Part 12

The _Furnance_ I have described in Plate 20. It is built of Brick upright, with four square sides and a Stone on the top, in which Stone is a wide round hole for the _Pan_ to stand in. _a b c d_ The square Stone at the top, covering the whole _Furnance_. This is indeed the _Furnance_. _a d_, _b c_ The breadth two Foot and one Inch. _a b_, _c d_ The Length two Foot three Inches. Into the Breadth and Length about the whole Stone, is let in even with the top of the Stone a square _Iron Band_ two Inches deep, and a quarter and half quarter of an Inch thick to preserve the Edges of the Stone from battering. _e_ The round hole the Pan stands in, which hath an _Iron Plate_ let into it eight Inches diameter, an Inch and half broad and one quarter of an Inch thick.

This _Iron_-Plate fits the _inside_ of the _Hole_ so far as it is Circular, and consequently is a _Segment_ of a _Circle_. But where the _Smoak-vent_ breaks off the Circularity of the Stone, there ends this Plate of _Iron_, that the Smoak may have the freer vent. Its Office also is to preserve the Edge of the _Hole_ from battering, with the oft taking out and putting in the _Iron Pan_.

_f_ The _Funnel_ seven Inches high, and five Inches wide. _g_ The _Stoke-Hole_ four Inches wide, and six Inches long. _h h_ The height of the _Furnance_ two Foot ten Inches. _i_ The _Air-Hole_ just underneath the Hearth to let in Air that the Fire may burn the freer. _k_ The _Ash-Hole_ where the Ashes that fall from the Hearth are taken away. _l m n o_ The _Bench_ two Foot broad, three Foot long, and two Foot eight Inches high. The _Bench_ is to empty the Letters out of the _Mold_ upon, as the _Founder Casts_ them.

The _Hearth_ lies seven Inches below the top of the round _Hole_, and hath under it another round _Iron-Ring_ of the same demensions with the first, on which straight _Iron-Bars_ are fastened that the _Fire_ is laid on. In the round _Iron-Ring_ (or rather Segment) on the top of the _Furnance_ is set the _Pan_, which is either a _Plate Ladle_, or a small _Cast-Iron Kettle_ that sinks into it within two Inches of the _Brims_ of the _Pan_.

¶. 2. _Of making_ Mettal.

The Mettal _Founders_ make _Printing-Letters_ of, is _Lead_ hardned with _Iron_: Thus they chuse _stub-Nails_ for the best _Iron_ to Melt, as well because they are asured _stub-Nails_ are made of good soft and tough _Iron_, as because (they being in small pieces of _Iron_) will Melt the sooner.

To make the _Iron Run_, they mingle an equal weight of _Antimony_ (beaten in an Iron-Morter into small pieces) and _stub-Nails_ together. And preparing so many Earthen forty or fifty pounds _Melting-Pots_ (made for that purpose to endure the _Fire_) as they intend to use: They _Charge_ these Pots with the mingled _Iron_ and _Antimony_ as full as they will hold.

Every time they Melt _Mettal_, they build a new _Furnance_ to melt it in: This _Furnance_ is called an _Open Furnance_; because the Air blows in through all its sides to Fan the _Fire_: They make it of Bricks in a broad open place, as well because the Air may have free access to all its sides, as that the Vapours of the _Antimony_ (which are Obnoxious) may the less offend those that officiate at the _Making_ the _Mettal_: And also because the Violent Fire made in the _Furnance_ should not endanger the Firing any adjacent Houses.

They consider before they make the _Furnance_ how many Pots of _Mettal_ they intend to Melt, and make the _Furnance_ sizable to that number: We will suppose _five_ _Pots_. Therefore they first make a Circle on the Ground capable to hold these five _Pots_, and wider yet by three or four Inches round about: Then within this Circle they lay a Course of Bricks close to one another to fill the Plain of that Platform, with their broad or flat sides downwards, and their ends all one way, and on this Course of Bricks they lay another Course of Bricks as before, only the Lengths of this Course of Bricks lies athwart the Breadths of the other Course of Bricks: Then they lay a third Course of Bricks with their lengths cross the Breadth of the second Course of Bricks.

