I think I had always assumed it referred to a small stamped label plate affixed to a boiler, like something with a maker and serial number on it. Hillel once again demonstrates the power of actually looking something up.
And if anyone is in Cambridge, the Museum of Technology has both a collection of early printing machines and a load of fixed steam engines. They don’t run the steam engines every day, but will next on the 11th of December. Well worth a trip (my inner geek child enjoyed the steam engine, my inner adult geek enjoyed the typesetting shed).
@hwayne was actual lead typesetting sent to other newspapers for syndication? It sounds heavy, but maybe it was worth it.
It was! I found multiple sources talking about receiving and cutting them up. I though they wouldn’t use lead typeslugs but I checked hot metal slugs actually contain more lead than loose slugs. I’m guessing the profit margins were just really really high.
other english words that came from typesetting: stereotype and cliche
I think I had always assumed it referred to a small stamped label plate affixed to a boiler, like something with a maker and serial number on it. Hillel once again demonstrates the power of actually looking something up.
For anyone interested in what the hot metal typesetting process looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzilaRwoMus
Also, everyone should watch Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu
And if anyone is in Cambridge, the Museum of Technology has both a collection of early printing machines and a load of fixed steam engines. They don’t run the steam engines every day, but will next on the 11th of December. Well worth a trip (my inner geek child enjoyed the steam engine, my inner adult geek enjoyed the typesetting shed).
@hwayne was actual lead typesetting sent to other newspapers for syndication? It sounds heavy, but maybe it was worth it.
BTW coming from a much smaller media market I’ve never actually seen newspaper syndication in action, only seen its secondary usages in TV and RSS.
It was! I found multiple sources talking about receiving and cutting them up. I though they wouldn’t use lead typeslugs but I checked hot metal slugs actually contain more lead than loose slugs. I’m guessing the profit margins were just really really high.