Trying Out The Leroy Lettering Kit

[@martyyoung598]

My dad was an architectural draftsman. In the 60s growing up he had an office at home with a big drafting table and all the tools, including his “Leroy”. As a kid I would sit near him and watch him draw. I remember watching him letter with the Leroy. He could lay down those letters almost as fast and as and perfect as anyone could write by hand. I remember it very well.

[@IBWatchinUrVids]

Finally, something to help me write out checks at the grocery store!

[@johnalexander2349]

Thanks, Satan.

[@IBWatchinUrVids]

*Evil Laugh*

[@brentdrafts2290]

IBWatchinUrVids Now wouldn't they love you i line...then!

[@robertlozyniak3661]

Too bad prices are set so as to make mental arithmetic on them exceedingly difficult. In a better world, you would add up the prices in your head as you went, so you would be able to have your check ready before you reach the register.

[@jlucasound]

Who writes checks at the grocery store checkout? First off, the register prints them, second, we have chips! Mmm...potato chips...I ate them, just scan the empty bag. Oh, and this Pepsi. (Welcome to WalSumpm).

[@USWaterRockets]

One day someone is going to do a video like this showing how hard it was to use a 2017 3D printer.

[@kimbaxley7595]

The sound it would have made to have a room full of people using those quickly would have been so cool. We have lost so many sounds that people never thought anyone would want to hear in the future.

[@Broken_robot1986]

I mean there's still cool sounds. If nothing died it wouldn't really be special.

[@zorrorides1]

A little history: Keuffel and Esser Co., also known as K&E named the very early versions of their "Controled Lettering Products" series "Le Roi" (in French The King). This later morfed into "Leroy". This appears to be the model instrument you have. Around 1968 I was working for a small engineering company that had contracted with a small (pop 7000+-) village in Michigan This tow had annexed several sections of land from the surrounding county. This necessitated a complete redraw of their house numbering master plans. These master plans amounted to 42 "plates" or full sized sheets of heavy velum. All roads and streets as well as buildings, houses and house numbers were drawn on these sheets in very permanent India ink. We did all very large lettering with a Leroy. Such as sheet titles and covers. ALL the rest was hand lettered including street names and house numbers. We used "split nib dip pens" or split pens and india ink wells. All of pur compasses, scribes etc. were dip pens like the one you showed. All of our straight lines, triangles, french curves and scales had lifted edges on them for ink. Rapidographs were available then but their control for line weight, reliability and consistency were simply nonexistent at the quality level demanded. Oh yes! during the course of this work as a matter of fact on the very last plate the owner of the engineering company quietly came up behind me while I was finishing the last few house numbers and bumped my elbow sending a full cup of hot coffee spreading across the entire sheet ruining it! I spent the rest of that night first drying then tracing guidlines in light pencil and re-inking that whole plate so he could meet his contract deadline. The next day when I came in I was fired and never paid for that 10 hour night. One thing for sure though that town got some MAGNIFICENTLY drawn plates!

[@Anvilshock]

Yeah, who the hell needs employees' rights and unions anyhow. USA USA USA!!

[@peteb2]

One wonders what the Owner of such an Engineering business who'd screw up such a relationship with a staff member today would face.... In my country that business would be BROKE in compensation fines paid out in penalties for non-payment of wages all the way through to the high possibility of actual but mysteriously untraceable violence upon him, (as in not getting mad but getting even) .. just saying!

[@crackthefoundation_]

This was such a fun story until the end there hahah 🤦‍♂️ thanks for sharing

[@akhmet-balala]

Співчуваю вам щодо цієї ситуації. Сподіваюсь в подальшому вам ніколи не приходилося мати справи з такими поганцями 😊

[@captainkiddoregon]

I started with the company I work for in the late 70's doing mechanical drafting. It was all analogue back then but at least we had drafting machines. Originally with the drafting arms then finally we "upgraded" to the track style. We did use T squares at times. Early on I used to hand letter everything but then again there was an "upgrade" to our system where we finally got lettering templates. I got to where I was pretty fast with those and it looked better than my hand lettering. I did always kind of want to get a Leroy setup but never had the chance. And eventually we moved into using CAD and pen plotters. Now almost 40 years later and still with the company I do solid CAD modeling for splitting up and setting up build for all our RapidPrototyping macines (3dSystems SLA machines). This video brings back memories. I remember it was Christmas any time we got a new template back in the day, or a new lead holder.Thank you Fran for this nostalgic piece of equipment video.

[@OSVS_Mike]

Wow this sure brings back memories! My father was a draftsman and had pretty much every piece imaginable for the Leroy set. After he passed I had pretty much all of it for MANY years, until some unfortunate financial troubles set in, and, well, you know...

[@roberthorwat6747]

Technical Drawing. My absolute FAVOURITE lesson in school, double TD on a Friday morning was heaven! Always wondered why my lettering could never quite produce this level of precision and now I know why - my crappy plastic lettering stencil just wasn't up to the job. Watching this wonderful kit in action was extremely satisfying for me! Truly an object of desire should I ever get another drawing board - which admittedly isn't very likely. Wonderful stuff!

