slice

In letterpress printing, the slice is a flat, removable panel that forms the bottom of a galley, the shallow rectangular tray used to hold composed type and leads. The slice slides in and out on support rails or guides, allowing the printer to access the type from underneath and to remove the entire composed form when the galley is full. Without it, type would fall through the bottom of the galley during handling and transport between the composing stone and the printing press.

The slice itself is typically made from wood, hardboard, or steel depending on the galley's construction and the weight of type it must support. Wooden slices were traditional in hand composition, though they can absorb moisture and swell. Steel slices became common in larger shops handling heavier forms; they do not warp but require careful handling to avoid damaging the type edges. The slice must fit snugly enough to prevent type from shifting sideways, yet slide freely without binding.

Variations and placement

Some galleys had fixed bottoms with removable wooden bases called false bottoms rather than true slides. The distinction matters: a slice is always meant to be removed and reinserted as part of normal workflow. Galleys themselves were often stored with their slices in place to keep dust and debris out of the type impressions. Smaller galleys for single pages might use a lightweight wooden slice; large galleys holding entire forms for a multi-page sheet needed robust steel construction.

The term 'slice' appears to derive from the verb, meaning to cut or divide, though the connection is indirect. The slice divides the galley into an accessible upper working surface and a protected lower chamber. In practice, the printer would compose type on the galley's surface, then slide the full galley to the press room, remove the slice at the press, and extract the locked-up form from underneath using a press stone or imposing surface.

Slices are less common in modern shops since linotype and photocomposition eliminated hand galley work, but they remain essential in foundry type operations and in the hand printing revival. A broken or warped slice can cause type to shift during transport, leading to damaged sorts and loose spacing material that damages the press.