mix, shake well, and set in a warm place until clear. Used in decalcomania, and for maps, prints, drawings, and other articles of paper; and also to prepare tracing papers, and to transfer engravings.

* * * * *

_To make Paper Waterproof._—Dissolve 8 oz. of alum and 3⅓ oz. of white soap in 4 pints of water. In another vessel dissolve 2 oz. of gum-arabic and 4 oz. of glue in 4 pints of water. Mix the two solutions and heat them over the fire. Then immerse the paper, sheet by sheet, in the hot liquid, then hang them up edgewise to dry, or pass them between heated cylinders.

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