[@tedbarr1551]

We use to call the scriber a 'Frog". I still have my set from the old days and use it to letter file folders. I love watching and learning.

[@rosemarypaul6093]

In college we learned first on the lettering & scribe sets. After we mastered them, we got different scribes that could hold Rapidograph pens. Each of those wells made a different line width. Most of the lettering guides gave an idea of what well number to use. You put the well into the scriber, then a drop of India ink went into the well and the pin put back in. You didn't touch the pin in any way except to refill the well, which needs to be done over paper towels, or if the scribe was skipping but still had ink in it, we removed the pin to clean the well. There were dozens of lettering guides for the K & E Leroy systems. But we had the basic set of fonts & sizes. Our sets went from '000' to '9'. Even though the letters on the guide looked like you would get an italic style of font, it made them correct. To get italics, you could buy another set of lettering guides or as we were taught, you adjusted your scribe's angle to create italic letters that had a 15° slant. While it was very interesting to learn I can honestly say I was thrilled when we moved on to using Rapidograph pens. All through my Engineering career, I did a lot of my own drafting and I used Rapidographs Pens with diamond tips, they lasted longer. '00' through '3' were our company's favorites. Keeping replacement points (especially the '00') in stock was a hardship for those in charge of the company inventory. By the time I graduated college. The K & E Leroy lettering sets were not used much. They were replaced by electronic lettering machines that used the Rapidograph pens and could put out up to 5 lines of text, depending on the font size, in its memory to print out however the amount of times needed. Some companies used tape machines. Very similar to the labeling machines most people have in their homes these days. Our company preferred the electronic machines over the waste of the labeling machines. I've had to take early retirement, and for the last 10 years I still miss drafting up proposals and bids. One of my employees used the scribe and lettering guides of old English letters for creating certificates and diplomas for various schools & groups in our area. She loved doing it. I hope my description of the set helped you understand the process. It's delicate work. But once you get the idea it is easy.

[@migyverman]

The scribe shown will work with the Rapidograph pens and Rapidomatic mechanical pencils. It will clamp the pen and pencil by the 3mm diam. section above the sleeve or needle tip.

[@purps45]

About 1958, I was in a Jr. High that had a print shop where they taught us various skills like typesetting and using drawing instruments like these. As I remember, the "proper" slant was 17.5deg to the right. Nice memories.

[@DaSmokeDaddy]

That brings back some memories. I was a draftsman for many years once upon a time, ink and Mylar. I doubt that many nowadays would have the patience it takes do this, let alone the lettering. Nice video.

[@margaretWestminster]

DaSmokeDaddy I used to do that for a living. Many engineers back then would have their drawings published with the inking I loved doing it until computers did away with these

[@dasy2k1]

I still occasionally have to update drawings done ink on transparent film (using isograph pens normally) although I simply have a ruler with stencil holes for lettering (using a .35 yellow tip pen and a 3.5mm ISO stencil)

[@hank1519]

Hi! I have seen professional draftsmen use this back in the day. The speed is amazing! Respect to draftsmen!

[@geraldmorain3166]

I also did this on mylar topo sheets

[@bbrown9763]

If this was still the standard, there would be plenty of people with the patience. We have 3D CAD now with automatic text scaling- there's no need to know how to properly use a lettering guide.

[@christianullrich2923]

Thanks Fran! I've been wondering for 30 years now why straight rulers, particularly plastic ones, usually have a kind of rectangular notch to half their thickness on one side. It's so you can draw along it with an ink pen!

[@LandNfan]

When I took engineering drawing at University of Tennessee in 1964, I had so much trouble doing decent lettering that I bought a small Leroy set. It had two templates, two sizes of pen and a lead holder for pencil lettering. That little set probably kept me from failing the course. I became so proficient with it that I could letter just as fast with it as I could freehand. I think, somewhere in a box in the basement, I still have that little gem, 53 years later. My limited set could only do upright lettering. Even though I haven’t used any of them in many decades, I will never part with my drafting tools or my nice Dietzgen slide rule.

[@aminakombowork]

In high school draughting classes (2003 - 2005) we had to do it by hand - no instruments other than pen and pencil - and I was terrible at lettering.

[@darkwood777]

I still have some of my original drafting tools including all of my Rapidograph pens that fit into the LeRoy scriber. I used the pens because those little LeRoy nibs slowed me down having to refill them. The scriber set I used wasn't mine so I left it where I worked before going to graduate school. By then, dry transfer lettering was becoming popular and soon HP plotters would be doing all of my personal drawings. First on a mainframe VAX computer, and latter on an AT desktop. I doubt that anyone ever used the LeRoy set after I left, and it probably was soon tossed out.

[@Jack_Warner]

Great video. I'm 3 years late, but you mastered that tool with those last percentage and numbers.

[@davenport8]

My family just found one of these in storage! Pokin' round the nets I find this video, and it's none other than FRAN! Already a fan. Cool.

