MONOTYPE MATRIX CASES/SUPER CASTER MATS

Pictured below, First of 4!!!
Standard Monotype Matrix case,10 point Times, 15 x 17 arrangement. Nickel plated for prolonged life, but Litho sold us all down the river too soon. Never issued to the trade???
No 2 of 4, Super Caster, strip mats, left hand Nickel plated, modern matrix, for continuous strip, 2 at center and right, old style Non Nickle plated but still with same designation, I.E. 6 pt. CB 785, 12 pt. CB 744, non plated, for NON CONTINUOUS, One Upmanship on the Elrod.!!!
No. 3 shows at the right, standard nickel plated Super caster matrix, (giant caster in U.S.A.) unharmed at rear, to show nickel plating. At left, spark eroded aluminium replacement, or special purpose as pictured!.By Stephen Austin, alternative means still available in U.K.
Shot 4, face side of Nickel plated mat, still serviceable from my collection.

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Monotype has always fascinated me, I’ve only seen one run once, don’t have a clue how to run one, wish you were closer Mick cause i’d get you to show me how to work them. Hey, throw some monotype stuff in your canoe and come across the pond so we can play with it.

Dick, The Monotype is indeed an amazing machine, I saw my first one in the early 50s and am still as impressed now.
Every 4 years or so there was an exhibition, mounted in London, at the Arena,s of Earls Court and Olympia, I.P.E.X. International Printing Exhibition!!
At one of those exhibitions, was Surprise,surprise, Monotype and Linotype on adjacent stands, facing each other off, the biggest crowd was of course around the MONOTYPE stand, and not because they were giving out better Goodie Bags than Linotype. My story and I stand by it?? Be very careful with the Canoe invites, I love the thought of taking, and teaching Tolbert Lanstons technology back to the Country of its birth.
It came close to reality, last year, but Hurricane Sandy, literally and metaphorically sunk the prospect, in N.Y.
Your grapevine will probably relate the details.
Keep an eye open for my next picture posts, there may just be some Linotype teasers, lurking in the background.
As Arnie would say “Hasta la Vista” Regards to the Goats.

Well Dick — if you ever make it to the great Pacific Northwest, you can come buy and see a Monotype (and other typecasting marvels) working at the C.C. Stern Typefoundry…We’re in the far left corner of the US so it may be as far as the UK, but at least there won’t be that pesky water in the way…

www.metaltype.org

Jeff Shay, Sir, thank you for your little input/backup re Monotype, If/When Dick drops in!!! No wet suit or water dripping all over the place,but he is just as likely to have a Pygmy Goat on a lead c******g all over the machinery. So we have heard?
Called up your C.C. Stern Typefoundery etc, with great interest and appreciation, (thank you) but little concerned, in the case of the O. A. prefixed Type and Rule Caster, (Your Orphan Annie!!) little concerned with the the Operator fishing the type out with his fingers???
On such a machine, normally the straight Type Channel Blocks are replaced with gracefully curved/radiused Type Channel blocks, that direct the product down onto the sorts galley in a continuous column.
Safety for the Operator /The Machine and onlookers, they (the onlookers) do like to get up close and personal, and tend to point with a finger, i.e. *what does that do etc*
I have a good selection of tips, wrinkles, hints etc re the O.A. and even a supply of (for example) of special purpose/larger bore pump nozzles for display up to 36 point, in the event that such are unobtainable in the States, or re-machining is not an option.
Keep safe, Good luck and thanks, Mick

Mick — We’re aware of the curved type guide of which you speak — but over the aeons the parts have gone awol for this machine. We normally ban onlookers from the “danger zone” when we’re running the machine…