Linotypesetting.com

Back in 2018 I scooped all the Star Parts “Shop Talk” newsletters the late Greg "LinoFish" Fisher had on his site.

Unfortunately there are many gaps in the run. I’ve been looking for a complete set to add to my reference library, but short of having a full run of paper copies myself, if anyone has a run and would loan them so I could scan them to post, (Dshms LetterPress?) please let me know.

As a community service, here’s a link to what’s currently available:

= Links =

In the shop resetting lines. It appears that some 10pt Optima mats snuck into the 9pt magazine… How did that happen?

Whatever, I got through resetting the five lines and looked at the delivery galley to bring the slug in to proof annnnd…. the galley was empty! What?

I gave the left quadder jaw safety switch a push… and nothing. Huh.

The relay isn’t hardwired, but rather, it plugs in to a power strip. Looked at the strip and the damned thing was unplugged.

At least the machine is warmed up now…

Finally got back to it after Open Studios when I set the poem itself in 12-point Optima. The shop is cold so the Lino was running a little sluggish. Set up for 9-point Optima regular with italic, on a 10-point slug, 25-pica measure. I chose the 9 because it’s the right size, but also offers the added typographic benefit of old style figures which are super rare.

Now to pull a proof for typos, and to check the rag right on the colophon. I had to rebreak lines on the fly because digital type differs in size from physical type. Some day I’ll make a note of just what the difference is…. I’ve done it for handset Michelangelo because at larger sizes and for cap only faces the difference is significant. At text sizes it’s fractional, but still throws a layout off.

I’d cross post to the Lino and Intertype owners and operators group but I’m still unable. And moderator Keelan Lightfoot’s mentions are disabled so I can’t even get his attention. Come on buddy.

why complicate it. gotta play it where it lays.

yep, studs are wonky and the old spring is bodged up. but it came apart, it’ll go back together. teflon tape tightened up the left.

spring too long.
shorten spring.
that fixed that.

new rod abt .014 taller than old.
bottom of old rod sawn off. huh?
the old one had only the barest contact just under the hook between the horizontal lever that pushes into/is kept by the rod when the clutch trips. sorry I’m too lazy right now to look up part names tonight. you know, the thing there…

got a brass brush and cleaned up first elevator slide follower roll lever.

put the first elevator jaw height alignment block back on the bottom of the slide; square head set screw un-changed.

finish putting it all back together.

Someone remind me how many .00x clearence between gibs and slide? .003–5 iirc.

time to eat. movin on.