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National Fantasy Fan, February 17, 1945

Page 12

Allow at least a day for the old ink to diffuse before starting to use your hekto again. In some cases, the old ink can be washed off immediately with very warm water, but this method is unsatisfactory, and seldom works. Hot water removes too much of the jelly composition.

If the surface develops cracks or imperfections, scrape the gelatin from the pan, put it in a can, and set the can in a pot of boiling water. The heat will melt the jelly. An old double boiler is ideal for this. When the gelatin is completely melted, pour it in the hekto pan again, scraping off any bubbles that may arise. Let this new surface set overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours. Best not to use it for a couple of days. When the jelly finally becomes worn out, it should be t[h]rown away and a new can of hekto refill gelatin bought.

To master the intricacies of any particular hekto, we strongly recommend the trial and error method.

Hekto ink diffuses rapidly, and permits only an average of fifty decent copies to be reproduced ... sometimes more ... oftener less. On the other hand, hektoing is a comparatively simple process to use, is very inexpensive, and permits any different colors to be duplicated at one time.

Used less frequently, except by those happy office worker fen who are employed where there is one they can use, is the Ditto Machine. A Ditto works more like a mimeo, but employs the principle of the w.k. jelly pan. To make Ditto originals, place special hekto carbons face [underlined] upwards against the sheet of special glazed master paper. Then type or draw. The writing on the reverse of the master will appear to be backward, like mirror writing. Do NOT use a carbon twice.

The original is secured to the Ditto's rotary drum by an adjustable clamp. A special fluid (applied automatically) moistens the master as each sheet rolls under the drum. Each copy removes enough pigment from the master to make a clear reproduction. Smooth paper is used, and no slip-sheeting is required. The Ditto may be used continuously, and several hundred copies can be made if the master is clear and well-inked.

Multi-color reproductions is possible by use of carbons of different colors.

There is also an older type of Ditto machine for which the masters are made as for hekto, on the [underlined] front of the master sheet. This machine has a roller made of hekto jelly on a cloth base. Though superior to pan-hekto, it cannot match the newer liquid-type (but, oh, so expensive) Ditto machines.

In preparing Ditto or hekto masters, an old razor blade is very useful in scraping off parts or lines or letters which found their way in by mistake.

To sum up, Ditto and hekto produce very good results, but not the best. Points in their favor: one may stop at any time, and run off the remainder of the edition at a later date by using the master again.

Saving...

Allow at least a day for the old ink to diffuse before starting to use your hekto again. In some cases, the old ink can be washed off immediately with very warm water, but this method is unsatisfactory, and seldom works. Hot water removes too much of the jelly composition. If the surface develops cracks or imperfections, scrape the gelatin from the pan, put it in a can, and set the can in a pot of boiling water. The heat will melt the jelly. An old double boiler is ideal for this. When the gelatin is completely melted, pour it in the hekto pan again, scraping off any bubbles that may arise. Let this new surface set overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours. Best not to use it for a couple of days. When the jelly finally becomes worn out, it should be t[h]rown away and a new can of hekto refill gelatin bought. To master the intricacies of any particular hekto, we strongly recommend the trial and error method. Hekto ink diffuses rapidly, and permits only an average of fifty decent copies to be reproduced ... sometimes more ... oftener less. On the other hand, hektoing is a comparatively simple process to use, is very inexpensive, and permits any different colors to be duplicated at one time. Used less frequently, except by those happy office worker fen who are employed where there is one they can use, is the Ditto Machine. A Ditto works more like a mimeo, but employs the principle of the w.k. jelly pan. To make Ditto originals, place special hekto carbons face [underlined] upwards against the sheet of special glazed master paper. Then type or draw. The writing on the reverse of the master will appear to be backward, like mirror writing. Do NOT use a carbon twice. The original is secured to the Ditto's rotary drum by an adjustable clamp. A special fluid (applied automatically) moistens the master as each sheet rolls under the drum. Each copy removes enough pigment from the master to make a clear reproduction. Smooth paper is used, and no slip-sheeting is required. The Ditto may be used continuously, and several hundred copies can be made if the master is clear and well-inked. Multi-color reproductions is possible by use of carbons of different colors. There is also an older type of Ditto machine for which the masters are made as for hekto, on the [underlined] front of the master sheet. This machine has a roller made of hekto jelly on a cloth base. Though superior to pan-hekto, it cannot match the newer liquid-type (but, oh, so expensive) Ditto machines. In preparing Ditto or hekto masters, an old razor blade is very useful in scraping off parts or lines or letters which found their way in by mistake. To sum up, Ditto and hekto produce very good results, but not the best. Points in their favor: one may stop at any time, and run off the remainder of the edition at a later date by using the master again.