[@tahaoz2122]

Maybe you are not aware but you have been inspiring someone thousands of miles away from you. Salutes from Turkey

[@nursenacoskun617]

Merhaba Taha, böyle bir seti Türkiye'de nerden nasıl bulabilirim? Bilgin varsa paylaşır mısın?

[@tahaoz2122]

@@nursenacoskun617 Selam, Türkiye'de Leroy'un buradaki orijinal setinden ziyade bunun muadili olan Lutz Superdyne'i bulman daha kolay olur. Onu da İstanbulda Cağaloğlundaki antikacılarda ya da Ankara'da Tunalı'daki pasajlarda bu işle ilgilenen dükkanlarda bulabilirsin. Tam takımı için durumuna göre 2000-4000 TL arası fiyat söylerler. Harf şablonları piyasada mevcut zaten. İlla antika olsun diye derdin yoksa onu bulmak kolay. Burada asıl dikkat etmen gereken kalemi bulmak. Şansın varsa kalemi sağlam olan eksik bir set bulursan daha ucuza kapatabilirsin.

[@tahaoz2122]

​@@nursenacoskun617 Selam, bir cevap yazdım ama galiba silinmiş ya da hiç gitmedi. Türkiye'de Leroy'u bu şekilde tam set olarak bulman zor olur. Ancak bunun muadili olan Lutz Superdyne'i İstanbul'da Cağaloğlundaki antikacılardan ya da Ankara Tunalı'daki pasajlarda antikacılardan bulabilirsin. Eğer setin her parçası tamsa ürünün durumuna göre 2000-4000 TL arası fiyat verirler. Yine de ful set bulamazsan da en azından kalemini bulabilirsen o bile yeterli. Sonuçta yazı şablonlarını piyasada ucuza bulmak zor değil.

[@tahaoz2122]

@@nursenacoskun617 Selam, bir cevap yazdım ama galiba silinmiş ya da hiç gitmedi. Türkiye'de Leroy'u bu şekilde tam set olarak bulman zor olur. Ancak bunun muadili olan Lutz Superdyne'i İstanbul'da Cağaloğlundaki antikacılardan ya da Ankara Tunalı'daki pasajlarda antikacılardan bulabilirsin. Eğer setin her parçası tamsa ürünün durumuna göre 2000-4000 TL arası fiyat verirler. Yine de ful set bulamazsan da en azından kalemini bulabilirsen o bile yeterli. Sonuçta yazı şablonlarını piyasada ucuza bulmak zor değil.

[@milesodonnol4456]

Thanks, Fran. This was a nice blast from the past. I was a tech illustrator 55 years ago. How time flies!

[@rezn66]

After watching this video and rekindling my oldskool drafting interest I found a complete never used set on ebay for $33. It had the original sales receipt in the bottom, the guy bought it in 1968 for $138 which equates to just about $1000 today. Can you imagine paying a grand just to write perfect letters?!

[@spiralingspiral72]

yea, that's a small price to pay since precision for manual drafting back in the day was everything also CAD licenses nowadays are really expensive too, albeit cheaper than a full manual drafting set

[@DE3US]

My mom used be a drafter, using these tools and the later and much more user friendly ink pens. She still has a wide selection of the Rotring pens with tips in all differens sizes, the rulers and compass with the fixture for the pens. All working and in use in rare occasions. As for the lettering, she, as well as any skilled drafter out there, would write like this freehand - very impressive to watch. Thank you for sharing Fran - love your videos.

[@MrChief101]

Very nice demo-- I *do* believe there are some "pistons" (sliding pins) missing from your "ink reservoirs" which are better called nibs. Every nib had a piston to start the ink (not just the larger ones)-- you've been lucky with nib size and ink viscosity. In the old days, the ink was based with ammonia. That allowed for cleaning the thing completely, including the interior of the nib. The trick I found with ruling pens was to wipe the nib top and bottom clear before using against a straight edge. Also, you can use tempera or watercolor dyes with ease-- Leroy set too. I still have a warm spot in my heart for Rapidographs, especially the one that looked like a fountain pen. But I've had to yield to Castels when I was active. If you do use technical fountain pens, find the "stencil adaptor." This takes the pen parts and holds the nib vertically while you can hold a pen body at a more comfortable writing angle. In fact, now that I think of it-- that's why I went for Castels-- they had them as part of a 4-pen kit. Makes a huge difference using ellipse sets or french curves-- but just for regular writing too. I found F&W made some really nice acrylic ink that worked pretty well in all my pens. This is roughly over the last 10 years-- I'm not even sure they're still around.

[@TesserId]

Even the finest Rapidograph pen has the wire down the center of the tube (as fine as an acupuncture needle, fragile). On the thinner nibs, it facilitates the flow of ink. The wire is not fixed and floats up and down as the pen is pressed to the paper, thus ensuring that ink will always flow.

