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Printers’ letters

Those who make them, mix into the lead some
nailsnailheads & old
horseshoes, & antimony which makes it all melt.
This composition is strong for printing, &holds steadfast. It runs
and is good for casting in lead.


Casting in copper

It is necessary that the box mold be well smooth & that
it fits well also on the board where it sits, so that it holds
firm & does not shift when one moulds. It is necessary that the sand
be clean & well chosen and well reheated, & pulverised very
finely on the marble, for the one that you want to put
first on the medal, and when molding you press strongly. Guard against
oiling your medal, for this would make it porous. Reheat slowly
and reheat well, & let cool. Moisten your sand with wine boiled
with elm root, and cast latten which comes out well,
namely from the substance of the trebuschets and similar
thin things. Make your cast broad & even if it is barely thick, it
will not be worse off, but it will enter well in the mold. Cast
from the foot of the medal, so that the face, further away from the
heat, comes out better & sweetened from the violent heat. And if
your box mold does not have vents, make some
qu in the sand, which come, from the corners of the
piece, to render themselves into the cast. Cast very hot, something that
you will know, when you cast a little leftover substance in the one
which has already been melted, & if it melts quickly, this is a sign
it is fo well hot. At that time, invigorate the heat
of your furnace with bellows of the right size,
keeping the mouth of the furnace well covered with some big
coppertile or other similar thing,
which should be very red before you cast. When you want to cast, take
your well red mollettes & the crooked
iron as well, to clean the charcoals which are in
your substance. Having cast, rub your work with a latten
wirebrush. The grindings from sharpening large scissors &
large knives is very good for copper.



One believes it to be a great secret to add in it
persicaire, which renders them soft as lead.Try
to extract salts from it.

