The techniques steel, copper, wood engraving and electrotyping were applied to type founding in various ways.

Besides lead types manufactured in Australia other classes of typographic material were produced. The electrotype process (used by Thitchener to make matrices for type and electrotype blocks and ornaments) was also employed by a number of printers and printers’ furnishers to copy and distribute electrotypes taken from wood engraved blocks. In Sydney John Sands and F.T. Wimble identified their blocks by stamping them with their trade names. In Melbourne Azzoppardi & Markby did the same. However, John May (Walker May & Co.) is believed to have introduced electrotyping and stereotyping into Victoria first. Walker May & Co. was awarded a first-class certificate for electrotyping at the 1861 Exhibition and a silver medal in 1872-3. In 1877 Mason Firth & McCutcheon advertised that they too were engaged in electrotyping and had a ‘Complete Stereotyping Department.’ So by 1880 at least three Melbourne firms were making electrotypes.