Something I want to do

coalfire

Full Member
Dec 16, 2006
122
3
East Coast
Like most of you I have frames for my collection. I have been wanting to buy an old Printers Type Tray. I am a printer and got the idea a while ago. (I am sure others have already thought of it) The old Printers Trays are drawers that fit into a cabinet and held individual letters of a font. Basically one tray, one font. The cabinets contained several type fonts. The old printers set type letter by letter. I haven't seen one for a while. I want one try to make a coffee table out of. I want to line each small box on the tray with felt and then cover it with glass. I also want an entire multi drawer cabinet for my entire collection.

I wrote this so you guys that didn't know about them could, maybe do it your selves.

~Z~
 

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Thanks for posting this.....I have been keeping my finds in one of these....but didnt know it was called a printers tray.... :)
 

Very good idea zeawolf, but I would think those old trays would be as hard to find as a silver coin. I haven't seen any of those since the 8th grade... ( 1972'ish)
Please post some pics when it's completed...
 

I don't have any trays as of yet. I always check out antique shops and try to find sales at old print shops. You are right they are not as plentiful as they use to be. The photos I posted for reference are from ebay in England and sold for about $24-$44.

If I find one this spring I will post photos after I line it.

~Z~
 

I think that would be be neatest thing. We have a bunch of antique shops here, I will have to check & see if I can find myself one.

Here's one I found a pic of...
 

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Here's the one that hangs in beanheads junk room. I like that concept Z. The problem with those things is the compartment size's don't change so sometimes things won't fit. I was thinking a guy could custom make ones to fit a certain array of points. You could use nice oak or walnut, they wouldn't take much to make and you would probably save money. Just a thought.
bm



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When I was in school they were called a "California Job Case". . . and they are wonderful for displaying our "stuff".

I remember using them in my 8th-grade industrial arts class. . . I hated them, we had to memorize in which little box each type character belonged!

letterpress-california-job-case.jpg

Take care,
watercolor
 

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