HOW ENAMELED LETTERS ARE MADE.
The following is a description of a brief visit by a representative of the Journal of Decorative Art to the new factory of the Patent Letter and Enamel Company, Ltd., situate in the East End of London.
The company have recently secured a large freehold plot in the center of the East End of London, and have built for themselves a most commodious and spacious factory, some hundreds of feet in length, all on one floor, and commanded from one end by the manager's office, from whence can be seen at a glance the entire premises.
The works are divided into two large compartments, and are lighted from the roof, ample provision being made for ventilation, and attention being given to those sanitary conditions which are, or should be, imperative on all well managed establishments.
We first explore the stockroom. Here are stored the numerous dies, of all sizes and shapes, which the company possess, varying in size from half an inch to twelve or sixteen inches. Here, too, is kept the large store of thin sheet copper out of which the letters are stamped. Our readers are familiar with the form or principle upon which these letters are made. It is simply a convex surface, the reverse side being concave, and being fixed on to the glass or other material with a white lead preparation. When these letters were first made, the practice was to cut or stamp them out in flat copper, and then to round or mould them by a second operation. Recent improvements in the machinery, however, have dispensed with this dual process, and the stamping and moulding is done in the one swift, sharp operation.
The process of making an enameled letter has four stages—stamping, enameling, firing, and filing. There are other and subsequent processes for elaborating, but those named are of the essence of the transaction.
STAMPING.
The stamping is done by means of presses, and is a very rapid and complete operation.
The operator takes a piece of the sheet copper, places it on the press, the lever descends, there is a sharp crunching, bursting sound, and in a time shorter than it has taken to describe, the letter is made, sharp and perfect in every way.