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Thread: Melting monotype letters and making ingots.

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy
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    Look up the differences between foundry type and monotype. Many times foundry gets sold as mono and the seller and the buyer are happy. Foundry are solid blocks with a half round groove. Monotype is generally hollow blocks and square grooves. Foundry is richer than mono and usually has 1-2% copper which is why it melts so funny. It sounds like you have some foundry type to me, which is good news because it goes even further as a sweetener. Probably 12-14% tin, 24-27% antimony and 1-2% copper.

    I have found that foundry needs about 45 minutes after it melts to fully mix. I like to wait till the foamy stuff mixes in and flux with wax a few times while I'm waiting. After it is mixed well I will use some wood chips so I know I'm not losing the good stuff when I pull the junk out.
    Last edited by mnewcomb59; 01-24-2023 at 10:00 PM.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master
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    Here is some info I found while looking for identifying marks on monotype and Foundry type.
    Note this paragraph in the second link about foundry type with copper in it. Especially the melt temperature. I am going to do a bit more research and see if that is a typo and should read 980 degrees. This was published in 1983 so I would think it would have been corrected by now if incorrect.

    "Foundry type is made from an alloy, usually composed of approximately 60.5% lead, 25% antimony, 12% tin and 2.5% copper. The later ingredient is added to increase the durability of the type. Foundry type, with copper, melts at 1980º Fahrenheit."

    http://letterpressprinting.com.au/page40.htm

    https://www.apa-letterpress.com/T%20...0castings.html

    Look at the foot. Foundry almost always has a distinct groove across the foot parallel to the nick, whereas almost all Monotype-cast type has either no foot groove or a very slight one near one edge also parallel to the nick. Monotype metal could not be as hard as foundry but it usually does have some more tin and antimony than Linotype, especially Monotype intended for hand setting. For bullets you’re probably better off with Linotype slugs.
    Last edited by Rickf1985; 01-27-2023 at 09:42 AM.

  3. #23
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by rustyshooter View Post
    Sorry….what is CLS?
    I'm going to hazard a guess at 'chilled lead shot'. Just based on it being referred to in a prior post.

  4. #24
    Boolit Master


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    Foundry type is the large type that was used to add business names to pre-printed flyers like grocery store weekly ads, special event posters and the like. Monotype is small like Linotype only it’s separate individual letters. I have a 5 gallon bucket of the small Monotype. I’m also old enough to have taken a typesetting class in college that exposed me to the various forms of hot set type as well as a genius professor that explained that computer set type was a fad that would pass and hot set type would prevail.

    Monotype exhibits similar foaming characteristics as foundry type and it blends back in with enough heat and good fluxing.
    Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris

  5. #25
    Boolit Master
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    In that typesetting class did they teach you about "Type lice"?

  6. #26
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickf1985 View Post
    In that typesetting class did they teach you about "Type lice"?
    Yep and who hasnt fallen for the warm red ink trick

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    Is that like sending new recruits for a length of flight line or the keys to a humvee?

  8. #28
    Boolit Master
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    Much older versions of that, these were graphic demonstrations. LOL.

  9. #29
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by kevin c View Post
    Is that like sending new recruits for a length of flight line or the keys to a humvee?
    Yep One of the primary pantone colors is warm red We would mix small batches of pms colors from primary colors. Add the colors and mix together on a glass slab with a 4-6" putty knife. So you got this giant blob of ink on the glass get the new guy to come over and tell him Hey want to see something neat ... when you mix with warm red the ink actually heats up check this out you can actually feel the heat Of course they put their hand over the blob to feel ithe heat and they get their hand pushed down into the blob

  10. #30
    Boolit Bub rustyshooter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by colchester View Post
    Yep One of the primary pantone colors is warm red We would mix small batches of pms colors from primary colors. Add the colors and mix together on a glass slab with a 4-6" putty knife. So you got this giant blob of ink on the glass get the new guy to come over and tell him Hey want to see something neat ... when you mix with warm red the ink actually heats up check this out you can actually feel the heat Of course they put their hand over the blob to feel ithe heat and they get their hand pushed down into the blob
    Yeah. Except when he tried it on me I moved my hand away and HIS went in the ink. I looked at him and asked him “is it hot”? Lol and it was in a 5 gallon bucket of ink for the web press!!! His arm went in up to his elbow!

  11. #31
    Boolit Buddy
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    Or 100 ft of shoreline

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by rustyshooter View Post
    Yeah. Except when he tried it on me I moved my hand away and HIS went in the ink. I looked at him and asked him “is it hot”? Lol and it was in a 5 gallon bucket of ink for the web press!!! His arm went in up to his elbow!
    LOL Well, its always good to evaluate your prey ahead of time. We had some some fun back in those days

  13. #33
    Boolit Mold 41jfischer's Avatar
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    I just had an oppurtuniy to by some lino type at an auction, I thought it had all been used up by now.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check