¿¿ Rotary Linotype Die??

[Rfieldbuilds]

I’ve never seen anything like this before. Obviously it was used in a rotary manner to print flyers for Longs drugs. I can see you date of 1966 on the margins of the printing block. This seems to be a fairly soft alloy as I can scratch it easily with a car key, But when I thump it with my knuckles it does not have the thus sound that I would expect from either lead or tin. Does anyone here have experience with these types of printing presses or have knowledge of what types of alloys were used for these printing blocks?
Seems to be right about $2/LB. Opinion on pricing. Should I grab this ?
Pardon any typos or grammatical errors. I am having to use a voice to text function on my phone.

[Dusty Bannister]

I once toured a newspaper printing area many years ago. I seem to recall they had plates that were about half a cylinder so they would be able to make a complete cylinder when assembled. I was under the impression that those were linotype alloy. I have never tried to check the tone of an ingot by striking it with my hand. When you scratched it, did it dig in, or just make a mark? I would expect it to ring if tapped with a hammer. With so little actual information, I personally would pass at 2.00 a pound. But I am not just starting to build a supply. If there is room to negotiate, you might start at 1.50 and see where it goes. Let's see what others have to say. When checking scrap prices, it also helps to know what part of the country you are in.

[imashooter2]

Stereotype is my guess.

[Sasquatch-1]

If I bought it, I don't think I could melt it. It would end up a decorative piece.

[salpal48]

That is a Roto Gravure Cylinder. THEY ARE WORTH A LOT MORE THAT MELTING.

[Rickf1985]

I was just going to say Rotogravure. I used to run a Roto press and those plates were heavy! There are very few of those left in good condition. I am not sure they are made of lead though, It has been a long time but I seem to remember that cylinders being a bit flexible and depending on the machine either being bolted or clamped into position on the machine.

I don't know what your situation is but at that price you might want to buy it just to turn it over. I am quite sure you could resell it to a printing museum or even an old printer who would like to have it as a memento. I know I would but I live in a small house with a wife who has kept every keepsake she has ever had since she was a kid so no room for my stuff. I would take it and spray it with clear lacquer so it could be handled without hands looking like those. LOL. Mine always were covered in ink when handling that stuff.

[HWooldridge]

Wiki states the cylinders are typically made from copper clad steel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotogravure

Not to say this one isn't a lead alloy but odds may be against it...

[lightman]

If I bought it, I don't think I could melt it. It would end up a decorative piece.

Thats what I was thinking! All I need is some more collectable stuff!

[JimB..]

I’d put it on a shelf, very cool.

[Dusty Bannister]

I think you may find that the cylinder is the part to which the printing plate is attached.

[Red River Rick]

That plate is from a "Web" printing press using for printing newspapers. If you buy it, don't melt it down, those are not very common anymore.

[Rickf1985]

If you want an idea how rare they are? I did a Google image search on several of those pics and Google could not find anything like it!!!

[Sasquatch-1]

I also did a quick search and the only thing I could find was Flexographic printing which used a similar plate made out of rubber or polymer. They are apparently still in use today. I couldn't find any pictures of one made from a heavy metal plate like that but some of the rubber ones looked very similar.

[Rickf1985]

Flexographic uses a liquid ink with the consistency of water where Rotogravure used ink that was the same as letterpress ink, think cold peanut butter. Both Flexo and Roto use the same principal for transfer of ink to paper though.

[Rfieldbuilds]

Well, I bought the darn thing. Its a once in a lifetime chance for a one off item. I’ll run some calcs and determine mass and density to try and get a rough idea what I have. Mostly though I do believe the collectibility is a better reason to buy this. I’ll probably end up looking for a better home for it as keeping it would be costly, like divorce costly. LOL.
Thanks for all the input. I am going to take it to a buddy who is an artist and has done a lot of printing with the goal being to get a print or two off the die.

[Rickf1985]

I don't think you will be sorry for buying it. Whether you decide to keep it for the art or resell it for profit I think you will come out ahead. I called a buddy that I used to work with at that shop and while he remembers the presses very well he also cannot remember the composition nor what we even did with them after we were done with them. The lead from the linotype all went back to the foundry as a trade in on new stuff and worn out type also for the most part was turned in although a lot of the time it just sat in a corner in a drum.

[colchester]

Wiki states the cylinders are typically made from copper clad steel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotogravure

Not to say this one isn't a lead alloy but odds may be against it...

Rotogravure is done on copper clad steel. The one in the op is not rotogravure. The drum pictured was made indirectly from a linotype machine. The type was set on a linotype and the page was set up. The set up page was used to impress a cellulose mat. The mat was then used to cast the drums seen in the OPs pic. The cylinders were usually cast with stereotype which had a bit more tin and antimony than linotype but not as much as monotype. The pic above is a little different than the ones Ive seen ...there is more of a complete cylinder. The ones Ive seen are about 1/2 cylinder and a larger radius they were used on newspaper presses. I am wondering what type of machine used this maybe a Miehle cylinder press.