Hearing that Bi Sheng not only researched clay type, tin type, and even lead type, Zhang Junping had to sigh that a big guy is a big guy.

It's really a dragon when he encounters a storm, soaring, he just gave some examples when he was inspired, and as a result, this big guy not only studied the clay movable type that belonged to him in history, but also studied the tin movable type and lead movable type.

Tin movable type is just that, the facts have long proved that tin movable type is not practical, because tin is not hydrophilic, it is difficult to ink, so although the Southern Song Dynasty has appeared tin movable type, but there are not many applications.

On the contrary, it is lead movable type, which is the movable type printing that Zhang Junping wants the most.

"In addition, we also tried to produce wooden movable type, copper movable type, after some comparison, the little old man found that the clay movable type is more practical, simple to make, and not easy to break and deform, but also easy to preserve!" Bi Sheng still admires his clay type.

Historically, Bi Sheng invented clay movable type for no reason, and when he was studying movable type printing technology, Bi Sheng tried many materials, such as wooden movable type, tin movable type, lead movable type, and copper movable type.

Wooden movable type is easy to break, tin movable type is not easy to ink, lead movable type is easy to deform, copper movable type is expensive, and in the end it is the clay movable type that is the most economical and practical.

Zhang Junping picked up another piece of copper movable type, looked at it carefully, and asked: "What are the difficulties in making this lead movable type and copper movable type?" ”

"The main thing is that the price is more expensive!"

Copper, as the currency of official discovery and the main material of ritual vessels, is naturally expensive.

"Haha! It doesn't matter if it's expensive, as long as it's durable and reduces damage, it's not expensive to spread it evenly over time! Zhang Junping laughed.

Having said that, Zhang Junping still prompted: "Actually, I think you can consider adjusting the ratio of lead, copper, and tin, and the price should decrease.

You can consider adding more lead to it, so that the proportion of lead is more, which can not only ensure that the movable type is not easy to deform, but also reduce the price! ”

Although Zhang Junping has never made movable type or smelted alloys, he has read books in the library for five years, and he can still use his mouth.

The copper coins used in ancient times were not pure copper, but a copper alloy with lead and tin added to them.

The lead type invented by the Germans is not actually pure lead, but lead alloy.

Pure lead, for example, is soft, and it is easy to oxidize and turn black after a long time, so it is not suitable for direct production of movable type.

"What does Zhang Guanren mean is to use lead as the main material, and add copper and tin as auxiliary materials?"

"Yes, you can also consider adding some Lian Xi, in short, what materials do you need, tell Steward Lu, and let him provide it for you!"

It doesn't matter how much it costs, in short, it is necessary to research a movable type that is easy to preserve and can be used for a long time! ”

Liantin is not tin, but another metal material, called antimony, which is a widely used alloy additive material.

China applied it relatively early, and even some copper coins added antimony.

"Thank you Zhang Guanren for your teaching, Xiao Lao'er turned around and began to develop lead movable type with copper, tin, and tin!

Zhang Guanren's understanding of movable type printing is beyond the reach of the little old man! ”

"Haha, I'm just thinking about it, how to do it, it depends on Master Bi to achieve it!" Zhang Junping laughed.

"And this clay type?" Bi Sheng still can't let go of his clay type.

"Clay type can be used first, first use clay type to print books, and then replace it when you research out better type!" Zhang Junping naturally does not directly deny clay type.

Don't talk about clay type, now Bi Sheng is choosing wooden type, and he will accept it.

Because no matter what kind of movable type, it is simpler and more economical than the current engraving printing.

In the story, being able to write a book and pass it on is an extremely glorious thing, and if anyone has a book that has been printed as a book by the bookstore, it is really no worse than the top student in the examination.

It's like the later generations, you can publish a book for a little money.

It's not the rich, it's not the great Confucian celebrities who are really respected, and no one prints books for them at all.

The bookstore also wants to make money, engraving printing, the cost of printing books is very high, if no one buys it, the bookstore will lose money, and naturally it will not print books easily.

Barely printed, it will also be expensive and most readers can't afford it.

The books of the ancients were not printed in many cases, but copied out, and copying books was cheaper than buying books in many cases.

So, there's a word called copying.

"Yes! Xiao Lao'er arranged for his brothers to print books with movable type.

Please let Zhang Guanren tell me which books need to be printed? ”

"Print those books? The subset of classics and history, these books of the sages are naturally indispensable!

In addition, I am a collection of policy articles by the prime ministers of this dynasty!

I will let the gentlemen of the academy sort this out and print it into a book!

In addition, I also have some manuscripts over there, which I have nothing to do, so I will print them together! Zhang Junping had already thought about what books to print, and he had been waiting for Bi Sheng's movable type printing for many months.

"Obey the order, the little old man will tell them to start typesetting, and print the classics of the sages first!" Bi Sheng bowed slightly and simply agreed.

In fact, Zhang Junping is anxious, Bi Sheng is even more anxious, for more than two months, he, his brothers, and apprentices have been studying movable type printing every day, and they have not come up with any results.

Although the monthly commission is a lot, many brothers and sisters are already a little impatient to wait, feeling that they are not working, white-collar money, and they are uncomfortable.

"Yes, you can print the classics of the sages first, and then I will have someone bring me the book I wrote, and print it together!"

After receiving Zhang Junping's order, Bi Sheng's brothers and sisters cheered, and without urging, they began to get busy one by one, and a batch of clay movable type has been produced, which is enough for printing books.

Bi Sheng and a few apprentices continued to study lead alloy movable type, while others began to typeset according to the methods they had studied.

Apply wax to the tray and start arranging the movable type on the tray in order.

There are ready-made templates for the books of the sages, and they have been engraved several times, and now it is natural to typeset the books of the sages.

Zhang Junping stayed in the bookstore for a while, and discussed with Bi Sheng about the production method of lead alloy before leaving the bookstore.

Zhang Junping is in a very good mood, today is really a double happiness, the academy examination in the twenty-eight tributes, the bookstore here in the movable type printing has also made a breakthrough, you can start to engage in movable type printing.

In the past few months, Zhang Junping has been on the line at three o'clock every day, not visiting those bigwigs in the DPRK and China, and even the families of those powerful people who have been friends for generations rarely move, in fact, they are all paving the way and planning for the future.