Type Making

Part of Printing

Movable type — individual letters cast in metal that can be arranged, printed, rearranged, and reused — is the technology that makes mass literacy possible. Type making is the process of creating these letter forms: cutting punches, striking matrices, and casting type in a hand mold.

Why Type Making Matters

Woodblock printing requires carving an entire page for each printing. When the text changes, the block is useless. Movable type revolutionizes this: cast a few hundred letters once, and you can compose any text, print it, then redistribute the letters to compose something new. A single set of type can produce unlimited different pages. This is the multiplication factor that turned printing from a craft into an engine of civilization.

The Type-Making Process Overview

The process has three stages, each building on the previous:

1. Punch cutting — Carving the letter form (in reverse) on the end of a steel rod
2. Matrix striking — Hammering the punch into soft copper to create a negative impression
3. Type casting — Pouring molten metal into the matrix to produce identical letter pieces

Each stage requires different skills and materials. Punch cutting demands artistic precision. Matrix striking requires metallurgical knowledge. Type casting is a production process that can be done quickly once the first two stages are complete.

Punch Cutting

The punch is the master form from which all type descends. Each letter, number, and punctuation mark requires its own punch.

Materials

• Punch blanks — Rods of tool steel, 6-8 cm long, 5-8 mm square cross-section
• Gravers and files — Fine cutting tools for shaping the letter
• Magnification — Any lens helps (salvaged eyeglass, water-filled glass sphere)
• Counterpunches — Small steel punches for creating the enclosed spaces (counters) in letters like “o,” “e,” “d,” “b”

Process

1. Anneal the blank — Heat the steel rod to cherry red and cool slowly. This softens it for cutting.

2. Transfer the letter — Draw or scribe the letter form (reversed, mirror image) on the end of the blank. Use lampblack rubbed on the surface to make scratches visible.

3. Cut counterpunches first — For letters with enclosed spaces (a, b, d, e, g, o, p, q), forge a small steel punch in the shape of the interior space. Harden it and stamp it into the softened punch blank. This creates clean interior shapes that would be nearly impossible to cut by hand.

4. Cut the letter — Using fine files and gravers, remove metal around the letter form. The letter should stand raised (in relief) on the punch face, reading backward.

5. Finish and test — Smoke the punch face in a candle flame and press it onto paper to check the impression. The letter should read correctly on the paper (forward).

6. Harden — Heat to cherry red and quench in oil. The punch must be harder than the copper matrix.

Letter Complexity	Time to Cut (Skilled)	Difficulty
Simple (l, i, I, 1)	1-2 hours	Moderate
Medium (n, m, h, u)	2-4 hours	Moderate-hard
Complex (a, e, g, s, &)	4-8 hours	Very hard
Capitals (M, W, G)	3-6 hours	Hard

Start with Simple Letters

Begin by cutting the simplest letter forms: l, i, o, c. These teach you the fundamental skills without the complexity of serifs, curved strokes, and counters. Progress to more complex letters as your skills develop.

Design Considerations

• Consistency — All letters in a font must share the same baseline, x-height, and stroke weight. Inconsistency in any of these makes the printed text look amateurish and hard to read.
• Mirror image — The punch must read backward. This is the most common source of errors. Check constantly by pressing onto paper.
• Type size — Decide your type size before cutting. Historically, common sizes were approximately 3-5 mm for body text (roughly 10-14 point).
• Serifs — Small finishing strokes at the ends of letter strokes improve readability in body text. They are difficult to cut but worth the effort for a text face.

Matrix Striking

The matrix is a copper block bearing the negative impression of the punch. It serves as the mold face for casting type.

Materials

• Copper blanks — Pieces of soft copper, 25 mm long, 6-8 mm thick
• Hardened punch — The finished, hardened steel punch
• Anvil and hammer — For striking the impression
• Files — For finishing the matrix

Process

1. Prepare the copper — Anneal (soften) a copper blank by heating to dull red and quenching in water. File one face perfectly flat and smooth.

2. Strike the impression — Place the copper flat side up on a hardened steel anvil. Position the hardened punch on the flat surface. Strike the punch firmly with a hammer — one heavy blow is better than multiple light taps, which can shift the punch and double the impression.

3. Check the depth — The impression should be about 1-2 mm deep. If too shallow, re-strike with the punch carefully repositioned.

4. Justify the matrix — File the sides and bottom of the matrix so the impression is perfectly centered and the matrix fits precisely in the type mold. This step determines letter spacing — the distance each letter occupies on the printed line.

Justification is Critical

The matrix must be filed so that each letter sits at the correct width for its character. An “i” is narrow; an “m” is wide. If the matrix width is wrong, the spacing between letters in printed text will be uneven. Use test castings and printed proofs to refine matrix width.

