Most time consuming
Setting type, I found the above old Compositors Certificate on the net back in the mid 90's even though I started Bookbinding in 1980 as a young Apprentice all those years ago, who'd of thought I would be where I am right now. I spend many hours of the day setting Type,
Back in the day (from the late 1800's to the mid 1900's) they used Foundry Type or Type made from Molten Lead pressed into brass moulds, in a machine called a Ludlow or an Intertype or a Linotype, I was lucky enough to own several
Short Type Set Line
If only they were all this short, over the time I have set many titles for books, some from the 1600's to current titles, many Thesis Bindings from Geo Physicists to students that have studied Drying Chic Peas. The most time consuming things to do as a Bookbinder was to set type. The pic to the left is a small line of what is called, "Foundry Type"
Lead Type Manufacturing!
Yes, believe it or not in the current times of 3D Printing it was only a short 25 years ago and I was making my own Lead Type, from a pot of Molten Lead in a Machine called a Ludlow, I owned six of them, plus a few Intertypes and Linotypes, but this is a whole other story.