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You made a passing reference to pure lead foil in the article: have you ever experimented with that, and if so, what were the results?TinfoilPhono wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 5:32 pm Heavy-duty aluminum foil will work, the main drawback is that it has a lot more surface noise than real tinfoil. I go into some detail about the differences among various foils on my website at this page: http://edisontinfoil.com/foils.htm
It definitely helps to wipe a thin layer of light oil over the aluminum foil surface if you go that route. That little bit of lubrication does somewhat reduce the loud, scratchy surface noise of the stylus scraping the hard aluminum.
The key to successful tinfoil recordings is in the adjustment of the stylus. It must be perfectly centered in the groove, and the depth has to be just right -- not too deep or it will tear the foil, not too shallow or the recording will be faint. Finding the sweet spot will take some trial and error but you'll be surprised how quickly you will become proficient at gauging that. A good loupe helps during setup. I always do my initial settings without foil on the mandrel, so I can get a very clear view of the position of the stylus and the groove. Start with the depth a bit on the shallow side and increase the depth in small increments as you experiment, until you find the ideal setting for maximum volume and clarity, without tearing it.
A well-made and properly-adjusted tinfoil phonograph should NOT require shouting at the top of your lungs to get good results. You need to speak distinctly, directly into the speaker, using strong chest tones. Slightly higher than normal volume is good, but there's no need to scream into it, as I see so often in videos. A horn held in the mouthpiece definitely helps both in recording and playback.
A bit of care during setup will go a long way toward making the experience enjoyable and even exciting. Whenever I demonstrate a tinfoil phonograph to a visitor with no experience in this realm, I blow people's minds. It's pretty amazing how excited some people get over the concept of recording sound on foil.
Thank you for the solid information, Rene! I would have known little or nothing about these subtleties without your reply. I’m particularly excited about not having to shout. I have one question — is there any adjustment made to the speaker/repeater between those two functions? Thanks again!TinfoilPhono wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 5:32 pm Heavy-duty aluminum foil will work, the main drawback is that it has a lot more surface noise than real tinfoil. I go into some detail about the differences among various foils on my website at this page: http://edisontinfoil.com/foils.htm
It definitely helps to wipe a thin layer of light oil over the aluminum foil surface if you go that route. That little bit of lubrication does somewhat reduce the loud, scratchy surface noise of the stylus scraping the hard aluminum.
The key to successful tinfoil recordings is in the adjustment of the stylus. It must be perfectly centered in the groove, and the depth has to be just right -- not too deep or it will tear the foil, not too shallow or the recording will be faint. Finding the sweet spot will take some trial and error but you'll be surprised how quickly you will become proficient at gauging that. A good loupe helps during setup. I always do my initial settings without foil on the mandrel, so I can get a very clear view of the position of the stylus and the groove. Start with the depth a bit on the shallow side and increase the depth in small increments as you experiment, until you find the ideal setting for maximum volume and clarity, without tearing it.
A well-made and properly-adjusted tinfoil phonograph should NOT require shouting at the top of your lungs to get good results. You need to speak distinctly, directly into the speaker, using strong chest tones. Slightly higher than normal volume is good, but there's no need to scream into it, as I see so often in videos. A horn held in the mouthpiece definitely helps both in recording and playback.
A bit of care during setup will go a long way toward making the experience enjoyable and even exciting. Whenever I demonstrate a tinfoil phonograph to a visitor with no experience in this realm, I blow people's minds. It's pretty amazing how excited some people get over the concept of recording sound on foil.
Unfortunately I've never been able to find pure lead or tin/lead foil to experiment with. I have a small piece of lead foil here which I got years ago from Dave Heitz, and which he had reason to believe came from Edison's lab (no idea if it had been intended for phonograph use there). It is very heavy compared to tin. But it is definitely very soft, so it's anyone's guess today how that would work for recording. My guess is that it would be too soft to record well. But, by all contemporary reports, a foil made of lead with tin cladding gave the best results. Evidently with some added strength, lead might be great.Lucius1958 wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 9:38 pm You made a passing reference to pure lead foil in the article: have you ever experimented with that, and if so, what were the results?
No, the setting for recording and for reproducing is identical.JohnM wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 9:54 pmI have one question — is there any adjustment made to the speaker/repeater between those two functions?