Metal Type Library

Welcome to the Metal Type Library. Here you'll find documents, instruction manuals, etc. available to download. Click on the document's heading to start the download. Most of the documents are PDF files, and will require Adobe Reader installed on your computer to view them.

Press Instructions

Thompson British Installation & Operator's Manual

A nice, clean 17-page document with a couple of illustrations in PDF format (464KB. Sent in by Andy Taylor of AJT Typesetting and Printing. Click the heading to start the download.

Thompson Instruction Manual

The Thompson Automatic (British version) Instruction and Operator's Manual, including maintenance, in PDF format. Sent in by Andy Taylor of AJT Typesetting and Printing. 36 Pages (644KB).

Thompson British Automatic Platen List of Parts

53 pages, with lots of illustrations in PDF format. Sent in by Andy Taylor of AJT Typesetting and Printing. (8.5MB).

Miehle V50 Vertical Instruction Book

37 pages, lots of illustrations. Sections on installation, operation, maintenance and troubleshooting in PDF format (11.3MB).

Miehle Vertical Press Catalogue of Parts

Every part of the press, both American and English versions, illustrated and catalogued. 37 pages in PDF format (8.39MB).

Printomatic Stop Cylinder Press

A 55-page document, with many illustrations, wiring diagrams, etc. Not as clean as the Thompson manual, made from scans of the original document. Sent in by Andy Taylor of AJT Typesetting and Printing. PDF format (1.9MB).

Typesetting

Intertype Instruction Manual (1929)

"The Intertype, Its Function, Care, Operation and Adjustment", by MacD Sinclair, with the collaboration of the engineering staff of the Intertype Corporation. From the collection of the Prelinger Library. All 450 pages. (58MB PDF).

Align-A-Mat Instructions (Fisk Industries)

8-page instruction book for this Linotype/Intertype matrix repair tool. (1.05MB PDF).

Linotype Line c1960 Advertising Brochure

Interesting document, published by Linotype probably around 1960, advertising their current range of machines. Includes Comet, Meteor Model 5, Blue Streak Model 29, New Model 31, The Linofilm System, Model 33 and 34, Model 35 and 36. 14 (double) pages. (22.3MB PDF).

Erection Procedure for Blue Streak Model 5 Linotype

Detailed instructions on how to erect this machine, with floor plan. 17 pages. (20.9MB PDF).

Intertype Ready-Reckoner

An easy copy-fitting method. The character count method. 23 pages. (8.99MB PDF).

Intertype Matrix Identification

Numerical listing of type faces by font numbers. 40 pages. (28.4MB PDF).

Erection Prodedure for Model 31 Linotype

35 pages, published by Linotype, explaining how to erect a Model 31 Blue Streak Linotype after delivery in boxes from the fatory. Sent in by David MacMillan. (23.9MB PDF).

Model M Ludlow Instructions and Parts List

55 pages, illustations, maintenance, adjustments, wiring diagrams and parts list in PDF format. Sent in by David MacMillan. (9.4MB).

Ludlow Model M Brochure, c.1960s

Nice advertising brochure, with many illustrations, sent in by David MacMillan. (3.33MB PDF).

Ruleform Composition with the Ludlow

Illustrated 6-page brochure showing the advantages of using Ludlow Ruleform matrices, sent in by David MacMillan. (2.05MB).

Ludlow Self-Centering Stick Instructions

A single, fairly high-resolution stick-sized JPEG, detailing how to use the Ludlow self-centering composition stick, sent in by David MacMillan. (324KB PDF).

Useful Matrix Information

Published by the Linotype Corporation in 1937. Useful information, including notches, tooth combinations, face identification numbers, suggested font schemes, accented characters, keyboard diagrams, All-Purpose Linotype matrix information, typographic refinements, etc. PDF format. Sent in by Andy Taylor of AJT Typesetting and Printing. (3.41MB).

The New Linotype

An 8-page document, probably from the early 1900s, extolling the virtues of the new Linotype over the previous "Blower" machines. Sent in by Andy Taylor of AJT Typesetting and Printing. PDF format (273KB).

Ludlow Supersurfacer

Instructions and parts list, 17 pages, with some illustrations. PDF format (544KB).

Monotype Model D Keyboard Instructions

French Language. Operator's instruction manual. 110 pages. PDF format (9.18MB).

Interype Quadder

12-page advertising brochure for the Intertype Quadder, with some nice illustrations. PDF format (2.74MB).

The Intertype Autospacer

Functions, care, operation and adjustment. 24 pages, illustrated. PDF format (555KB).

Typofix Type Caster

A four page instruction manual in PDF format (264KB).

Shaffstall Transistor Mat Detector

72-page instruction manual and fault-finding guide, with illustrations for this device that was used on high-speed tape-operated linecasters. PDF format (21.9MB). The Patent Application for this device is also available to download. PDF format, 10 pages (2.6MB).