[@normanbott]

What a fascinating piece of equipment ! When doing a spell of drafting early in my career I always struggled with printing. Indeed, the chief draftsman likened my printing the the effect of a spider having dipped it's feet in ink and crawled across the paper...

[@fabiotrevisan8922]

Cool Rememberance! Back in the 80s, working for one of the largest brazilian personal computers as a designer, I would often go to the drafting department, led by my fellow Chilean colleague (who I sadly lost contact). At this department there were like a dozen large format drafting tables (like A0 size), all equipped with pantographic squares (my dream setup I never had for myself). In tohse tables, always a legion of skilled drafters who would do the computer board schematics with all the letterings using this system (only that the ones we used in Brazil were german, from Staedtler, and not from K&E). It was really hipnotic to watch those guys writing with those rulers... Fast, precise and beautifully looking. But back then they were not using anymore those pens with the little weight to avoid spills. They used the more modern "Normograph" pens, which you would get filled with quite a good amount of ink, whose anti-spill needles would have saphire tips to avoid wear). Those normographs were the same as it became commonplace in computerized plotters.

[@PetesGuide]

Haven’t used one of those since 1992; thanks for bringing back good memories!

[@jamesboucher1903]

1978 was the last time i used one

[@clifffiftytwo]

Used these as a co-op student preparing vellum maps of electrical distribution systems and other associated documentation in the early 70's. Computers have so changed our lives it is hard to imagine this as a superior technology to hand-lettering. We had to work from the top down and remember not to drag anything through the fresh ink until it dried or you had to start over. You'll get better at it as your practice LOL.

[@soberlivingwithbrianfrankl8254]

I am Obsessed with pens and pencils!! This is so cool! I love stuff like this. Wow, so awesome.

[@jamesbrowne1004]

We still have a Leroy set at work. It hasn't been used for serious work for work in about 30+ years, but we have maps and plans that were lettered using it. I also inherited a K&E drawing set like that that was made sometime in the 30s. Fun seeing this.

[@TranslationFailure]

That is the voice I want reading my bedtime story. It sounds like cool flannel feels.

[@flyonwall360]

Now, there's a blast from the past. My dad was an engineer and had one of these. I also used one when I was in high school.

[@davidsandy5917]

In college I worked for the USGS. We used these for all the lettering on our maps.

[@gapadad2]

I used those in High School back in the '70s. You can get good at it with a lot of practice.

[@strayblackcatsmeow]

Looked at the video to get an idea on how the system works. Found a wrico at a thrift store for $15 that appears complete with extras and with instructions. It's well used but cared for. It does standard vertical, italic, standard slant as well as 60 degree isometric left and right from the same guides. The pencil was still mounted so I could play with it right away. Thanks for posting.

[@springwoodcottage4248]

Bravo! So charming & delightful! I have a set of drafting compass, but in my ignorance I thought the adjustable tips were for holding a pencil lead! Nice to have my ignorance removed! Thank you!

[@sheilasinghal2922]

I recently acquired one of these (mine also came with multiple rapidograph nibs and holders), but I had no clue how it worked. My father was an engineer, so I've long been a lover of drafting tools and materials; however, although I've used technical pens most of my life in my art, this kit was somewhat mysterious to me until I found your video. Great tips about drafting pens and compasses too! Thank you! 😊

[@griffinartandairbrushing3174]

Thanks for the video, I saw one at a thrift shop, I may go back and pick it up.

[@trainliker100]

I used one of these sets quite a few times when at the Navy's transmitter site at MIdway Island. Long before I arrived somebody had started the practice of putting all maintenance and operation manuals (transmitters, test equipment, whatever) in a type of binder that assembled such that it had a white heavy cardstock spine covered with clear acetate. The Leroy set was used to make professional looking lettering on the spine. So it was easy to read what was on the shelves of the library and also recognize when one of these binders was left laying around loose at the site. As you might guess, good control and access to such documentation is key to troubleshooting, maintenance, and training operators. And the little pin should always be used as that helps control the ink flow, just like in Rapidograph pens and the like.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Thank you for this Takes me back. My Dad used all these and the Leroy set was a common tool (pre power point) in the Marines

[@ladanut275]

Been a few years since I've seen some of those! My late father was a commercial artist back in the 1960s (working for Cadbury's at the time), and had accumulated a few bits and pieces like this that I remember from my childhood. Nice to see the kit being used.

[@pallendo]

I have my dad's old Leroy set... The tip in the pen is standard for all inking pens. The action of the tip hitting the paper (or velum...) lets the ink flow in a controlled manner. Also, the swinging arm allows you to do italics.

[@CharlieTechie]

Interesting to see the old tech and how far we have come from large rooms full of draftsmen to a few individuals using computers.

[@jakobozias7613]

Viewing this quite late, but it was so informative! I was given 3 K&E lettering sets, and the drafting pens (that hold the ink and can screw into a handle, not sure what they're called) and mechanical pencil. Now I know how I was trying to use them was wrong and this clears up a lot! I use the pens for pen and ink drawings but couldn't figure out how to use the other stuff.