Having thus raised a Platform, they place these five _Pots_ in the middle of it close to one another, and then on the Foundation or Platform raise the _Furnance_ round about by laying the Bricks of the first _Lay_ end to end and flat, close to one another: On the second _Lay_, they place the middle of a Brick over a _Joynt_ (as _Brick-layers_ call it) that is where the ends of two Bricks joyn together, and so again lay Bricks end to end till they _Trim_ round the _Platform_. Then they lay a third _Lay_ of Bricks, covering the _Joynts_ of the second _Lay_ of Bricks as before: So is the Foundation finisht.

Then they raise the Walls to the _Furnance_ on this Foundation; But do not lay the ends of their Bricks close together. But lay the ends of each Brick about three Inches off each other, to serve for _Wind-holes_ till they _Trim_ round about: Then they lay another _Lay_ of Bricks leaving other such _Wind-holes_ over the middle of the last _Lay_ of Bricks, and so _Trim_ as they work round either with half Bricks or Bats that the _Wind-holes_ of the last _Lay_ may be covered: And in this manner and order they lay so many _Lays_ till the Walls of the _Furnance_ be raised about three Bricks higher than the _Mouths_ of the _Melting-Pots_, still observing to leave such _Wind-holes_ over the middle of every Brick that lies under each _Lay_.

Then they fill the sides of the _Furnance_ round about the _Melting-Pots_, and over them with _Charcoal_, and _Fire_ it at several _Wind-holes_ in the bottom till it burn up and all over the _Furnance_, which a moderate Wind in about an Hours time will do: And about half an Hours time after they lay their Ears near the Ground and listen to hear a _Bubling_ in the _Pots_; and this they do so often till they do hear it. When they hear this _Bubling_, they conclude the _Iron_ is melted: But yet they will let it stand, perhaps half an hour longer or more, according as they guess the Fire to be Hotter or Cooler, that they may be the more assured it is all throughly Melted. And when it is Melted the Melting _Pot_ will not be a quarter full.

And in or against that time they make another small _Furnance_ close to the first, (to set an _Iron-Pot_ in, in which they Melt _Lead_) on that side from whence the Wind blows; Because the Person that Lades the _Lead_ out of the _Iron-Pot_ (as shall be shewed by and by) may be the less annoyed with the Fumes of the _Mettal_, in both _Furnances_. This _Furnance_ is made of three or four _Course_ of Bricks open to the windward, and wide enough to contain the designed _Iron-Pot_, with room between it and the sides to hold a convenient quantity of _Charcoal_ under it, and about it.

Into this _Iron-Pot_ they put for every three Pound of _Iron_, about five and twenty pounds of _Lead_. And setting Fire to the _Coals_ in this little _Furnance_ they Melt and Heat this _Lead_ Red-hot.

Hitherto a Man (nay, a Boy) might officiate all this Work; But now comes Labour would make _Hercules_ sweat. Now they fall to pulling down so much of the side of the open _Furnance_ as stands above the Mouth of that _Melting-Pot_ next the _Iron-Pot_, And having a thick strong _Iron Ladle_, whose _Handle_ is about two Yards long, and the _Ladle_ big enough to hold about ten Pounds of _Lead_, and this _Ladle_ Red-hot that it chill not the _Mettal_, they now I say with this _Ladle_ fall to clearing this first _Melting-Pot_ of all the Coals or filth that lie on the top of the Melted _Mettal_: while another Man at the same time stands provided with a long strong round _Iron Stirring Poot_; the _Handle_ of which _Stirring Poot_ is also about two Yards long or more, and the _Poot_ it self almost twice the length of the depth of the Melting _Pot_. This _Poot_ is nothing but a piece of the same _Iron_ turned to a square with the Handle: And this _Poot_ is also in a readiness heated Red-hot.

