I recalled ditto masters being available in color and had concocted a 3-D Christmas card using red and green ditto master in the 1970's.  However, I could only locate purple ditto masters locally and (on the web) in the USA. Relentless surfing, though, soon led me to the shores of Brazil and a young Brazilian named Rafael Oliveira. Oliveira had been an exchange student at Meridian High (Meridian is a  town a few miles from Boise State University!) but now works for Helios Carbex, a firm that stocks ditto masters in red, green, blue, purple and black in Sao Paulo.

This portion of the hecto saga, then, begins with the haps and mishaps of ditto master hecto printing in the spring and fall of 2001.

From the Glovers:
"Spirit Duplicator" carbons (one UK trade name is 'Banda'). Ordinary carbon paper will not do. These sheets come in a range of colours, but purple seems to be traditional. You prepare your master by typing or printing (with an impact printer, not a laser or inkjet!) so that the carbon material comes off onto your master sheet.

Using the duplicator:

• First, moisten the surface of the bed by swirling cold water across it and wiping it dry with a fine sponge. There should be no droplets of water left at this point.
  
• Take your master copy and lay it face down on the gel, smoothing it down with the back of a spoon (or by hand), taking care to avoid bubbles and areas that are not in contact with the surface.
  
• Leave it there for a few minutes to allow the ink to transfer into the top of the gelatin (care: the longer you leave it, the deeper the ink goes, so the more copies you can make, but if the surface was too wet, you run the risk of incurring the wrath of the Dhemons of Diffusion).
  
• Remove the master carefully (it may be re-usable, depending on how many copies you need) -- if it tears, never mind, the surface was too dry anyway.
  

More about the press/bed
From Recipes for Art and Craft Materials, by Helen Roney Sattler
(New York:  Lothrop, Lee & Shephard Company, 1973)

How to Use It:  A Hectograph Pad is used to make duplicate copies of letters or pictures. First write a letter or draw on typing or similar paper with Hectograph Ink, hectograph pencils or copy pencils. Gently sponge the surface of the gelatin pad.  The pad should be wet, but there should not be any puddles of water. Place the letter or drawing on the pad, face down, and rub out all wrinkles. Wait one minute, then remove the master sheet. You can now make copies from the pad. Lay clean sheets of paper, one at a time, over the drawing. Smooth it by rubbing out wrinkles. Remove immediately. You can make as many copies as you want in this manner. When you are finished, wash the pad with a sponge and cold water.  When dry, it will be ready for reuse.

If the pad dries out from lack of use, cover the top of the gelatin with warm water.  Let stand for a few minutes, or until it no longer feels dry when sponged.