People say quite a lot of anecdotal things about typemetal and lead; we all know a lot of comps who are still working into their 80s and 90s, but that’s just the same as saying “my nan smoked 40 a day and lived to 100”. I had my blood lead levels tested the other day, mainly to check there’s nothing wrong with me, but also because people often ask me about the dangers of my job, and it’s good to have empirical evidence.
Firstly:
* “Lead poisoning” is a real and nasty thing. It normally comes about from accidental inhalation/ingestion of lead *compounds and oxides* (like tetraethyl lead in petrol, lead oxide dust from old paint), not contact with the metal itself.
* Your body doesn’t have a system for excreting lead, so it can build up over time. That’s part of why it can be so nasty.
* “Typemetal” isn’t “lead”; it does *contain* lead, but that’s not quite the same thing.
Things that might conceivably raise my level of risk:
* I’ve handled type and typemetal almost every day a day for the last 16 years.
* I melt typemetal in an enclosed space.
* I bite my nails.
* I get a lot of small cuts on my hands.
* I grew up at a time when having tetraethyl lead in petrol was still a thing.
* I lived in a few places where parts of the water system still use lead pipes.
Things that might conceivably lower my risk:
* I wash my hands after I handle typemetal and before I eat anything.
* I wear a ventilator mask when melting typemetal.
* I cover any cuts with plasters or nitrile gloves.
Blood lead levels:
* Your employer has to do something when you have a 50ug/dL (micrograms per decilitre)
* You must stop working with lead at 60ug/dL.
* A “normal” level in UK adults is < 10ug/dL
* My lead level is 5ug/dL.
My basic conclusion is that, if there are any health risks from handling type, those risks are reduced to a negligible level by following basic handwashing and handling principles.
I know a lot of people, especially those who deal with workshops, members of the public etc. have concerns about lead. I share those concerns, and I hope these points might be helpful in mitigating those worries, especially when people are working with type for only short periods of time.
Posted @withregram • @thinicepress Still places left for a really fun, hands-on workshop this Sunday! You’ll work with our Director, Helen, to set some metal type, playing with ideas about printing errors, typos and mistakes.
We’ll take a look at some historical printing errors, including in the Bible and the plays of Shakespeare, and we’ll learn about the human stories behind the printed page.
All participants will go away with a unique print, and new skills. The workshop is open to all and no prior experience is needed.
#letterpress
#workshops
#heritagecrafts
#primtinghistory
If anyone in the UK has any of these barges they don’t want, then please do let me know- email’s the best bet these days ([email protected])
#letterpress #printing #print #monotype #typefoundry #typefounding #typefounder #hotmetal #composition #supercaster #type #typeforsale #fountify #bookarts #bookbinding #papermaking
The Special Edition of ‘Type Archived’ and Collector’s Set come with a specially cast ‘sort’ (piece of letterpress printing type) featuring the Archive’s iconic elephant logo.
This will be cast by TA associate, QEST scholar and recently announced ‘England Maker of the Year 2024’, Nick Gill @effrapress
#letterpress #elephant #moveabletype
A bit of rummaging around in the racks for an unusual casting request: Tonic Sol-Fa. An alternative musical notation system, and one that, apparently, I have the necessary stuff to cast at 12pt. If all comes off, then this might be surfacing at next year’s Festival of Ideas in York…
#letterpress #printing #print #monotype #typefoundry #typefounding #typefounder #hotmetal #composition #supercaster #type #typeforsale #fountify #bookarts #bookbinding #papermaking #tonicsolfa #music #notation
A special deal for anyone looking for some display type. A quarter fount (10A 18a) of 36pt Univers roman and italic. More than 20kg of unused type; would normally be £800. Because it’s been hanging around for a while, you can have both founts for £450.
#letterpress #printing #print #monotype #typefoundry #typefounding #typefounder #hotmetal #composition #supercaster #type #typeforsale #fountify #bookarts #bookbinding #papermaking
And the last illustration’s done. Phew. Now to keep them out of the hands of small children until I can bind them…
#letterpress #printing #print #monotype #typefoundry #typefounding #typefounder #hotmetal #composition #supercaster #type #typeforsale #fountify #bookarts #bookbinding #papermaking
First small binding job complete. I made a few of these for the last special edition of Parenthesis (to which you should absolutely subscribe, if you haven’t already), and I’ve finally bound the rest of them. They’ll be highly affordable. Set by hand in (misspelt) Cancelleresca Bastarda, printed on Zerkall and sewn into a @tejhandmadepaper wrapper.
They’ll be available at Ludlow Fine Press Boom Fair, along with some other things, if I have time to finish them up. If there are any left after that (and I suspect there will be), then I’ll pop them up in the shop.
Sadly, the contents are simply too obscene for Instagram, but there’ll be a display copy at the fair for the strong willed.
#letterpress #printing #print #monotype #typefoundry #typefounding #typefounder #hotmetal #composition #supercaster #type #typeforsale #fountify #bookarts #bookbinding #papermaking #sonnet #obscene
Posted @withregram • @thinicepress Our next workshop is Wood Type Posters with the brilliant Phil Treble (also known as @muttonsandnuts ). You’ll explore our superb collection of wood type and create your own one-of-a-kind poster, as well as learning more about wood letters and the principles of design. Tickets via our website!
Thursday 17th October
18.00-20.00
£40
No previous experience necessary.
(Thanks to Alex Holland for the pic)
#woodtype
#letterpress
#printing
#printmaking
#posterdesign
#posterart
#visityork
#visityorkshire