Now one Man with the _Ladle_ _Lades_ the _Lead_ out of the _Iron-Pot_ into the Melting _Pot_, while the other Man with the _Poot_ stirs and Labours the _Lead_ and _Mettal_ in the Melting _Pot_ together till they think the _Lead_ and _Mettal_ in the Melting _Pot_ be well incorporated: And thus they continue _Lading_ and _Stirring_ till they have near filled the Melting _Pot_.

Then they go to another next _Melting-Pot_, and successively to all, and Lade and stir _Lead_ into them as they did into the first. Which done the _Mettal_ is made: And they pull down the _Walls_ of the _Open Furnance_, and rake away the Fire that the _Mettal_ may cool in the _Pots_.

Now (according to Custom) is Half a Pint of Sack mingled with Sallad Oyl, provided for each Workman to Drink; intended for an Antidote against the Poysonous Fumes of the _Antimony_, and to restore the Spirits that so Violent a Fire and Hard Labour may have exhausted.

¶. 3. _Of_ Letter-Ladles.

_Letter-Ladles_ differ nothing from other common _Ladles_, save in the size: Yet I have given you a Draft of one in Plate 20 at A. Of these the _Caster_ has many at Hand, and many of several sizes that he may successively chuse one to fit the several sizes of _Letters_ he has to _Cast_; as well in _Bodies_ as in _Thicknesses_.

§. XIX. ¶. 1. _Of_ Casting, Breaking, Rubbing, Kerning, _and setting up of_ Letters.

Before the _Caster_ begins to _Cast_ he must kindle his _Fire_ in the _Furnance_, to _Melt_ the _Mettal_ in the _Pan_. Therefore he takes the _Pan_ out of the Hole in the Stone, and there lays in _Coals_ and kindles them. And when it is well kindled, he sets the _Pan_ in again, and puts _Mettal_ into it to _Melt_. If it be a small _Bodyed-Letter_ he _Casts_, or a thin _Letter_ of Great _Bodies_, his _Mettal_ must be very hot; nay, sometimes Red-hot to make the Letter _Come_. Then having chose a _Ladle_ that will hold about so much as the _Letter_ and _Break_ is, he lays it at the _Stoking-hole_, where the Flame bursts out to heat. Then he ties a thin Leather cut into such a Figure as is described in Plate 20 at B with its narrow end against the _Face_ to the _Leather-Groove_ of the _Matrice_, by whipping a Brown Thread twice about the _Leather-Groove_, and fastning the Thread with a Knot. Then he puts both Halves of the _Mold_ together, and puts the _Matrice_ into the _Matrice Cheek_, and places the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_ on the _Stool_ of the _Mold_, and the broad end of the _Leather_ upon the _Wood_ of the upper half of the _Mold_, but not tight up, lest it might hinder the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_ from _Sinking_ close down upon the _Stool_ in a train of Work. Then laying a little Rosin on the upper _Wood_ of the _Mold_, and having his _Casting Ladle_ hot, he with the bolling side of it Melts the Rosin; And when it is yet _Melted_ presses the broad end of the _Leather_ hard down on the _Wood_, and so fastens it to the _Wood_. All this is Preparation.

Now he comes to _Casting_. Wherefore placing the under-half of the _Mold_ in his left hand, with the _Hook_ or _Hag_ forward, he clutches the ends of its _Wood_ between the lower part of the _Ball_ of his Thumb and his three hind-Fingers. Then he lays the upper half the _Mold_ upon the under-half, so as the _Male-Gages_ may fall into the _Female-Gages_, and at the same time the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_ place it self upon the _Stool_. And clasping his left-hand Thumb strong over the upper half of the _Mold_, he nimbly catches hold of the _Bow_ or _Spring_ with his right-hand Fingers at the top of it, and his Thumb under it, and places the point of it against the middle of the _Notch_ in the back-side of the _Matrice_, pressing it as well forwards towards the _Mold_, as downwards by the _Sholder_ of the _Notch_ close upon the _Stool_, while at the same time with his hinder-Fingers as aforesaid, he draws the under-half of the _Mold_ towards the _Ball_ of his Thumb, and thrusts by the _Ball_ of his Thumb the upper part towards his Fingers, that both the _Registers_ of the _Mold_ may press against both sides of the _Matrice_, and his Thumb and Fingers press both Halves of the _Mold_ close together.

