How Paper Boxes Are Made / A practical and instructive book telling how the beginner may manufacture all kinds of paper boxes, with special chapters on the printing department for paper box plants, embossing, gold-leafing, label work, etc.

by Robert F. Salade

The first inking of the form was for the purpose of showing the positions of the creasing rules. Never mind additional inking while the impression is being adjusted. After the impression has been made right, ink all of the creasing rules in the form again and then take an impression of the form on the sheet of box-board which has been glued to the platen plate. Now comes the most tedious part of the makeready:

All of the inked creasing lines which appear on the platen must be carefully cut out with a sharp makeready knife. That is, the thin lines made on the sheet of box-board on the platen by the inked creasing rules must be cut away with the knife in long, narrow strips so as to form the female part of the die. If the creasing rules are 2-point size, cut away about 3-points; if 4-point creasing rule, cut away about 5-points; if 6-point creasing rule, cut away about 7-points. In making these grooves slightly wider than the size of the creasing rules, the stock will press into the grooves easily and will form the proper creasing or scoring.

Do not cut away any other parts of the sheet of box-board which has been glued to the platen plate. The steel cutting rules should cut into this sheet of box-board.

Ordinarily, the counter-die, after having been made in the manner described, would be completed, but in the case of a long run of work, the following additional makeready is done:

THE KIND OF MAKEREADY THAT IS WORTH WHILE

After the grooves have been cleanly cut, and after all strips of the box-board have been removed from the grooves, lay a sheet of plain white paper over the entire counter-die and pull an impression of the form on this sheet. Then turn over the sheet of paper; study the detail of the impression and see if any of the cutting and creasing rules are weak in certain places. With a blue pencil mark rings around any of the weak places which may appear. Then with a sharp knife, flour paste and French folio paper, “spot up” all circles made by the blue pencil with pieces of the French folio. Some places, extra weak, may call for two or three circles of the French folio. After the sheet has been “spotted up”, loosen the counter-sunk screws in the platen plate; lift off the plate, and with a small quantity of flour paste attach the “spot-up” sheet to the under-side of the platen plate in true position so that it will register with the counter-die, or makeready on the other side of the plate. Paste the “spot-up” sheet, face up, to the under side of the plate. Then replace the platen plate with the “spot-up” sheet under it. This process of makeready is worth while on all forms which are to have long runs, and it will cause all of the weak cutting and creasing rules to have an even impression. Strange as it may seem to the beginner, the little pieces of French folio, when properly placed under the platen plate, will do wonders in making a die even. In the case of rules which have been in service for some time, several “spot-up” sheets may be needed under the platen plate, and in the case of worn rules, the “spotting up” should be done with pieces of book paper, or even with heavy Manila paper. An exceedingly weak place will require a heavy piece of paper under the platen plate.

PUTTING ON THE FEEDING GUIDES

The feeding guides may be of brass, wood or lead. Pieces of 12-point printer’s brass rule, about two inches long, make the best guides for heavy sheets of box board. 12-point slugs, about two inches long, or pieces of 12-point reglet, will serve well as feeding guides for the general run of work. Rub brass or lead slugs on a sheet of fine emery paper before applying the glue, as the rubbing helps in making the guides hold firmly. Use only LePage glue in attaching the guides.

After the guides have been put on in the proper position, fenders are then applied at the inner sides of the two bottom guides, and one fender at the lower end of the side guide. There are three guides, two at the bottom and one on the left-hand side. The fenders are formed of heavy-weight folding cardboard, or of 1-point brass rule, about one-and-one-half inches long. The fenders are used to prevent the sheets of box-board from extending over the guides in the feeding.