please school me on lino

[angus6]

Picked up a bunch of this today , there are lso larger blocks with a letter on them not pictured, does it appear that it's all lino or a mix of ?
there are also larger bars with holes running the lenght of them

[olaf455]

That is linotype.

[Fritz D]

As a former Linotype operator I can tell you that only the pieces I've circled in orange are Linotype (i.e. cast on a Linotype machine using "Linotype" alloy).

The other pieces were not produced on a Linotype machine. They were produced on totally different machines, using whatever alloy would have been appropriate to the individual process and/or the individual producer.

The individual letters (circled red) are most likely foundry type, but could also be monotype.

The other pieces are used as spacing material, they were most likely cast on an Elrod Strip Caster. The repeating marks on the side of the bar (green arrows) are characteristic of being cast on an Elrod. The "holes running the length of them" are also a characteristic of the Elrod (typically 3 round holes).

Sorry for the long winded reply . . . the short answer is "you have a mix of Linotype and other type metals."

P.S. I did not see your second photo until after I posted this reply . . . I have no idea what type of machine and/or alloy they would be.

[angus6]

I had thought that the individual letters were either monotype or foundry type.
If anyone has a sure way to test the larger spacers I'd send them a sm flat rate box full

[mold maker]

I have about 30 lbs of individual letters and numbers close to 5/32 high and deep. The width varies with the letters. They're like tiny dice with raised letters. After years of open storage they are still bright.
There is no feature for containment in a typeset. Anyone remember what these might be.

[Boyscout]

Fritz D-My last purchase of Linotype had some thin spacers in it from what you called the Elrod. Should I separate it out and melt it to try to determine if it is usable? I separated the typeset out from the linotype because the printer wanted to keep it.

[olaf455]

I have just been smelting it all together and casting ingots. I did not realize they were different metals...

[Defcon-One]

My Elrod Strip Caster style spacers were all different lengths and had three holes running thru them to reduce the amount of metal required to make them. They all tested as Linotype alloy, no difference in content or hardness from my Linotype strips and thin spacers!

The spacers in the second pic all look to be Monotype spacers to me. No way to prove it but hardness and melting point testing might help.

Either way, a great find!

[Rooster]

Man I love this site!! Fritz you da man!

[Fritz D]

Boyscout, my personal hands-on experience (small family owned print shop) was with Linotypes only. My understanding is that Elrod spacers were intended to be melted after each use, along with the "lines-of-type" (linotype) so I would assume that Elrod material was made with Linotype alloy. Our shop actually had an Elrod, but it never ran and was scrapped many years ago. I still have the "pot" . . . full of lead!!!

[Fritz D]

Man I love this site!! Fritz you da man!

Thanks.

And I agree . . . great site!

[mustanggt]

I have some lino spacers that I am told aren't lino hardness. What hardness are they? Thank you

[Fritz D]

The last time I purchased Elrod spacers (for use in our print shop) was back in the late 70's/early 80's. The place I purchased it from is still in business and they still have an Elrod. I sent them an email and asked what alloy was used in the Elrod . . . here is his reply:

We still have an Elrod that we use a few times a year. The metal we use in the Elrod is Linotype Metal (84% lead, 12% Antimony and 4% Tin). There is also lead spacing cast on Monotype Caster which is totally different Metal. Easy way to tell the difference between the two is Elrod strips will bend and Monotype strips will break when you try and bend them.

[angus6]

Easy way to tell the difference between the two is Elrod strips will bend and Monotype strips will break when you try and bend them.

wonder how much of a bend , the strips in top pic break if bent much more as you see most are broke

[Fritz D]

I purchased this spacer 30+ years ago from the supplier mentioned in post #13. I know it was produced on his Elrod (so supposedly is Linotype alloy). This piece was approx. 1/16" thick . . . I bent it this morning and you can see it went quite far before suddenly snapping.

[madsenshooter]

I got some 24" long 2 point rules from an old fellow said it was linotype cast. I was very disappointed when it tested just shy of 16bhn. I'd guess the composition to be around Lyman #2 alloy. They bend easy and break only when near doubled over. The would have printed a very fine 2 point line, but it wouldn't have taken much to damage them. The base is .027 thick, it would have printed a line about .015 thick. Usable, but not what I wanted.

The rectangular things in the OP's second pic are monotype cast spacers. Whether the company was really using monotype alloy I can't say. You'd have to check the hardness.

[TangoDownPro]

Okay, so after reading these posts...newb question arises: Is Linotype something you mix in with the lead before casting or do you cast boolits with Linotype alone?

[Boyscout]

Linotype is hard to come by and expensive. I plan on mixing it with COWW to achieve Alloy #2 or something in between instead of Rotometals Superhard. I don't have a source for scrap soft lead. Right now its linotype, COWW, and a few industrial size battery post.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i was thinking on the same lines what would be a good mix of WW lead and lino to use in a 308 win

[madsenshooter]

Okay, so after reading these posts...newb question arises: Is Linotype something you mix in with the lead before casting or do you cast boolits with Linotype alone?

Could be used either way, linotype is a favorite of the cast bullet benchrest competitors I shoot my milsurp rifles alongside.