Mimeographing Techniques (1958) 

I am reading a light novel from Japan called, 'Ascension of a Bookworm'. In the books the protagonist tries to create books in a medieval era world. She starts trying to create papyrus, clay tablets, and so on until she 'invents' plant based paper in the world. Eventually she manages to create a Gutenberg press and wants to create a mimeograph. Being unfamiliar with the Mimeograph I came here to see exactly what it does. And indeed this will help her proliferate books across the world :)

I remember when I was in junior high school (Los Angeles City Schools) the teacher showed me the mimeograph in another room, that printed on white paper with purple printing. On another day she asked me to print something like 40 copies, which I remember was for a homework assignment in another class. I felt, why just print 40. I think I used up all the paper. I loved cranking that thing, so I made about 2,000 copies. Enough copies to give to every student at the school. That was the last time I was asked to run the mimeograph. :/

This is the only video so far that explains how the machine works. And I love it. There is a certain charm when you see a presentation from that era when it was thoroughly used. If it was a present day video, either it would have heavy doses of condescension or nostalgic fanboying. But the real feel wouldn't be there because they don't have the experience of using it for their day to day life. It's like watching a current day video on a Photoshop tutorial.

I love how that lady comes away from working with stencils and she doesn't have one stain on her dress. In real life, those things were messy!

Thanks for this. I wondered how this machine worked, and yours is the only video on RU-vid that explains the process fully.

Man, I was genuinely entertained by this!

Who watching on Nov/10/2022? I spend many minutes looking for some info about this machine; when i discovered this video, recorded on these years with an original machine, and 2 beautiful 50's women, i fall in love for this video. I love 20's-90's technology. Saludos desde México 🇲🇽💞

5 star movie. Should have won an Oscar for short films that year. As another said, very entertaining

The elementary school I attended used to have a mimeograph when I was in first grade. Everytime I'd walk past the office after being dropped off I'd see the thing working through the door of the teacher work room. They replaced it with a photocopier two years later.

"It's easy", "few simple rules". LOL. I remember these machines. The process of typing up a sheet to be run off in one color was tedious enough. But adding any freehand artwork or doing multiple colors was positively ARDUOUS.

great video, nice to know some time ago people had skill in printing, not just the computer work done today, and nice to see the origin of some of the printing procesess.

I was reminiscing about running the mimeograph machine in elementary school and was wondering where the original came from that was copied. Thank you for answering that question for me.

You gotta love how he stresses the word "easy" several times after giving 50 few+ "simple rules" 🤣. Grateful for wifi printing 💡

Its an amazing machine for those bygone times and must have made life so easier. The downside is that there are so many steps to follow that I think a member of staff needed to be specially trained to operate this machine.

I used an electric mimeograph as a grad student TA.. in 1987. One of the other TA’s had been a teacher in Kentucky and she used a hand cranked machine in the 1980’s.

The operator selected to demonstrate contemporary machinery was a natural beauty: Notice the minimal cra- uhm - makeup on her face in close ups. Not like today, where all you have to do at work is look good

Thank you for this! I acquired a set of styli and was doing research about them. This is the only thing I could find that actually explained what they are and how to use them. :)

Never heard about this machine before. Very interesting!

We took all out tests in elementary school on mimeographed pages in the 50s and early 60s. It was a great thrill to be chosen to run copies on the mimeograph machine in the teacher's lounge. I can still remember the smell that purple ink!

I run a commercial print shop and I think this process is similar to screen printing except that a wax paper with permeable surface is used in place of a screen with unblocked parts. Its also similar to Flash rubber stamps where a photosensitive foam is exposed to high intensity flashlights and ink is only permitted to seep through unblocked part of the foam piece.

Era uma magnífica profição! Hoje somente lembranças. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasíl.

When I was a kid I used to love the smell of fresh mimeograph papers the teacher with hand us....! ❤️❤️😀👀

Good god, what a pain this must have been.

Amazing video

I'd like to see one of these being used. Most likely, this type machine was used while I was in elementary school in the 70s. I wasn't allowed in that room but I saw part of it through the doorway.

I remember walking down the halls of grade school hearing the mimeograph spit out paper. I don’t know how this lady didn’t turn out purple.

I remember the damp, stinky blue copies.

This is fantastic! Love The alcohol smell it gave!

Ya...l remember these in school...All the kids would sniff the copies when the teacher would hand them out...LOL..

At public school in the 1950's and 60's, these were used almost daily for lesson materials, test pages, and even announcements! I learned the basics while just a kid. BUT, I don't think I've seen one in use for nearly 45 or 50 years! To bad to, was decent technology. Did a good job and was CHEAP too.

Thank God Chester Carlson invented Xerox!

I appreciate my HP LaserJet a lot more now!

Hahahahaha oh my goodness. These guys were really patient, just to print, you have to go through all these work. Waoh. Siri can do this for me in seconds.

at times I miss this sort of equipment, when "modern printers" are being a hassle.

I remember those from grade school. What they don't mention is the smell. We couldn't wait to get the handouts and shove our faces into the paper and snort long and hard. It was a sweet, chemical, alcohol kind of smell (no, we didn't get high from it, but maybe the teacher who made it did.) Our school used a light blue ink. Mmmmm, Mimeo...

Glad we have copiers now.

My teachers would have loved a motorized model

Wow, I had no idea!

The prehostoric to the modern copy machine basically.

My school use one of these. Yes I am that old

i am wondering if the word "ditto" originates from the "Ditto Machine". The meaning of ditto is essentially to duplicate. and the Ditto Corporation machine's function is to duplicate.

I used to fix these.

Reams of paper, just like we have today.

Came here after seeing this on the Simpsons. Season 15 Episode 22.

Wish we could import 1950s culture to the 21st century.

thanks to Bucowski I knew about this

Why did everyone need to have a doctoral degree to make instructional films like these? It's a mimeograph machine, not a rocket or a fighter jet.

This is super fast copier!

Every test we took in school.

At least show us a close-up of the finished work product! "TIPS" indeed.

I came @ 02:29

Hahahahaha modern mimeographing techniques, that's very funny.

Mmmmmmm "mimeo" smell....

Back when people were GOD fearing and respectful. Dressed properly and had work ethic