Then he takes the Handle of his _Ladle_ in his right Hand, and with the _Boll_ of it gives a stroak two or three outwards upon the _Surface_ of the _Melted Mettal_ to scum or clear it from the Film or Dust that may swim upon it. Then takes up the _Ladle_ full of _Mettal_, and having his _Mold_ as aforesaid in his left hand, he a little twists the left-side of his _Body_ from the _Furnance_, and brings the _Geat_ of his _Ladle_ (full of _Mettal_) to the _Mouth_ of the _Mold_, and twists the upper part of his right-hand towards him to turn the _Mettal_ into it, while at the same moment of Time he Jilts the _Mold_ in his left hand forwards to receive the _Mettal_ with a strong _Shake_ (as it is call’d) not only into the _Bodies_ of the _Mold_, but while the _Mettal_ is yet hot, running swift and strongly into the very _Face_ of the _Matrice_ to receive its perfect Form there, as well as in the _Shanck_.

Then he takes the upper half of the _Mold_ off the under-half, by placing his right-Hand Thumb on the end of the _Wood_ next his left-Hand Thumb, and his two middle-Fingers at the other end of the _Wood_, and finding the Letter and _Break_ lie in the under-Half of the _Mold_ (as most commonly by reason of its weight it does) he throws or tosses the Letter _Break_ and all upon a Sheet of Waste-Paper laid for that purpose on the _Bench_ just a little beyond his left-hand, and is then ready to _Cast_ another Letter as before, and also the whole number that is to be _Cast_ with that _Matrice_.

But sometimes it happens that by a _Shake_, or too big a _Ladle_, the Mettal may spill or slabber over the _Mouth_ of the upper Half of the _Mold_, so that the spilt _Mettal_ sticking about the outsides of the _Mouth_, may lift the Letter off the under-half of the _Mold_, and keep it in the upper half. Therefore he with the point of the _Hag_ in the Wood of the under-half of the _Mold_, picks at the hollow in the fore part of the _Break_ made by the _Shaking_ out of the _Mettal_, and draws _Break_ and _Letter_ both out. It sometimes sticks in the under Half of the _Mold_ by the same cause, and then he uses the point of the _Hag_ in the upper half of the _Mold_, to pick or hale it out, as before.

It also sometimes sticks when any of the Joynts of the _Mold_ open never so little, the _Mettal_ thus getting in between those Joynts: But this fault is not to be indured, for before he can _Cast_ any more, this fault must be mended.

But besides _Letters_, there is to be _Cast_ for a perfect _Fount_ (properly a Fund) _Spaces_ Thick and Thin, n _Quadrats_, m _Quadrats_ and _Quadrats_. These are not _Cast_ with _Matrices_ but with _Stops_ (as we may call them) Because when these are _Cast_ they are all shorter than the _Shanck_ of the Letter, that they may not _Print_. Therefore they take off the _Register_ of the under-Half _Mold_, and fit a piece of _Plate-Brass_ about a _Brevier_ Thick and a _Brevier_ longer than to reach to the edge of the _Body_ in the place of the _Register_, and drill a hole in this _Plate-Brass_ right against the Hole in the _Carriage_ that the _Female-Screw_ lies in: This Hole is made so wide that the _Male-Screw_ which screwed the _Register_ close to the _Carriage_ and _Body_ may enter in at it, and screw this _Plate-Brass_ close to them, as it did the _Register_: Then they make a mark with the point of a _Needle_ on the _Plate-Brass_ just against the side of the Edge of the _Body_, and at this mark they double down the end of the _Plate-Brass_ inwards to make a perfect _Square_ with the _inside_ of the whole _Plate_. This doubling down is called the _Stop_ aforesaid, and must be made just so thick as they design the Thin or Thick _Space_ to be, and must have its Upper and Under-Edges filed so exactly to the _Body_, that it may lie close upon the Under-_Carriage_, and just even so high as the upper-side of the _Body_. So that when the Upper half of the _Mold_ is placed on the under-Half, and _Mettal Cast_ in at the _Mouth_ (as before) the _Mettal_ shall descend no deeper between the two _Bodies_ then just to his _Stop_: You must note that this _Stop_ must be filed exactly true as to _Body_ and _Thickness_: For if it be never so little too big in _Body_, the _Carriage_ of the _Mold_ will ride upon it and make the _Body_ of the _Space_ bigger. Or if the _Body_ be never so little too little, the Hot _Mettal_ will run beyond the _Stop_; both which Miscarriages in making the _Stop_, spoil the _Space_.

