Fixing blue amberols

[mjbarnes]

Fifty or so blue amberols have come up for sale near me. Cheap. But most are missing a large part of the plaster of paris. Do people patch these successfully? What is the material of choice? It seems a tube of silicone/plaster of paris might be easier to work with than mixing it in a pail. Then wax paper around a mandrel to mould the shape?

[JerryVan]

Fifty or so blue amberols have come up for sale near me. Cheap. But most are missing a large part of the plaster of paris. Do people patch these successfully? What is the material of choice? It seems a tube of silicone/plaster of paris might be easier to work with than mixing it in a pail. Then wax paper around a mandrel to mould the shape?

I know people have tried replacing the plaster, but I'm not sure how successful they were at it. For one thing, the outer covering is a very tight fit with the plaster. So, when the plaster is gone, the outer skin sinks into the void, making a low spot that can't be corrected. In other words, the cylinder will no longer be round. Replacing the plaster, with whatever formula you choose, will not make it round again.

[phonograph guy3435]

one time i had a very badly warped one ( got it free from a flea market) and thought that if i used a torch lighter and mildly warmed it up, i could mold it back into shape. it was going well until it wasn't. long story short there is a small hole within the warped section, but the end that wasn't warped plays very well

[drh]

If I'm not mistaken, celluloid is highly flammable. Leaving aside the undesired results of this experiment, probably best not to expose it to open flame.

[Lucius1958]

one time i had a very badly warped one ( got it free from a flea market) and thought that if i used a torch lighter and mildly warmed it up, i could mold it back into shape. it was going well until it wasn't. long story short there is a small hole within the warped section, but the end that wasn't warped plays very well

My immediate reaction:
GAAAAAHH

There used to be a saying: to 'go up like a celluloid collar'. Just be glad the FD didn't have to show up.

- Bill

[phonograph guy3435]

If I'm not mistaken, celluloid is highly flammable. Leaving aside the undesired results of this experiment, probably best not to expose it to open flame.

welp, now i know

[VanEpsFan1914]

I tested this by removing the celluloid from two cracked BA's which had split the entire length of the grooves. Put the two celluloid sleeves inside each other, lit a match, and got a six-foot fireball that refused to go out until the whole thing was a tiny palmful of ashes.

You about had a very very bad day!

[phonograph guy3435]

yeah i waved it around right after it started up so the flame kinda shot out of the end for a few seconds and it just made a lot of smoke.

[Inigo]

And the smoke is very poisonous...

[TAP]

finally, it contains an oxidizing agent which means you could throw it in water and it still wouldn't go out.