Re: Typewriters
Originally Posted by
Vlad
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Thanks for that excellent read Baz, oral history like that need to be passed down, I can’t remember without looking, do we have a History Forum? If not it might be worth having one? A place where members can post a bit about their working life.
That's OK Vlad, glad it was a good read for you. It was an interesting and satisfying working life. No doubt unusual in that it was all in the same trade, probably not something that will be happening in this modern day and age.
Originally Posted by
Pesta
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What a wonderful post Baz, I really enjoyed reading that. Thank you for the insight into the printing trade. I had no idea it was so physically demanding. Reading about lifting those heavy hot plates has left me 'seeing' people living with burns or serious injuries. Hope that didn't happen
Thanks for your kind words Pesta, the printing trade covers so much but that does make it very interesting. No burns thank goodness, just a couple of discs put out at one time trying to lift something that was too heavy.
Originally Posted by
Longdogs
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Interesting post Baz. I think you were in the business a bit before me.
I had it a bit easier than that, (apart from starting of as a 'courier' delivering artwork around W1). After six months or so, I started 'on the board' as they used to call it, creating camera ready artwork. As you will know, all things were done by hand then, logos, designs and even a lot of lettering. We did have typesetting by then which I suppose is what wiped out the hot metal trade. I also got into 'mock ups' - (fake packaging for photography and TV ads) and magic marker visuals. I also used to love doing type mark ups. I liked nothing more than someone handing me a pile of photographs and reams of text so that I could design it and fit it into a brochure.
From there, I went onto the other side of things, producing colour film separations and plate making but computers kind of took over after that.
Sometimes I miss Rapidographs, 10A scalpel blades and pagination.
Thanks Longdogs. My apprenticeship started in 1961, after that I worked in various parts of the trade. From what you write you were in a similar part of the trade as me, I can remember all that you write about. It was around 1970 and the following years that I was in typesetting and advertising. That was after paper paste-up and then film make-up, maybe we could have even worked in the same companies as they were all around the W1 area? Also I do still have my Rapidographs and 10A scalpel blades somewhere. Those days are long gone now but they were good times. No problem getting jobs, the work was endless with lots of overtime.