[@bruceanderson7762]

Used this when worked at Stanford physics lab...long, long ago. We drew out labels on a mat mylar, photod it and made silk screens for larger process runs...long, long ago.

[@dougthomson5544]

Chuckle, I had one of these lettering sets and after about a week with it I decided it was a lot easier just to learn how to print. The bow compass and pen you show were simple and useful devices.

[@markholm7050]

I had heard of a Leroy lettering set, but had never seen one, much less one in use. Thanks!

[@Satchmoeddie]

Those were expensive, back in the day. My father was a draftsman, hydrologist, surveyor, and engineering technician for the USDA. You would have the drafting machine to rest the Leroy guide on. I have a very very old K&E table with a very very old machine on it. I'd say it is turn of the century, with the cast iron scroll work on the table's bracing. It's all cast iron and oak, with a cast machine, that has spring steel on rollers to keep it held in place.

[@CharlesVanNoland]

What an interesting system. I can't believe I've never seen anything like this before. I almost want to make one! Thanks Fran.

[@brettster3331]

Thank you for showing this Fran, I use CAD for Architecture and Design work and can not imagine the time this used to take to do this.

[@roymarable5860]

This takes me back a few years. Before large scale printing was available. I would draw my designs in pencil. Then when it was approved. I would ink over all the pencil lines. So it would make crisper blueprints. I created an inked grid of the different sizes of letters I used. I would tape the grid under the vellum. The grid provided the spacing for the Leroy lettering set. I still have have my Leroy Lettering set. When I die my children will probably throw all of my drafting tools, all my references books, Note books, hand drawn drawings, and my machinists tools. My tools that I make so many things with are measured down to one ten thousandth of an inch. They aren’t metric so they are useless. I was a master mechanical engineer, my father, grandfather and great grandfather were all master machinists. I have all of their drawings, models and tools. It is a shame that children don’t value anything you can’t do online. Sad so very sad.

[@keepcalmmom]

I used this to make charts when I worked for Northrup. I found one a few years ago. I should try it again. I takes a lot of practice. We used vellum with rubber cement

[@pixelflow]

Thats super cool. I remember some of these having some electrical schematic symbols too!

[@joerogers4227]

In 1961 I was sent to my first duty station in the USN to Armed Forces Staff College. I spent part of my tine working in the graphics shop and made many name badges for the students and staff. I also worked with a machine called an embossograph. Large brass letters with raised shapes that would cut through the paper laid on the letters then pressed into a heavier card stock to make room and door signs. Brings back memories from almost 60 years in the past.

[@1chumley1]

I used to work as a quality control technician and machine operator. I finally know where that font on blueprints is from! I think the software people appropriated it, but this is definitely where it came from.

[@brentkirkley2054]

I used one of those through the 80's during high school drafting, and also on a job I once had working for a survey company doing oil well plats. Mostly the Leroy was used to do lettering on mylar or non paper media only, drafting on paper you had to hand print with pencil. Once you got used to using one you can letter almost as fast as you normally write, kind of like typing. Looking back it was a fun experience. Also, in the latter 80's the ink well tips were abandoned in lew of ink filled pens. So less messy.

[@owenmerrick2377]

I used a lettering set just like this a lot (made by Staedtler?) when I took a drafting course back in the early eighties. You'll find the pins in the pens are to let the ink flow much better with capillary action. Little bears to keep clean; we had an ultrasonic cleaner. The Staedtler cartridge pens you could buy (still available?) would fit the holder. I even scrounged a lead holder so I could use drafting pencil lead. I loved the whole kit, it sure beat the hours I spent working on practice sheets for hand lettering! Thanks for showing!

[@booboo699254]

Are you thinking of Rapidograph pens? I used to love using such pens for everything...

[@darkwood777]

I spent years doing this as a draftsman. It goes pretty quick when you get the hang of it. There are little tricks you learn along the way towards acquiring the skill. Most of the work I did was creating graphs for research journals. You also had to learn the skills of creating photoreproductions for the printing presses of the drawings you made.

[@chouseification]

I got chills seeing that K&E logo. I have several old sets of drafting compasses, including my dad's Keuffel and Esser set. I also have an Addiator by Arithma that used to be my grandpa's.

[@davidcookmfs6950]

I had one of these when I was little and took drafting in the 7th grade. The template and the guide had notches so that you could keep the template from moving while forming a character and have the alignment for each letter be correct.

[@toonman361]

Fran, your interests often overlap mine. I teach graphic design and have taught use of the ruling pen as handcraft. My students used diluted acrylic paint and an eyedropper to thin the ink with water. We applied the ink to the reservoir with a small paintbrush. I love the lines made by the ruling pen and have bought several old sets from flea markets. Great to see you use it.

