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Re: In search of blanks for my 2 minute Edison
Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 4:11 pm
by Edisonh19
I picked the non-titled ones up in an ebay auction, $10 for 4 of them (one was titled, three were not). 2 had just a couple of spots on them which cleaned off. I was very pleased, though one cracked cleanly the whole way across on an old fracture when I put it one th spindle. Failed to inspect it closely before I tried to play it. I was able to repair it from the inside, and now the crack is undetectable on the exterior surface (you can see the crack repair in the center record at the back). Every once in a while ya get lucky! The boxes for two of them were the unlined blue-highlighted ones which someone had lined carefully with flannel at some point. The others were in regular unlined Gold Moulded boxes with cardboard tubes in the center.
I probably started picking up cylinders around the same age you did. I've always been very interested in music, records and antiques, so phonographs are of particular interest to me. I grew up near Indiana, PA. Cylinders and records were quite easy to find back there. Indiana was a railroad town, county seat and a university town, so there was a lot of money there back at the turn of the century.
Below is a photo of the three non-titled cylinders I have. They are 8326, 8620, and 8671
Re: In search of blanks for my 2 minute Edison
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 10:49 pm
by Victrolacollector
edisonphonoworks wrote:Paul Morris is the cheapest source of blanks,and the best to start for the beginner. I sell mine for $35.00 each for standard grade and $40 for the premium. and Chuck Richards is $40.00-50.00. I know they are expensive however if you search my posts, or Chuck Richards posts, you will find the process, it actually takes several days to make a blank of quality. I would honestly say Chuck Richards makes the best available blank at this time (or maybe any time ever in the history of cylinder blanks.) However I have adapted the process and formula, just have to buy the correct brands of ingredients. You wold not think it would make a difference as long as the chemical was the same... but they are not all the same for record making purposes, only very specific brands of ingredients work the best. I do suggest our blanks only to those who have a little practice with recording. Ediphone (Edison brand only) as someone suggests is Aluminum based, I suspect that Dictaphone could be a combination of both Aluminum and lead based formulas,depending on kind, and year of manufacture, so kind of a crap shoot on other brands of dictation blanks other than Edison. Victrola Guy's test of a Dictaphone blank did not turn up lead. It is interesting how a company will patent something and it not be the actual product and the lead patent was in 1955! It is also not to say that some dictation blanks other than Edison don't contain lead. It is not to say that Lead blanks are poor for recording, in later years the formula was perfected,and many master waxes made for the disc companies, including Edison, and Vocalion Disc masters of lead stearate and montan wax were proffered the lasting qualities are questionable, as lead oxide comes to the surface, but for masters are very good grade. I would love to be able to try some of those master lead formulas, but I am a little worried about my health and disposal of waste from the process. Another alternate is Columbia black wax moulded blanks, they are quite recordable, however even some very moldy Columbia moulded cylinders still play quite well. As I said shaving original brown wax, you might as well burn a stack of Berliners, it equates to one in the same! If I see some more brown wax shaved, maybe I should start buying Berliner discs and burn them on Youtube!
Great info Shawn. I agree if someone does not have alot of money for blanks the cheapest are Paul Morris blanks from the U.K. I think he sold me 10 for about 150.00 if I remember. I do not record alot, it is fun though. If you want better blanks I would go with Shawns or Chucks blanks...both sound like alot of research, time and work are put into them. I honestly have not been able to afford them, shame on me. But as soon as I can get back to making more money, I will definitely buy them. I personally would stay away from shaving down old brown wax or black wax cylinders. Shame on anyone that intentionally shaves a brown wax, even home recordings as these are artifacts of history.
Re: In search of blanks for my 2 minute Edison
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2024 3:03 am
by n2wheelies
we continue to distribute Paul Morris's fine blanks for many years.
here is one in action:
https://youtu.be/cPSU-LzsCSM
look for us on ebay
Re: In search of blanks for my 2 minute Edison
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2024 8:35 am
by rgordon939
I will have some shaved brown wax cylinders at the Wayne NJ Show coming up April 20, 2024. They have a mirror finish and are $25.00 each.
Rich Gordon