Embossing on X-ray

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sunkingrecords
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Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 31983Unread post sunkingrecords
Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:02 am

Hi,

Well I'm using x-ray sheets as a medium for practice the art of embossing. I'm having great results by my standards, but I wonder if it's needed to clean/bleach the sheets before attemping to record, or not. Is there any info on how was done back then?

Could be that the "black" on the x-ray is some kind of graphite compund that may be acting as a lubrication, and improving the recording as compared to a fully transparent sheet?

Anyhow I'll be attemping to bleach some and make some tests, but any info regarding this is very much welcome!

Kind regards
I choose not to run .-

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Steve E.
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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 31989Unread post Steve E.
Fri Oct 24, 2014 2:26 pm

Some threads on the topic. Try searching for xray and xrays and ray and rays ("x-ray") doesn't seem to register in the search function too well).

http://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?t=459

http://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?t=2782

http://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?t=3755


I'm not sure if it is mentioned in any of these specific threads, but there is a coating on more recent Xray film (as opposed to that of 30+ years ago) that makes it harder to work with. piaptk reports good results on a friend's Souri Vinylrecorder in one of the threads.

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 31990Unread post Steve E.
Fri Oct 24, 2014 2:37 pm


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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 31992Unread post sunkingrecords
Fri Oct 24, 2014 4:57 pm

Hi Steve!

Thanks, I didn't though of searching "xray"! always with the - which don't help at all.

It seems the subject of bleaching has not been addressed on those threads, if I came to any conclusion regarding the subject will post it here.
I managed to get pretty low noise at some point, at least to what I usually get, but at this point I'm getting a lot of skipping. I mean it skips almost every second, with or without audio.

I will try now with a little more weight. Also have to work out a little trouble with my turntable that makes me cut off center.

Kind regards

Miguel
I choose not to run .-

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rsimms3
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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 31996Unread post rsimms3
Fri Oct 24, 2014 7:13 pm

Where did you secure your X-Rays? I've seen suggestions to approach veterinarians for animal X-Rays in the past.

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sunkingrecords
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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 31998Unread post sunkingrecords
Fri Oct 24, 2014 7:37 pm

My wife has a lot of them because she went thru many studies a few years ago. When I run out of that pile, I think I'll ask the veterinarian around the corner, that seems to be a good alternative.

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Miguel
I choose not to run .-

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 32248Unread post tragwag
Wed Nov 12, 2014 4:02 pm

I've tried this for years, on many formulations with no success.
good luck!
making lathe cuts on a Presto 6N, HIFI stereo cuts on vinylrecorder
at Audio Geography Studios, Providence, RI USA
http://www.audiogeography.com

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 32255Unread post sunkingrecords
Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:17 pm

It seems there are different formulations indeed.

I had secured a good source of discarded x-ray sheets, but they tested horribly compared to what I was using.
In fact, an audio oscillation, like a siren sound, appears when trying to cut (actually, emboss) those! And of course it gets in the grooves perfectly recorded :shock:
If I switch back to the sheets I was using first, the siren dissappears... how can this happen?

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 32297Unread post sunkingrecords
Tue Nov 18, 2014 10:16 am

Anyway, I tested several batches of x-ray sheets, an simply, most appear to be too hard for my sapphire to emboss. Some make funny noises, or oscillation, when you try to record.
Mostly gave up on this now, switching to PC cuts which are giving me the best results yet

I did some tries on CD, and works very similar to the PC. At least I'm down on my noise levels, even if sound quality is still lacking a lot.
I made a little video on the cellphone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbueJa_Aef0

I do have some problems to play them, as my turntable does not like to have the arm that far and sometimes the autoreturn kicks in!

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I choose not to run .-

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 32335Unread post tragwag
Thu Nov 20, 2014 4:24 pm

yeah that's what I've found as well.
basically a screeching sound, if I tried to cut or emboss x-ray sheets themselves.
definitely go with polycarbonate/cds.
I'll actually be setting up a small online store for cutting blanks soon, keep that in mind!
making lathe cuts on a Presto 6N, HIFI stereo cuts on vinylrecorder
at Audio Geography Studios, Providence, RI USA
http://www.audiogeography.com

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 32346Unread post sunkingrecords
Thu Nov 20, 2014 10:14 pm

Hi!

