a  limited  number  of  copies  (usually  not  more  than 150) can be produced from a single Ditto master stencil while the Mimeograph can produce up to 1000  copies  from  a  single  stencil. Ditto Master Stencil Preparation Before  proceeding  to  an  explanation  of stencil preparation, the Ditto master will be dis- cussed.  The  white  Ditto  master  (overlay)  is attached  to  a  sheet  of  paper  which  is  thickly coated  with  a  carbon  substance.  Typing  and  hand- stylus impressions are made on the overlay and cause  the  carbon  substance  to  be  imprinted  on  the reverse  side  of  the  master.  When  the  overlay  is attached to the Ditto machine, the carbon-coated sheet is detached. The carbon impressions of the Ditto  master  are  moistened  by  the  duplicating fluid  as  the  drum  is  rotated,  which  in  turn transfers  the  carbon  dye  to  the  paper  being  fed into  the  machine.  This  transfer  yields  an  exact reproduction  of  the  master. Preparing  a  neat  and  accurate  Ditto  master stencil  is  one  of  the  more  important  secretarial tasks  that  the  RP  will  perform.  Command Religious  Program  announcements  are  often distributed  to  command  personnel  through  the  use of Ditto copies. Just as the appearance of the of- fice of the chaplain makes an instant and lasting impression,  an  information’  ‘flyer”  or  announce- ment  will  also  leave  lasting  impressions.  If  the announcement  is  neatly  prepared  with  concise  and accurate  information,  it  will  probably  give people  the  impression  that  the  office  of  the chaplain is an efficient and caring organization. Therefore,  it  is  important  that  the  RP  prepare each Ditto master with these thoughts in mind. The following helpful hints should aid the RP in preparing  Ditto  masters: The   “flimsy”    sheet   of   paper   that   is inserted  between  the  Ditto  overlay  and  the carbon  attachment  MUST  be  removed  before  it is possible to have impressions transferred to the back of the overlay. NOTE: If there is some art- work involved, the” flimsy” may be left between the overlay and carbon attachment while the art- work  is  penciled  lightly  onto  the  overlay.  The artwork can then be retraced with a stylus when the   “flimsy”   is   removed. If an electric typewriter is being used, a test line  should  be  typed  on  a  Ditto  master  at  each typing pressure setting. A copy should then be run and the RP can select the pressure that will pro- vide  the  best  copy.  For  manual  typewriters,  the typing pressure lever should be set to a medium or  light  position  for  best  results. A  Ditto  master  should  be  left  in  the typewriter  when  errors  are  corrected.  The typewriter platen should be turned until there is enough  room  to  separate  the  perforated  overlay from the carbon backing. A razor blade or other sharp-edged  instrument  should  then  be  used  to lightly scrape the carbon deposit of the incorrect characters from the back of the overlay. Next, a clean   piece   of   Ditto   carbon   should   be   placed between  the  overlay  and  the  original  carbon.  Then the typewriter should be returned to its original position  and  the  correct  letters  typed.  After  the correction has been made, the temporary carbon that  was  used  for  this  correction  MUST  be  re- moved   before   proceeding. Ditto masters may be reused at a later date if  they  are  properly  stored  after  the  initial  use. The masters should be placed in large envelopes and separated by’ ‘flimsy” sheets. It is imperative that they be stored in a flat position to keep them from   becoming   wrinkled. Ditto Carbon Colors Ditto  carbon  may  be  obtained  in  various colors  such  as  purple,  red,  green,  yellow,  black, and blue. Purple is used most often in the Navy because  it  produces  a  larger  number  of  legible copies  than  the  other  colors. Different  colors  may  be  used  on  the  same Ditto  master  if  required.  This  can  be  accomplished by  preparing  a  Ditto  master  using  the  various colored  carbons  for  each  segment  of  work  to  be produced. The carbon must be changed after each section  (each  color)  is  completed;  the  result  is “one” Ditto master that needs to be run through the   Ditto   machine   “one”   time   to   obtain   a multicolored   product. Ditto  Machine  Safety Ditto   machines   actually   require   a   limited amount  of  maintenance.  These  machines  have very few parts to oil and the oiling process should be  performed  by  an  authorized  maintenance technician. Personnel of the Instrumentman (IM) 2-5