Back in June, we tried out another experiment in programming for the C.C. Stern Type Foundry in the new rural location. For three days we hosted the typecasting department of Arion Press (M&H Type) at our facility. From morning to evening we applied ourselves to an exchange of information and skills, breaking for a meal at the end of the day. The fellers at M&H are certainly more experienced at running the Monotype composition caster, and so gave us tutorials on common issues and repairs we might need to make as we run the machine more often—cleaning the moulds, assessing the condition of the type carrier, and adjusting the cycle speed for the Welliver interface, in addition to showing us their new method for perfecting type alignment. Besides some practice using the hand mould, and some nerding out on the Variable Frequency Drives for 3-phase power conversion, we introduced them to operation of the Linotype, equipment they don’t have access to at their current facility. We were able to cast enough lines on the machine to print a short poem offered by our resident poet, Joe Green. It was a good way to test the idea of smaller hands on work sessions at the C.C. Stern Type Foundry, and a terrific exchange all around.
I will be in San Francisco later this month and am looking forward to dropping by the M&H foundry in the Presidio to follow up on all the progress both parties have made with machine repairs and improvements.
Pictured above: Joe Green, Brian Bagdonas, Chris Godek, Kris Branco, Connie Blauwkamp, Chris Chen, Rebecca Gilbert, Brian Ferrett