If the _Space_ be too short, they File the end of the _Stop_ shorter.

This _Brevier_ thick _Plate_ will be thick enough for _Stops_ for the Thin or Thick _Spaces_ of any Body though of _Great-Cannon_, and for the n _Quadrat Stop_ of any Body under a _Great-Primmer_. And for the m _Quadrat Stop_ of all to a _Brevier_ and all Bodies under it. But for _Stops_ that require to be Thicker then a _Brevier_, instead of doubling the _Stop_ inwards on the _Plate_, I _Solder_ on the inside of that end of the _Plate_ a _Stop_ full big enough in Body, and big enough in Thickness for the _Quadrat_ I intend to make, and afterwards file and fit the _Stop_ exactly as before.

When they _Cast_ these _Spaces_ or _Quadrats_, this _Stop_ is always screwed fast upon the _Carriage_ of the under-Half _Mold_ as aforesaid. So that they only fit the upper half _Mold_ on the under, and _Cast_ their Number almost twice as quick as they do the Letters in _Matrices_.

It is generally observed by _Work-men_ as a Rule, That when they _Cast Quadrats_ they _Cast_ them exactly to the Thickness of a set Number of m’s or _Body_, _viz._ two m’s thick, three m’s thick, four m’s thick, _&c._ And therefore the _Stops_ aforesaid must all be filed exactly to their several intended thicknesses, The reason is, that when the _Compositer_ Indents any Number of Lines, he may have _Quadrats_ so exactly _Cast_ that he shall not need to _Justifie_ them either with _Spaces_ or other helps.

¶. 2. _Some Rules and Circumstances to be observed in_ Casting.

1. If the Letter be a small _Body_, it requires a Harder _Shake_ than a great _Body_ does: Or if it be a thin Letter though of a greater _Body_, especially small _i_, being a thin Letter its Tittle will hardly _Come_; So that sometimes the _Caster_ is forced to put a little _Block-Tin_ into his Mettal, which makes the Mettal Thinner, and consequently have a freer flux to the _Face_ of the _Matrice_.

2. He often examines the _Registers_ of the _Mold_, by often _Rubbing_ a _Cast_ Letter: For notwithstanding the _Registers_ were carefully _Justified_ before, and hard screwed up; yet the constant thrusting of both _Registers_ against the sides of the _Matrice_, may and often do force them more or less to drive backwards. Or a fall of one half or both Halfs of the _Mold_, may drive them backwards or forwards: Therefore he examins, as I said, how they _Rub_, whether too Thick or too Thin. And if he see Cause, mends the _Registers_, as I shew’d §. 5. ¶. 2.

Or if the _Matrice_ be _Botcht_, as I shew’d you §. 5. ¶. 3. then those _Botches_ (being only so many fine points rising out of the Body of the _Copper_ of the _Matrice_) may with so many reiterated pressures of the _Registers_ against them, flatten more and more, and press towards the Body of the _Matrice_, and consequently make the Letter Thinner: Which if it do, this must be mended in the _Matrice_ by re-raising it to its due Thickness.