[@BobWestWA8YCD]

I actually used one of these when I worked for a planetarium/science museum. Here's a Techie Challenge for you! The Victor Electro-Writer was a device with a pen on a pantograph, but connected to servos. The position of the pen on the 6"x 6" writing space was encoded into tones for transmission over the phone lines. When you connected them by modem, you could write on one, and the other one would (was supposed to) duplicate the writing motions remotely. The intention was to project the remote one at another site while listening to a lecture so the remote classroom could see the notes and diagrams the lecturer drew. It transmitted the pairs of tones over the modem that were decoded into pen positions at the remote unit(s). It could be used 1 - to - many so that on a conference call, the notes taken at one site could be replicated at several other sites. When I was in high school (1969-70) they got a bunch of them for the schools around the state. Being one of the A-V Nerds they sent me to the 1-week maintenance training. Frankly, it was a hunk of junk. The remote was subject to noise on the phone line so the reproduction was poor; I called it the Electro-scribbler. Ink would dry up and clog the feed to the nib, and the paper would smear. The remote result was often totally illegible. It's hard to find any reference to it anywhere-- I think Victor corp decided to play it down.

[@AffordBindEquipment]

my father in law as a draftsman for a local patent attorney and he did all their patent drawings. When he died I got all his drafting equipment, including all that is shown here. there are actually little ink holders that sit on top of the lettering kit to hold different colors of ink and larger volume. Fascinating to actually see how it's used. I have hundreds of his vellums of the different drawings he did. Amazing work, all the way from the metal closure that is used on turkeys today to hold the legs together before sale and a fish lure, to a complete huge boiler and mechanisms used to be attached to a tractor. We think we are really something when we see fancy drawings for skyscrapers and exploded views of technical equipment done by CAD, when all that was done by hand at one time by some very meticulous patient OC people.

[@bradolliver4177]

I have the Leroy set that I used in making hundreds of electrical, electronic and mechanical drawings. I never took drafting but I could do the lettering and the other aspects of a drawing as good as any professional. I got the skills from an engineer who used hypnosis to embed the skills into my memory. I have not forgotten how to draft after 40 years.

[@tarubtatub9937]

I use Leroy’s back in college, brings back memories. ☺️

[@davidsandy5917]

The pin inside the ink reservoir acts like a valve. When it contacts the surface, it opens the flow for the ink. This is the same approach as in a technical drafting pen.

[@GhastlyH]

My dad was a draftsman who retired in the 80s to run a hunting and fishing camp. I remember him using these devices.

[@delzinga06]

Great memory jog from drafting class. back in the 1970's. Thanks

[@mdouglaswray]

SWEET!!!!!!!!!! I had a few parts of an old set and would love to have a full one again!

[@sundownsigns]

Old memories. I used these on two different jobs and enjoyed it.

[@TesserId]

13:44 Yes, drafting tape, is less sticky than masking tape, though that's what is looks like. It's suppose to pin down the corners of your paper while you work on it, but still release your paper without tearing it. It's ever so slightly more sticky then a post-it. But, it's perfect for raising up your 45degree and 60-30 triangle to keep the ink from getting sucked under by capillary action. I think I managed to buy some of it in the last couple of decades. Would be nice if someone checked when the market for it would die.

[@TesserId]

Along with the drafting tape, or such, to avoid the messy capillary action, we loaded our pens (with India ink) using an eye dropper. Dipping the pen puts ink on the outside, which fouls the straight edge, unless you take the time to clean the outer surfaces.

[@yamiledelrociomartinezbaez3126]

Wow! Back on my school days to become an architect I dreamed so bad to have one of this sets. They were quite expensive! We use the rapidograph pens that I think were the modern version of the ones that you use on the video. We actually take clases in order to manage this tools and after hours of practice we made a variety of titles, footprints, etc. You bring a lot of memories. Thanks!

[@orbsphere-]

I used the tape trick to do ink work especially on thicker triangles but while working for a new place came across an odd but extremely simple device to dimple template like for doing circles. It raised the template up so ink wouldn't bleed and could flip template over for pencil work. Brought in all my templates from home and dimpled them all.

[@MisterNiles]

I am finally getting into making visual art, after 40 years using mostly sound for art. My father was a draftsman, so I have a deep love of drafting tools, especially templates. I picked one of these up at a yard sale years ago. You have inspired me to drag it out. Thanks. You are interested in all kinds of cool stuff.

[@rbmwiv]

That would go great with my drafting setup. I will be on the lookout for some.

[@loringbush1455]

When my grandfather passed away my grandmother gave me me his inking kit but I couldn't find out how to use it and I still have it to this very day! My grandfather was famous for designing World War 2 fighter planes.

[@mshotz1]

I Leroyed 3 sheets of General Notes and Special Notes for a highway construction project! I was so glad when CAD came along. We never used this pins, used Staedtler Mechanical Pens

[@LPNeogetz]

That tip about the raised edges of your square would have saved me so much trouble in school

[@m3131m]

As a draftsman back in the ‘70s I’m very familiar with the Leroy lettering sets.

