Specimens: Making Iohann Titling

Last Friday, Micah Currier of the Dale Guild Type Foundry picked me up for our first day of work on Iohann Titling, the type that Micah will be cutting and casting for Specimens. The day started with a stop by Globe Engraving to pick up a sample pattern for cutting the matrices on the Guild's Benton Pantograph Engraver. After a couple hours at Globe we came away with a well made pattern and headed down to Howell to begin work setting up the pantograph. After a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon that included some complex mathematics and Theo Rehak playing the trumpet in the background, Micah got the Benton set up to cut the first sample matrices. He will cast the first sample characters this coming weekend.

Micah Currier locking a brass planchet into position for cutting.

Micah operating the Benton Engraver.

A tracing of the Iohann H made with the engraver.

The Thomas Edison vintage microscope used for measuring the height parallel of the engraving.