3. He pretty often examins, as I shew’d in §. 5. ¶. 2. how the Letters stand in _Line_: For when great Numbers are _Cast_ with one _Matrice_, partly by pressing the point of the _Wyer_ against the _Bottom-Sholder_ of the _Notch_ in the back-side of the _Matrice_, and partly by the softness of the matter of his _Matrice_ and hardness of the _Iron-stool_, the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_ (if it wear not) may batter so much as to put the Letter out of Line. This must be mended with a _Botch_, _viz._ by knocking up the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_, as I shew’d §. 5. ¶. 3.

A Workman will _Cast_ about four thousand of these Letters ordinarily in one day.

¶. 3. _Of_ Breaking _off_ Letters.

_Breaking_ off is commonly Boys-work: It is only to _Break_ the _Break_ from the _Shanck_ of the _Letter_. All the care in it is, that he take up the _Letter_ by its Thickness, not its _Body_ (unless its Thickness be equal to its Body) with the fore-Finger and Thumb of his right Hand as close to the _Break_ as he can, lest if when the _Break_ be between the fore-Finger and Thumb of his left hand, the force of _Breaking_ off the _Break_ should bow the _Shanck_ of the _Letter_.

¶. 4. _Of_ Rubbing _of_ Letters.

_Rubbing_ of _Letters_ is also most commonly Boys-work: But when they do it, they provide _Finger-stalls_ for the two fore-Fingers of the right-Hand: For else the Skin of their Fingers would quickly rub off with the sharp greet of the Stone. These _Finger-stalls_ are made of old _Ball-Leather_ or _Pelts_ that _Printers_ have done with: Then having an heap of one sort of _Letters_ lying upon the Stone before them, with the left hand they pick up the _Letter_ to be _Rub’d_, and lay it down in the _Rubbing_ place with one of its sides upwards they clap the Balls of the fore-Finger and middle-Finger upon the fore and hinder-ends of the _Letter_, and _Rubbing_ the _Letter_ pretty lightly backwards about eight or nine Inches, they bring it forwards again with an hard pressing _Rub_ upon the _Stone_; where the fore-Finger and Thumb of the left hand is ready to receive it, and quickly turn the opposite side of the _Letter_, to take such a _Rub_ as the other side had.

But in _Rubbing_ they are very careful that they press the Balls of their Fingers equally hard on the _Head_ and _Foot_ of the _Letter_. For if the _Head_ and _Foot_ be not equally prest on the _Stone_, either the _Head_ or _Foot_ will _drive-out_ when the _Letters_ come to be _Composed_ in the _Stick_; So that without _Rubbing_ over again they cannot be _Drest_.

¶. 5. _Of_ Kerning _of_ Letters.

Amongst the _Italick-Letters_ many are to be _Kern’d_, some only on one side, and some both sides. The _Kern’d-Letters_ are such as have part of their _Face_ hanging over one side or both sides of their _Shanck_: These cannot be _Rub’d_, because part of the _Face_ would _Rub_ away when the whole side of the _Shanck_ is toucht by the _Stone_: Therefore they must be _Kern’d_, as _Founders_ call it: Which to do, they provide a small Stick bigger or less, according as the _Body_ of the _Letter_ that is to be _Kern’d_. This _Kerning-stick_ is somewhat more than an Handful long, and it matters not whether it be square or round: But if it be square the Edges of it must be pretty well rounded away, lest with long usage and hard Cutting they Gall the Hand. The upper-side of this _Kerning-Stick_ is flatted away somewhat more than the length of the _Letter_, and on that flat part is cut away a flat bottom with two square sides like the _Sides_ or _Ledges_ of the _Lining-stick_ to serve for two _Sholders_. That side to be _Kern’d_ and _scrap’d_, is laid upwards, and its opposite side on the bottom of the _Kerning-stick_ with the _Foot_ of the _Letter_ against the bottom _Sholder_, and the side of the _Letter_ against the side _Sholder_ of the _Kerning-stick_.