[@flymypg]

I initially learned drafting in my Sophomore year of High School, starting with ink on velum with stencils. Starting on velum taught us to get things right the first time (pay attention, stay focused), which paid dividends later when we had to get faster. We were so slow that a single sheet of velum lasted us the first two weeks. As our velum sheet became full, we were introduced to the miracles of ink remover, correction tape and White-Out. And the greatest secret of them all, erasable ink! Because velum was expensive, and we weren't ever given a second sheet. The next week we switched to pencil and paper, dropping the lettering stencils. I was practicing my hand-lettering so much (no lettering machines for us) that I completely lost my cursive handwriting. Fortunately we had erasers! The exams felt like learning to print in kindergarten (no erasers on exams). I got a drafting intern job at a local company that summer. When I returned the next summer, the entire department had switched to 2D CAD. I haven't touched a drafting table since. My hard-earned hand-lettering gradually degraded. My cursive never returned, except for my illegible signature. When I went to college I majored in software. I was more interested in creating CAD programs than using them. Still, it's so very good to see the original tools used again.

[@TesserId]

I have one of those larger bendy compasses, and the pencil tip hold can be replace with a ruling pen tip.

[@TesserId]

12:40 Oh, that's it' Ruling pens that are only ruling pens have a shaft comfortable for the hand. That one is and extension to the bendy wide compass. It's exactly like the one I have, which I mentioned above.

[@rickwrd2849]

I used one of these when working as a draftsman several years (decades) ago. :) It takes practice to get efficient using it. You need to get the pens to use with it. They are 'vintage' too.

[@brocktechnology]

Fantastic! I always thought people just had better penmanship back in the day. I've seen those blade style pens on compasses before, though not use, and I assumed one clamps a flake of pencil lead in between the blades. Never seemed like a very sensible design to me, now I've been educated, thank you.

[@bobvines00]

Ouch! Those ruling pens (& ruling pen attachment for your compass) really bring back bad memories of my drafting classes. After having to practice lettering (by hand - no Leroy set) in ink with a ruling pen and filling up an entire C- or D-size drawing (and making two drawings in ink), I went to the college book store and discovered the Rapidograph pens. I instandtly bought two -- one for "thick" drafting lines and one for "thin" lines like dimensions & lettering. No more dropping the ink in a blob onto a sheet of vellum from a ruling pen! Thanks for showing the Leroy set -- I've never used one of them.

[@TexasEngineer]

Leroy put me through college working as a draftsman in my father’s engineering compsny, 1972-1975. We usedvthe ink pens instead of your type. You needed to know how to erase with an electric eraser without burning a hole in the paper which was velum. Have you ever seen proportional dividers? It is a two sided diver that you use to change the scale of drawing you are copying. You adjust it so that one pair of points reads one scaled distance and the other end set of points has the other scale.

[@j.douglassizemore792]

That take me back to my board drawing days of the late 60s and 70s.

[@TorstenAdair]

Squa Tront! This lettering system was used by EC Comics in the early 1950s. Like most comics of the era, everything was hand lettered, and this allowed for more uniform lettering at a faster pace. Once MAD transitioned to a magazine format, they used machine lettering for dialogue balloons.

[@sadiqmohamed681]

That was fascinating. I had never heard of that lettering system, but back in the 70's I had a drafting set with split-nib pens, compasses etc., including a couple with articulated legs. I used them for drawing electronic circuits. Doubt if I could do it now. I had various sizes of plastic stencil for component shapes and lettering.

[@bobflora4890]

Used these things in 1960 at WSMR in New Mexico to make org charts for military manuals. A desert, where the humidity was >2% at times meant the pens dried in minutes, so we used them like popcorn, soaking in the cleaning solution when dry. At the end of the day we "did the dishes," washing all the accumulated day's pens for the next day. Drew border lines with the pens in a hand held holder- and had to scratch the round end intersections square for appearance. First tried working on myar. Drawings were rolled up for storage. When unrolled all the ink was in a dried dust string at the bottom of the roll Switched to plastic ink, problem solved. I still have the scriber, a half dozen templates and six dozen boxes of pens in assorted sizes, many never opened. Never used Leroys anywhere else. Ought to list them for sale on Ebay. Later worked for a consulting engineering firm drawing highway plat maps. Used std ruling pens for lines and quill pens for lettering.

[@katydidiy]

Many years ago i made charts for a division of the navy. The Leroy is ingenious for its time.

[@DanHarkless_Halloween_YTPs_etc]

"It's designed for fast writing." ...according to the standards of the pre-digital age. 😁 I dig old drafting and stationery gear; for example, I treasure my heavy steel, adjustable-spacing manual 3-hole punch my Dad gave me from his drafting days, as well as my classic single-hole punch with the close-fitting transparent blue plastic cover over the "chad reservoir" (or whatever you call it), which, unlike the garbage single-hole punches that seem to be ubiquitous nowadays (with the perforated metal cover), actually holds onto all the paper waste until you intentionally empty it. However, as crappy as my handwriting and freehand work are, I can't imagine using a slow, tricky, and unforgiving lettering kit over a computer and a printer. That big compass with the articulated legs was pretty bad-ass, though. That could definitely come in handy for a lot of fabrication uses.

