[D8963ABF], Letter from Luther Halsey Williams, Western Pennsylvania Phonograph Co to Thomas Hood Macdonald, September 23rd, 1889

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Title

[D8963ABF], Letter from Luther Halsey Williams, Western Pennsylvania Phonograph Co to Thomas Hood Macdonald, September 23rd, 1889

Editor's Notes

I enclose you herewith letter from Mr. Batchelor, and my answer. ### If you have any report of progress to make, or suggestions, please enclose your letter with mine. ### I hope to see you the latter park of the week. ### Your favor of the 20th in regard to cylinders has been received; in reply would say: we are not with the following difficulties in using present cylinders:- ### They break easily from forcing too hard on cylinder, or if knocked over when standing on end; they shrink unevenly, so that when a record is once made and cylinder removed from mandrel, on putting it back on machine, the reproduction is uneven, so that sometimes one side will be heard and the other not. ### The question is, how to give strength to the cylinder and come the other difficulties. ### One method that is suggested by our Mr. Macdonald is to mould the wax on a wood base. This wood must of course be as light as possible- say white pine or poplar, and not likely to expand and contract. ### The wood cylinder on which the wax is to be placed, can be turned out in any lengths by machinery, out off in pieces to suit all small expense. ### The next question is how to place these cylinders on the machine. ### One idea is to bore the wood cylinder out with a gauge drill, that will bore a large number at once, and slip these over a small mendrel, or to center them in the machine as in a lathe, without boring them out. ### These ideas, as you see, are all crude, and must be modified as experience shows is necessary. ### We are making some experiments in Philadelphia, on which we will report to you.

Mentioned

Date

1889-09-23

Type

Folder/Volume ID

D8963-F

Microfilm ID

128:85

Document ID

D8963ABF

Publisher

Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University
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