The recording Laboratory.

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edisonphonoworks
Victor IV
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Personal Text: A new blank with authentic formula and spiral core!
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The recording Laboratory.

Post by edisonphonoworks »

Just sharing some goings on here in the INNERSPEAKER Records lab. I am sharing with you the moulding section, where blanks are cast, you see over 100 new blanks, closeups of the blanks what they look like. I am also sharing with you the Edison Studio head. The Presto K-8 recorder, The analog and digital studio. Would like others to show there manufacturing and transcription equipment. Does it relate to phonographs 78s and cylinders, you bet! This equipment is all available for you to rent or see how2 it is done. Bring and instrument and record! Pour a blank, shave, record on the recording machine, playback and see how it is done. It is not all for me, I share this with you.
Attachments
The Shaving department.  The shaver on the left has 2 mandrels, one for trimming, and shaping the ends of the cylinders and another for rough shaving. 60 one thousands roughly is shaved off of the surface of a fresh, moulded blank, so a rough shaver is needed for this.  The right shaver is for finishing operations it is only used to put the final shaves and polish on a blank.  Using 3 mandrels ensures very true blanks.
The Shaving department. The shaver on the left has 2 mandrels, one for trimming, and shaping the ends of the cylinders and another for rough shaving. 60 one thousands roughly is shaved off of the surface of a fresh, moulded blank, so a rough shaver is needed for this. The right shaver is for finishing operations it is only used to put the final shaves and polish on a blank. Using 3 mandrels ensures very true blanks.
DSC04018.JPG (57.37 KiB) Viewed 787 times
We have 2 of these Sterling ST 51, a model 50 and the pencil instrument microphone, RCA 44bx, and Shure 55s for live digital recording. I sometimes run my mixer through the pre amp of the Presto, it digitizes really well, as well as going to the Electrosound reel to reel (basically an Ampex 440) full track.
We have 2 of these Sterling ST 51, a model 50 and the pencil instrument microphone, RCA 44bx, and Shure 55s for live digital recording. I sometimes run my mixer through the pre amp of the Presto, it digitizes really well, as well as going to the Electrosound reel to reel (basically an Ampex 440) full track.
DSC04011.JPG (59.18 KiB) Viewed 787 times
Digital Studio, I like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, a very nice sound card, it has Phantom to run studio condenser microphones, very low noise. I use it with the Behringer 2442 mixer to record 78s, we use a Audio Technica LP 120 turn table, and even the Western Electric 4-C audiometer for 78s.
Digital Studio, I like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, a very nice sound card, it has Phantom to run studio condenser microphones, very low noise. I use it with the Behringer 2442 mixer to record 78s, we use a Audio Technica LP 120 turn table, and even the Western Electric 4-C audiometer for 78s.
DSC04017.JPG (85.6 KiB) Viewed 787 times
Presto K-8 restored and working uses 6n7,and 45 tubes re-capped. Amazing sound for a portable lathe.
Presto K-8 restored and working uses 6n7,and 45 tubes re-capped. Amazing sound for a portable lathe.
Original Studio Recorder.
Original Studio Recorder.
Closeup of shaved new blanks.
Closeup of shaved new blanks.
Single spiral blank
Single spiral blank
DSC03994.JPG (51.66 KiB) Viewed 787 times
27 shaved blanks.
27 shaved blanks.
DSC03993.JPG (49.47 KiB) Viewed 787 times
The top of the cabinet is reamed, but not yet trimmed blanks 81 of them, and 33 trimmed and edged blanks.
The top of the cabinet is reamed, but not yet trimmed blanks 81 of them, and 33 trimmed and edged blanks.
dresize.jpg (67.37 KiB) Viewed 787 times
Molding section, where records are moulded, mold, reamer.
Molding section, where records are moulded, mold, reamer.
Last edited by edisonphonoworks on Wed Feb 04, 2015 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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VintageTechnologies
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Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:09 pm

Re: The recording Laboratory.

Post by VintageTechnologies »

Shawn, the polling feature on this website never seems to work, including this one. I hope for benefit of the collecting community that you continue making blanks. You have rediscovered a lost art. It seems to be your longtime passion, so why wouldn't you?

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Cody K
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Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:03 pm
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: The recording Laboratory.

Post by Cody K »

Shawn, I don't think you should stop now. In twenty, thirty, fifty years collectors will still be appreciating the work and research you're doing today. You seem to love doing it, too. Is there any particular reason why you asked that poll question? (Which is gone now, but the answer is no.)
"Gosh darn a Billiken anyhow."- Uncle Josh Weathersby

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edisonphonoworks
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Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:50 am
Personal Text: A new blank with authentic formula and spiral core!
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Re: The recording Laboratory.

Post by edisonphonoworks »

Sometimes I do lose patients, and wonder if it is worth it. However, I realize that even if I get behind on things, I go as fast as can be done, and it is a lost art. Odd thing is that everything works, and boy it is crazy what it takes to make it work and is not easy. Some formula knowledge came when I was about 10 and wrote to Thomas Edison,Orange N.J. asking in a letter about wax formulas,it made it to the ENHS (called that at the time) into the hands of Leah Burt. I am thinking she might be related to Fred C Burt one of the Edison sound engineers, is she still around? I was sent some information from Grove's Dictionary of music, on sound reproduction, and a Xerox of the hand written copy of "Formula for Hard moulded Wax" 1904 written by Jonas Aylsworth, a type written copy and letters back and fourth from Aylsworth to the Brussels, Edison plant, where they had troubles with cold weather making the records crack so they had to add more ceresin. My hat is still off to Chuck Richards and Paul Morris taught me quite a bit, I wrote him letters in the early 90s. I also talked to a gentlemen in Bloomington IL in the 90s who has now passed who worked with Leah Burt he made some blanks in the 1970s. Chuck Richards makes blanks very carefully only about 60 a year,and I have been to his place and seem him work with his process, and it is very good, and he deserves the premium price he offers. As I said, they all have there positive points. I more like recording experiments than making the blanks but you have to have blanks to do the recording experiments, and the best way to do that is learn how to make them. They are not easy to make, and very time consuming. It takes about 6-8 hours to make each batch of wax, (I make 15 lbs at a time and a complicated heating cooling,annealing process.) more than a half an hour to weigh the batch out, a day to make the hydrate of alumina. The records are cast and reamed the same day, and 3 blanks an hour to be cast (on a good day). On molding day only casting and reaming is done. They sit then long for a week. It takes 16 minutes to trim and end the cylinders. To shave a cylinder from 2.35" in diameter to 2.22" takes about 15-30 min per blank. There are accidents with them, sometime an unseen hairline crack, an out of round cylinder and the blank shatters during shaping or shaving. The blanks set at the 2.22 diameter (too large for most recording and playback) until they are boxed they should sit a min of 14 days, but 30 or longer is better still. It then takes 15-45 min to shave to a range of 2.196-2.155" in diameter, which gives a lot of recording meat, but should fit most machines. Any blanks you purchase from anyone you should always check the clearance of the weight so it does not gouge a record during playback or top out during recording. Chuck Richards suggests wire spacers, if the blank fits your playback reproducer fine, however does not have room for the limit pin to bob up and down for your recorder, this may happen when one has a recorder rebuilt, the stylus holder may be made a bit taller, and this can happen with untouched recorders as well. Have inserts of different thickness of wire that fit in the carriage between it and the recorder, they are C shaped ending at the centering pin in the carriage.

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