Matrix Longevity

A well-made copper matrix can produce thousands of type pieces before wearing out. Store matrices carefully — they are the most valuable components in your printing operation. A complete set of matrices eliminates the need to re-cut punches.

Type Casting

With a matrix in hand, you can cast identical type pieces rapidly.

The Type Metal Alloy

Type metal is a low-melting alloy that casts with sharp detail and withstands repeated printing pressure.

Component	Percentage	Purpose
Lead	60-70%	Base metal, low melting point
Tin	15-25%	Improves flow and detail reproduction
Antimony	10-20%	Hardness, prevents shrinkage

If antimony is unavailable: Use 80% lead, 20% tin. This is softer but serviceable. The type will wear faster and need replacing sooner.

Melting point: approximately 240-260C — achievable over a small charcoal fire.

Lead Safety

Lead is toxic. Work in well-ventilated areas. Do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling lead alloys. Wash hands thoroughly after handling type metal. Keep lead work away from food preparation and living areas.

The Hand Mold

The hand mold is the device that holds the matrix and forms the rectangular body of the type piece. It is the most mechanically complex component.

Structure:

1. Two L-shaped steel or brass pieces that clamp together
2. The inner channel forms the type body shape
3. The matrix slides into the bottom of the channel
4. Molten metal is poured into the top opening
5. When the metal solidifies (1-3 seconds), the mold halves are separated and the type piece is ejected

Key dimensions:

• The channel width matches the font size (type body height)
• The channel depth is adjustable via a sliding plate to accommodate different letter widths
• The matrix seats against a spring-loaded register to ensure consistent positioning

Casting Process

1. Heat the type metal to fluid state (260-280C) in a small crucible or iron ladle
2. Clamp the matrix in the hand mold
3. Pour a small amount of molten metal into the mold cavity — fast, with a quick wrist snap
4. Wait 1-3 seconds for solidification
5. Open the mold and eject the type piece
6. Trim the casting sprue (the excess metal from the pour channel) with a knife or file
7. Repeat — a skilled caster produces 3,000-4,000 type pieces per day

Quality Control

Inspect each piece:

• The letter face must be sharp and complete — no missed corners or air bubbles
• The type body must be straight and square
• The type height must be consistent (all pieces the same height so they print evenly)
• The letter must be properly centered on the type body

Stack Test

Line up a row of cast type pieces of the same letter on a flat surface. Sight along the line — all pieces should be the same height. Any high or low pieces will print unevenly (high pieces print heavier, low pieces lighter or not at all).

A Complete Type Font

A full set of type for printing requires:

Characters	Count Per Font
Lowercase letters (a-z)	26 punches, varies in quantity (more e’s than z’s)
Uppercase letters (A-Z)	26 punches
Numbers (0-9)	10 punches
Punctuation (. , ; : ! ? ’ ” - ( ))	10+ punches
Spaces (various widths)	3-5 blanks (no punches needed)
Total unique forms	~70-80 punches

Quantity per font: For a working font, you need many copies of common letters. A typical distribution for English:

Letter	Approximate Copies Needed
e, t, a, o, n	30-50 each
i, s, r, h, l	20-30 each
d, c, u, m, p	15-20 each
Rare letters (x, z, q, j)	5-10 each
Spaces	100+ (most used “character”)

Common Mistakes

1. Cutting the letter forward instead of reversed — Every punch must read backward (mirror image). Check by pressing a smoke-blackened punch onto paper — the paper impression should read correctly.
2. Multiple light strikes on the matrix — One firm, well-placed blow is far better than several lighter taps. Multiple strikes risk shifting the punch and creating a doubled or blurred impression.
3. Inconsistent type height — All type pieces must be exactly the same height or printing will be uneven. Establish a reference height and check every batch against it.
4. Pure lead type — Pure lead is too soft for printing. It mushrooms under pressure and loses detail rapidly. Always alloy with tin (and antimony if available).
5. Rushing the mold design — The hand mold is precision equipment. Time invested in making it accurate saves endless problems during casting. A well-made mold produces consistent type; a poor one wastes metal and time.

Summary

Type Making — At a Glance

• Three stages: cut steel punches (raised letter, reversed), strike copper matrices (negative impression), cast lead-tin-antimony type
• Punch cutting is the bottleneck — 1-8 hours per letter; plan 70-80 unique punches for a full font
• Matrices are the most valuable components — one matrix produces thousands of type pieces
• Type metal: 60-70% lead, 15-25% tin, 10-20% antimony; melts at ~250C
• A skilled caster produces 3,000-4,000 type pieces per day
• All type must be the same height — inconsistency causes uneven printing
• Work with lead only in well-ventilated areas; wash hands after handling