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Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 5:51 pm
by poodling around
I was just wondering.
You know, many of those single sided records had (what seem to be) intricate 'etchings' on the blank side. Like HMV records.
I am thinking, they must have used a machine after the record was otherwise finished ? I can't imagine what such a machine would look like. Or 'etched' with acid ?
Does anyone know anything about this 'etching' process ?
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 6:24 pm
by JerryVan
I've got to believe that whatever appears on the record's back side surface was part of the mold that produced the record. Just because there is no recorded sound on the back side, does not mean that it too was not molded.
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 7:02 pm
by poodling around
JerryVan wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 6:24 pm
I've got to believe that whatever appears on the record's back side surface was part of the mold that produced the record. Just because there is no recorded sound on the back side, does not mean that it too was not molded.
Thanks Jerry.
I have to admit that makes the most sense - it's just that some of them just seem so ................... etched ................
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 7:11 pm
by Wolfe
It was one side of the pressing shell. They pressed thousands and millions of these.
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 7:27 pm
by poodling around
Wolfe wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 7:11 pm
It was one side of the pressing shell. They pressed thousands and millions of these.
Oh well .................. that's a bit disappointing ............. I at least thought there could be some kind of magic involved .............
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 10:12 pm
by Curt A
poodling around wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 7:27 pm
Wolfe wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 7:11 pm
It was one side of the pressing shell. They pressed thousands and millions of these.
Oh well .................. that's a bit disappointing ............. I at least thought there could be some kind of magic involved .............
Would it make you feel better to know that there was actually one old guy in the back room of the factory, whose only job was to hand etch each record after it was pressed?
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 11:08 pm
by Wolfe
Curt A wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 10:12 pm
poodling around wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 7:27 pm
Wolfe wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 7:11 pm
It was one side of the pressing shell. They pressed thousands and millions of these.
Oh well .................. that's a bit disappointing ............. I at least thought there could be some kind of magic involved .............
Would it make you feel better to know that there was actually one old guy in the back room of the factory, whose only job was to hand etch each record after it was pressed?
That's right !
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 12:09 am
by tomb
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 8:37 am
by CarlosV
Actually there are some etched records that come close to the idea of the old guy doing it in the back room. There are some special pressings, like a commemorative Imperial German record with a bas-relief of the Kaiser and wife that looks hand-made, at least the source for metal matrix was probably handicrafted. There are not many of these around, and probably not many were issued in the first place.
Re: Single sided etched records - how was this done ?
Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 9:55 am
by poodling around
CarlosV wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 8:37 am
Actually there are some etched records that come close to the idea of the old guy doing it in the back room. There are some special pressings, like a commemorative Imperial German record with a bas-relief of the Kaiser and wife that looks hand-made, at least the source for metal matrix was probably handicrafted. There are not many of these around, and probably not many were issued in the first place.
My hero !!!!