Precision in a composing room can be interpreted in many and varying ways. It is not necessarily limited to an air-tight production system or a micrometer on every working surface, but in reality it may be simply an awareness of the importance of every detail in composing room procedure.

In the printing industry today, general printing offices have long achieved a record of inefficiency in the composing room operations. Apparently the front offices are greatly concerned about the volume of production in the pressroom, in most production systems seem to concentrate on keeping the prices occupied.

Trait composition of establishments have proved beyond all doubt that composing rooms can be operated at a profit, but the general printer apparently believes this to be a miracle beyond his capacity to imitate. Attention to little details may constitute a loss of productive time in busy plant, but it also can result in unlimited dividends.

Until the day when composing rooms are planned by engineers on interested in the fact that printers “have always done it this way,” we will have to produce type in a hodgepodge of tradition-bound working procedures.

Because few printers stopped to take a close look at their composing room operations, we are presenting here check list which can be used periodically to analyze efficiency. The maintenance of casting equipment is not included in this list.

MATERIAL STORAGE

Leads and Slugs

• accessible to all frames
• well-marked for size
• leads and slugs separated
• free bent or burred material
• accurate trimming of all sizes

Rules

• accessible to the saw and mitering machine
• slots well marked
• identification chart provided
• various thicknesses separated
• slots free of short pieces

Spaces and Quads

• accessible to all frames
• complete range of sizes
• well-filled but not overflowing
• separate drawers for all spaces
• checking system for refilling

Furniture

• accessible to stones
• length saw accurately
• width checked for accuracy
• free of cracks and splinters
• length shown at each end

Reglets

• accessible to stones and friends
• pica and nonpareil separate
• length saw accurately
• thickness checked for accuracy

TYPE CASES

• systematically marked for positive identification
• cases solid
• runners operating smoothly
• well-lighted
• accessible to working surfaces
• space boxes clean
• checking system for refilling
• all sizes in type family group located together
• most-used types readily accessible

SORTS STORAGE

• well-marked
• accessible to frames
• checking system for refilling

ORNAMENT STORAGE

• in drawers if possible
• face up if stored in blank type case
• well-marked with proof of design
• separate identity for right or left pieces in piece borders

FRAMES AND BANKS

• properly lighted
• accessible to storage racks and cutting tools
• clear of debris

GALLEY RACKS

• each rack marked by letter
• each galley slot numbered
• galleys free of rust
• galleys true and even
• accessible to frames and stones
• galleys for slug composition equipped with locks
• wooden racks checked for splinters and breaks

DEAD BANK

• marked for kinds of type

LETTERBOARDS

• letter for identification
• each board numbered
• filing system for storage
• check for pi
• system to tell length of storage

STONES

• if steel, coiled and free of rust
• if stone, unchipped
• furniture and reglet racks accessible
• storage for quoins
• storage for quoin keys
• lock-up reglets in portable box, separated by thickness
• planers smooth and unchipped
• storage for patent base
• storage in oiled rags or oil cage for patent base toggles

HELL BOXES

• accessible to all cutting tools
• free of trash
• separate boxes for Linotype and Monotype metal
• on wheels for easy transportation

CLEANING FLUID STORAGE

• all fluids in safety cans

CLEANING RAGS

• free of buttons, pins, etc.
• readily accessible to proof presses
• used rags in safety cans

PROOF PRESSES

• accessible to working services
• bed oiled and free of rust
• tracks free of collected ink and dust
• bearers clean
• packing smooth, tight, and clean
• ink plate cleaned at least once a day
• convenient ink and paper storage
• brayer free of caked ink

LEAD AND RULE CUTTER

• accessible to frames
• hell box adjacent
• sufficient room for long strips
• accuracy of cut
• blade sharp
• replacement blade at hand
• good tension on spring
• pica gauge easily read
• point gauge properly adjusted
• all joints oiled

HAND MITERING MACHINE

• accessible to frames
• hell box adjacent
• blade properly set
• blade sharp
• replacement blade at hand
• point gauge accurate
• tracks boiled

ROTARY MITER

• accessible frames
• blade sharp
• replacement blade at hand
• cutting adjustment accurate
• pica gauge easily read
• point gauge accurate
• rule storage adjacent
• tracks oil
• motor belt properly adjusted

This article first appeared in “The Composing Room” column of the December 1954 issue of The Inland Printer.