Category: General discussion
Later topic: Alcohol + Letterpress??
Earlier topic: [Post removed]

METAL FONTS

CLOSED MY LETTERPRESS SHOP IN MID 70’S. AT THAT TIME ALOT OF THE VERY SMALL METAL TYPE WAS SIMPLY DUMPED INTO BUCKETS BECAUSE SOMEONE WANTED TO BUY THE EMPTY DRAWERS. IS THERE ANY MARKET FOR THIS TYPE AS SCRAP? I HEARD ONCE SOME FOLK MELT IT DOWN TO MAKE NEW TYPE. IS THAT TRUE ?

BILL W. FLORIDA

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Bill, dont part up too quick, printers type is becoming increasingly hard to find everywhere, and it seems that most advice is, sell it for straightforward scrap for peanuts, NOT SO printers lead type contains in varying forms (i.e. Monotype, Linotype, Elrod and Ludlow) and to specific amounts, Tin and Antimony which are generally classed as of more value than pure lead, as in plumbers material, so bypass all the debatable normal scrappies and the “its only good for repro musket balls and bullets brigade etc” we seem to have lost the ability to assay printers lead and similar, so its a safe bet that yours is of good standard and quality and should be worth far more, for its original use than SCRAP!!!!! Find (possibly) a local University with A metallurgy Dept and see if they would, given a representative sample/cross section tell you the precise content and post it on B.P. and see how many enquiries you get. Best of Luck MICK

Bill
Pardon me if I am asking a dumb question, just getting into printing and hot metal casting. Terminology is my biggest shortfall right now.

Is what you are talking about the lead slugs that were produced by a Linotype/Intertype machine? If so I am interested in them. I am on the hunt for a Linotype/Intertype machine to restore and run as a hobby. Supplies are on my list also.

Thanks

Marshall

See the ad several days ago for two Linotype machines for sale in CA. A model 4 meteor and Newer Quadcaster, don’t remember the model.