[Redated and slightly revised after I decided to continue the subject. This was originally a single free-standing item.]
= = = = =
Electrochemistry was the first practical use of electricity. The first attempted telegraphs used electrolytic bubbles in water as the indicator.
Stereotyping was already mature in 1840, as an industrial process involving papier-mache molds to produce lead plates. Several British printers decided to try an electrochemical process, which soon became the main method of turning out plates for mass printing operations.
Ansel Kellogg started with the papier-mache method and switched later to electrotyping. The plan of the Kellogg building in KC in 1920 shows most of the floor space devoted to electrotyping.
= = = = =
Polistra starts with a form in old movable type, as used in the simple Kellogg press. Each letter was inserted separately from a font, and ‘furniture’ was mounted around it to fill out a rectangle. Strictly speaking the form should be inside a frame or chase, tightened with quoins. We’re simplifying here.
= = = = =
Here’s a basic electrotyping setup, suitable for experiments. Industrial processes used much larger tanks and automated parts of the process, but the basic electrochemistry is the same. A battery provides current to two electrodes inside a solution of copper sulphate. One electrode is copper and the other is lead.
Like arc welding, electrotyping needed low voltage and high current. This experimental setup used 2 volts at 15 amps. Industrial plants usually had their own generators, since city power grids weren’t up to the load at that time.
= = = = =
The first step is to get an image of the movable type in wax. Polistra is pouring beeswax on the lead electrode which will be connected to the negative side.
= = = = =
Now the impression, pushing the movable type into the wax. At industrial scale, where the movable type was often newspaper size, this job was done by a heavy press.
= = = = =
Here’s the impression in wax, firmly bonded to the lead. Note that the original movable type is male and reversed, while the wax is female and forward.
We’re not showing the next step, which is dusting the wax and lead with sticky graphite. The graphite fills all the cavities in the wax closely, and drapes over the edges to make contact with the lead.
The graphite is the real electrode on the negative side.
= = = = =
Here’s a downward view into the tank, showing the two electrodes and the wiring.
= = = = =
With the outer tank transparent in this view, Polistra is pointing to the graphite smoothly draped over the wax.
= = = = =
After connecting the battery, the charge starts pulling copper atoms from the copper anode. The copper atoms are drawn to the negatively charged graphite surface, and gradually fill in the crevices, forming a surface with even thickness. This process would take about 24 hours in the experimental setup.
= = = = =
Finally, the copper male is removed, cleaned and sawed down into a rectangular form. In the Kellogg operation, this form would be one of the weekly Patent Insides, containing features and ads to spice up country papers. Here it’s just the name.
I want to emphasize again the anti-globalist mission of Kellogg and his successors. He used mass publishing and mass production to MAKE LIFE EASIER for struggling editors of weekly papers. He gave them an added gloss, a broader range of features, than they could write on their own. But he didn’t simply write the whole paper, as modern mass producers do.
= = = = =
Continued in Part 2, with the full industrial process of electrotyping.
Polistra's Mill 