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Thread: Garage sale linotype single letters

  1. #1
    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    Garage sale linotype single letters

    I just bought 40lbs of single letter linotype. I've never seen single letters before. I came home and tested with my lee kit and get 14.3-14.9bhn. Is this depleted linotype or something else? The people inherited a bunch of this from a Dad and uncle who were printers. They have more that I can buy if it's good stuff. Advise needed!
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    Boolit Grand Master

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    Single letters is monotype. If it has a notch in the bottom of the piece, it's foundry type. Either one is better than linotype as far as value goes (it's harder lead).
    So it's not depleted linotype, it's better than lino. If they're getting less than 2 bucks a pound for it, it's a deal!
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    Thanks Beagle!
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    I do not think it is foundry or mono type. Too soft.

  5. #5
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    14.3-14.9bhn is really soft for Monotype

    Look like this

  6. #6
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    Monotype is really hard...way harder than 14 or 16bhn. It is up there in the 24bhn range from what I know. It was made to be used over and over for years, not melted like linotype. When I was in high school we had to learn to set type from the monotype cases. egbdf lower case and lmnhoypw in the upper case. Some things you just never forget.
    edit...there may have been soft monotype made that I am not aware of...

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    It looks like I was wrong about the terminology. Monotype is the name for a different kind of linotype system that melts and molds single letters...This may well be that.
    The system I was referring to is the old type case system.
    This is monotype:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotype_System
    This is manual type setting (also individual letters)
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typesetting
    I don't know which one is harder. It would stand to reason that the manual type setting type would be harder though.
    Either way this stuff has great value for its alloy components...hardness.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Post some pictures of it if you can. There are several possible reasons for the low bhn. One could be that it's not monotype (somehow). Another could be that you tested a piece that just happened to be in the box but not be monotype. Another might be the calibration of the lee lead tester. There are several variables. But pictures would definitely help with the ID.
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Traffer View Post
    Monotype is really hard...way harder than 14 or 16bhn. It is up there in the 24bhn range from what I know. It was made to be used over and over for years, not melted like linotype. When I was in high school we had to learn to set type from the monotype cases. egbdf lower case and lmnhoypw in the upper case. Some things you just never forget.
    edit...there may have been soft monotype made that I am not aware of...

    Don't forget about the California Job Case.....
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  10. #10
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    I thought monotype was 28 bhn, linotype was 22 bhn & foundrytype was 32+ bhn.
    That's what I was told as a kid 60yrs ago.
    I HATE auto-correct

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    Quote Originally Posted by Traffer View Post
    It looks like I was wrong about the terminology. Monotype is the name for a different kind of linotype system that melts and molds single letters...This may well be that.
    The system I was referring to is the old type case system.
    This is monotype:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotype_System
    This is manual type setting (also individual letters)
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typesetting
    I don't know which one is harder. It would stand to reason that the manual type setting type would be harder though.
    Either way this stuff has great value for its alloy components...hardness.
    Those are generally known as linotype machines, sth strips of letters are called lintype

    Last edited by Grmps; 08-17-2018 at 01:09 AM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    About 12 years ago I got 300# of Linotype from a print shop going out of business. It was mostly molded words but there were also a lot of single letters/numbers/symbols in the mix. I can believe this is Linotype. It sounds similar to the stuff I received back then....btw...I got it for 10 cents a pound but I had to haul it from Indiana back to Massachusetts....but I was going that way anyhow.

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    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    Thanks for the responses! I retested 2 pieces today and it was around 20BHN. I realize the Lee tester is not too accurate. It is similar to the pic shown above. I made an offer for the rest of it. Hope to get a phone call tomorrow.
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  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Good luck with it!
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I tested two different air cooled coww that were 14.3 and 13.4 between two different alloys. These are brand new in the card board Box coww that were manufacturered in the 80's. That chart above gives you a general idea of what the BH "COULD" be. Coww are like a cake batter. Coww will vary per ingredients per added by different manufacturers as will all the others listed. Only way to for sure to tell is test it with a hardness tester. I would consider them a touch harder than ACCOWW.

    Sounds like some good alloy just to add some pewter to for mold fill out and shoot or add pure to for some expansion.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 08-18-2018 at 10:01 AM.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    ...tested with my lee kit and get 14.3-14.9bhn.
    These Bhn's is 50/50 lead solder and close to Lyman #2 - being monotype is out of the question
    Regards
    John

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grmps View Post
    Those are generally known as linotype machines, sth strips of letters are called lintype

    Grmps, where can i find this chart in it's complete form?

  18. #18
    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    Triggerhappy.………….the chart comes from the Excel program posted on this site to calculate bhn.
    Title is "lead alloy calculators". I use it all the time to develop my alloys. Since we are guessing unless we buy known alloys it just gets us close.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    reason I ask is i do not see the title for the tops of each column.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    pjames32, sending you a PM.

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