Editing Type metal (section)

=== Typical type metal proportions ===
The actual compositions differed over time, different machines were adjusted to different alloys depending on the intended uses of the type. Printers had sometimes their own preferences about the quality of particular alloys. The Lanston [[Monotype Corporation]] in the [[United Kingdom]] had a whole range of alloys listed in their manuals.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Type metal compositions
|-
! Alloy type !! Tin<br>(%) !! Antimony<br>(%) !! Lead<br>(%) !! Comments
|-
| align=left | Slugcasting alloy || 3 || 11 || 86 || align=left | Ludlow/Intertype/Linotype composition for limited use and for making stereos
|-
| align=left | Eutectic alloy || 4 || 12 || 84 || align=left | Often used on slug casters and for Monotype/Elrod spacing material
|-
| align=left | Stereotype alloy || 7 || 15 || 78 || align=left | More durable intended for long print runs and curved printing plates
|-
| align=left | Monotype alloy || 10 || 16 || 74 || align=left | Most durable machine set intended to be remelted, sometimes hand set
|-
| align=left | Foundry type alloy || 18 || 28 || 54 || align=left | Traditional loose hand set type, may contain some copper
|}