How to make cylinder wax and make cylinders.

[edisonphonoworks]

I know that many on here don't have interest in recording cylinders, or making wax, or simply don't like the two renegade characters on this group who make them. But for the small, silent group that does. How about some nice tech post of where to put it all together. Chuck Richards and I have not been like most on this subject. Where in the past it has all been (kept under the hat). We have put it out there. Some have learned from us, but feel uneasy sharing.
http://www.richardslaboratories.com/ind ... ch-musings

Chuck Richards gets down and dirty with details in the above page, enough for you to make the fine blanks and wax that he makes. I beg to say the finest cylinder blanks out at this time.

Next is a video I made describing the method used from 1889-1900 for brown wax Edison blanks, used for commercial purposes.


https://youtu.be/6B5U3GUNBjw

Another with the method used in the 1900 Edison article
https://youtu.be/bVOxwZvmHz8




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIf608Jjdwk

My Casting with the high temperature method.


https://youtu.be/i6e1KCRjs-M

A video I made about making the high temperature phonograph wax compound.





https://youtu.be/6B5U3GUNBjw


These show you how to make blanks. And the chemistry behind them.

[Chuck]

Thank you Shawn, and a tip of the old Stetson to you
too, sir!

In fact, my cylinder blank inventory is down to zero.

So, as inquiries have been coming in, I've been sending
everybody your way. I tell them "Edisonphonoworks has
what you need"

Also, I've told a lot of folks who have asked, that
the market is wide-open. Anyone who wants to do it
can. It takes a few years to learn. One must research
and make their mold, get a shaver, learn to record,
get the ingredients then learn to make decent wax.
Then there's packaging. One must find a suitable
maker of spiral wound paper tubes with paper caps, one
glued. Then one must design their label, and then figure out how to install the soft batting liners
in their boxes and how to stick the labels on.
Then the final step is figuring out how to safely ship
the finished product. It's easy, it just all takes
a while. For me, it has taken from 1977 until present.

Chuck

[JerryVan]

Thanks for sharing guys. You're both a credit to the hobby. This information would certainly be lost to time without you.

[cleveland1996]

Ditto to what Jerry said..Thanks guys for what you do for the hobby..this could very easily be a lost art..

Joe

[Orchorsol]

Likewise. I always enjoy reading your technical accounts and I'm amazed at your dedication and resourcefulness. I used to be Works Chemist for an old-school rubber compounding and moulding company, and whilst it's not quite the same materials technology (but fairly close) the "bucket chemistry" seat-of-the-pants approach is something I'm broadly familiar with and appreciate a great deal. Really well done all the way guys, you deserve medals!