[D8963ABG], Letter from Western Pennsylvania Phonograph Co, Luther Halsey Williams to Charles Batchelor, September 23rd, 1889

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Title

[D8963ABG], Letter from Western Pennsylvania Phonograph Co, Luther Halsey Williams to Charles Batchelor, September 23rd, 1889

Editor's Notes

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 overcome 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 at 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 mandrel, 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.

Recipient

Date

1889-09-23

Type

Folder/Volume ID

D8963-F

Microfilm ID

128:86

Document ID

D8963ABG

Publisher

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