Printers’ rollers.—10 lbs. French or Irish heavy glue, 12 lbs. sugar or good quality molasses, and 3 lbs. glycerine. This will be sufficient to make two rollers twenty-nine by three and one-half inches, and can be readily recast by following the directions given for recasting rollers.
Directions.—Soak the glue the necessary length of time that will enable it to melt with ease. After being melted, add the glycerine, and boil fifteen minutes or until thoroughly mixed, when the sugar or molasses may be added. Cook and stir continuously for fifteen minutes, the composition will then be ready for pouring. Strict attention should be given that the moulds be thoroughly cleansed and evenly oiled previous to pouring.
German Preservative for Rollers.—Corrosive sublimate 2 drachms, fine table salt 2 oz.; put together in half a gallon of soft water—let it stand twenty-four hours. When rollers are clean washed with ley, sponge them with the above mixture twice a week.
Directions for Recasting Rollers.—Sponge the face of the roller with hot water; scrape off the face thoroughly with a knife; take the composition off the stock and cut it up small. If the roller has been used only a short time, it may be melted about as readily as new composition; if it is older, put it in a sieve or basket and soak it in cold water for about fifteen or twenty minutes; take it out of the water, cover with a damp cloth, and leave over-night; then melt as usual. If composition is too hard, wait till it is melted, and stir in a sufficient quantity of common molasses; avoid heavy, clarified syrups.
Printers’ Ley.—No. 1.—Dissolve 28 lbs. of soda in 52 gallons of water, to which add 7 lbs. of soft-soap, boiled. Stir well together.
Printers’ Ley.—No. 2.—Boil 3 gallons of water in a copper; throw in while boiling ½ lb. of unslacked lime and 2 lbs. of common soda; stir well for fifteen minutes. Let it settle till cold, when it must be taken out without disturbing the sediment, and the liquid is then fit for use.