[@kennyBlwtc]

Wow! This takes me back! I lost the chance at a very good job because of the “Leroy Lettering Machine”! During the interview, they asked if I was proficient with the Leroy Lettering Machine? I said “Sorry, I don’t know what that is. “ the interviewer didn’t know what it was either…failed the interview and went back to the college that I was attending, to tell instructor the sad news. He laughed and took me over to a cupboard in the classroom…pulled out a Leroy Lettering Machine and wrote, “You dummy!” And then showed me the label on the box for the tool. Ouch! I learned a valuable lesson that day: Always ask more questions about their job requirements.

[@johnfurr8779]

"Designed for fast writing...." Not to insult you but this comment gave me a chuckle. about 30 years ago my brother and I used to do HVAC designs and plans by hand. My brother had illegible hand writing, and as a result he bought a leroy lettering kit. It was incredibly slow process. I was faster with the tool but faster still using freehand lettering. As soon as I could purchase autocad and a pen plotter I jumped at the chance. Somewhere I have this tucked in a drawer along with some slide rules and other tools to pull out in the post apocalypse

[@stevejohnson1685]

I used these in high school drafting class; hated them (smears, blobs, varying thicknesses, etc.). I switched to Architecture class, which encouraged a more "artistic" individual lettering style, which I quickly developed. Much better! Thanks, Fran, for your efforts.

[@chillinator]

I used a Leroy set well into the mid-80's working as a technical illustrator. Once you get proficient, it's pretty amazing how fast you can be with one. You want to leave the pins IN the barrel of the funnel pens - they are the metering device for the ink (uses capillary action). Along with the advice from John Walker (below), realize that the "follower" pin has two ends - a thick end and a skinny end - you want to use the thickest end that will fit in the guide without binding - as it will track more true to center in the guide and keep you from wiggling the verticals or making too-fat lines. So, for the larger font size, use the thick end, for the tiny lettering, you want to switch to the skinny end. With practice, you will learn a "rythmn" to the lettering guide and how you stroke the letters so that you don't stop and start mid-arc or mid-line. As John Walker also pointed out, the little funnel-pens are pretty much worthless (they wore out way too quickly) - and you can easily use your standard inking pens (if you can find some "jewel tip" pens - a type, not a brand - they work the best - very smooth). Also, fold over a paper towel twice and tape it to your drawing board off to the side (tape all the edges) - then you will have a place to quickly wipe your pen tip clean between letters ;)

[@rebeccasiler3619]

I messed up big time not grabbing the one at my local flea market. I'm heading over as soon as it opens to see if they still have it.

[@drbyte]

Adjusting the arm gives an industry standard 22.5 degree italic slant. Leroy was used in drafting and was also used in lettering comics and comic books!

[@ridgecrestvideo]

The capilary pens will write on non porus surfaces also. Practical uses are alchohol inks on plastics, ink on glass, thinned model paints on anything, Add text to painted control panels etc... use your imagination. Ultrasonically clean the pens with a mildly caustic soloution. Get a Leroy pen set for more ink (the leroy pens fit the Bug (scriber).).

[@stevejohnson1685]

Just a few years after this, I worked one summer at the Gould Corporate Research Lab (remember Gould strip-chart recorders?) developing analog or mix analog/digital circuits to print ink droplets using an X-Y plotter mechanism. The problem was that there was no easy way to do trigonometry, or square roots, with analog circuitry, to ensure consistent dots per inch / line width regardless of plot angle. Today's embedded microcontrollers would make short work of this, but at the time, it took very elaborate circuitry to do so, and the analog circuitry drifted with temperature, use, etc. Of course, HP and other ink-jet printer manufacturers solved this problem by rendering PDFs one rastered scan line at a time.

[@ve1arn]

This was an awesome video. I have a Linero linograph college set lettering kit and wasn't aware of how to use it till now. The only issue I have is that no ink tips came with it, and by the look of the case, there is no space provided for one. Gonna have to start looking for one on line. This will go with my original drafting equipment my dad bought me when I went to vocational school back in the late 1960's. My compass set includes the inking implements as well, which I did use for my pattern drafting exercises way back then. Thanks for the trip down memory lane to my better ole days! :)

[@xKatjaxPurrsx]

Odd that there's no mechanism to assist with kerning.

[@Neighbour_Al]

Practice, practice, practice. I did a LOT of drawings with a Leroy, and you catch on quickly.

[@frankw8876]

That would be one of the first things teached in old school drafting or type setting class.

[@Neighbour_Al]

It does slide back and forth. I used a Leroy for years, and kerning is by the eye of the operator since the angle of the letters changes with how you adjust the stylus. I used gridded paper, and that helped some.

[@LandNfan]

With a Leroy, word and letter spacing, including kerning, is strictly by old-fashioned eyeball method. Remember, this is not typesetting, just an improvement on hand lettering.

[@rezn66]

Computers. lol

[@Sophie1Lynne]

Leroy! That takes me back!