Did you happen to try with polycarbonate film? if so, what width?

I just got a roll of 250 micron PC, which I don't think it is the lexan brand. But I find it is too thin and it doesn't stays level and flat, like an xray sheet does. And that compromises the whole cut and reproduction process :(

Kind regards!
I choose not to run .-

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 32396Unread post tragwag
Tue Nov 25, 2014 12:23 pm

you don't want to get the "film", you want sheets that are extruded, and never rolled up.
the normal thickness I use is 1/16"
lexan, makrolon, polygal, etc are just trade names for the same "general product" polycarbonate.
I'm sure there's a plastics company somewhere near where you live, I'm in CT and there are 3 or 4 around here, much more if you're in a city.

The issue then becomes, what to do with a sheet of the stuff,
I'll be starting to sell round blanks with center holes pretty soon. Its taken years to get to this point, and they're finally good enough to sell to others I believe. I'll keep you posted on that.
making lathe cuts on a Presto 6N, HIFI stereo cuts on vinylrecorder
at Audio Geography Studios, Providence, RI USA
http://www.audiogeography.com

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 32398Unread post sunkingrecords
Tue Nov 25, 2014 4:08 pm

Hi tragwag

That's cool that you sell the ready-to-cut blanks! I wish I were located near :( but Argentina is far from everywhere...

I got some random pieces of PC, and some were cut to size but warped (I suppose I wasn't explicit enough of my needs to the seller). But some were OK and worked fine, so more testing will come. I'm having fun with CDs at the moment.

Greetings!

Miguel
I choose not to run .-

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Embossing on CD

Post: # 32517Unread post sunkingrecords
Thu Dec 04, 2014 7:17 pm

Hi!

I'm still practicig my ways on embossing CDs with the Angulo machine.
I was starting to get good reproduction, but something changed at one point and I can't go back to where I was :(
The issue at the moment is tracking. No matter what I do, regarding andle of the saphire and weight, I get skips. I tried with different weights and antiskating at playback, but the setting that gives good reproducion will start skipping at the middle of the CD. I also lowered my recording levels and decreased the lines per inch. Any pointers to what should i be looking at?

May be related to this, when playing back, the arm kind of moves sideways, a little, like with a off center hole. I realise this is not good but how can this be avoided?

Kind regards

Miguel
I choose not to run .-

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Re: Embossing on CD

Post: # 32522Unread post sunkingrecords
Fri Dec 05, 2014 8:56 am

Perhaps this could be a turntable problem. After all it is an automatic, it shouldn't be playing that inner grooves at all! Sometimes it "remebers" and refuses to play, so maybe the mechanism is forcing it to skip once it reachs a certain point? The skips seem to happen at the same angle of the arm.

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 32527Unread post sunkingrecords
Fri Dec 05, 2014 5:43 pm

It was the autoreturn!
I disabled it and now the records play up until the spindle if I want to.

Time for a beer

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tape
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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 35657Unread post tape
Mon Jun 22, 2015 3:13 pm

x ray sheets, I believe, are not suited at all for embossing
what could lead some to think that is of course the many russian embossed x ray sheets.
But none of these were embossed, they were used a medium for a flexidisc ie. stamped in hot letterpress type machine from a cutted master

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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 35827Unread post sunkingrecords
Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:51 am

tape wrote:x ray sheets, I believe, are not suited at all for embossing
what could lead some to think that is of course the many russian embossed x ray sheets.
But none of these were embossed, they were used a medium for a flexidisc ie. stamped in hot letterpress type machine from a cutted master
That, actually makes more sense!
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Re: Embossing on X-ray

Post: # 36301Unread post sunkingrecords
Tue Jul 28, 2015 10:46 am

To set the record, I was never able to get good sounding results in any media (vinyl, pC, CDs, whatever) with the machine.
All "improvements" refered earlier were relative to a previous worse cut, but at no point was something worth listening.

Kind regards
I choose not to run .-

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