Embossing tech - talk

[sunkingrecords]

What I really like about this process is the ease of making my own blanks and needles.
I guess you can't have everything...

What are you using for needles to emboss the PC?

[jesusfwrl]

Bahndahn, the people who died while trying to emboss with lighter fluid can no longer post on here to tell us that they died...perhaps that would explain why there is not more people actually embossing records?

But seriously, my problem with lighter fluids is really not the fire risk. I just can't cope with the smell! It stinks so bad that if there was no other option, I just wouldn't be cutting records. It is also really bad for your health if you keep on inhaling it.

To make beeswax creme, you fill up a pot with oil such as olive oil or any other oil and heat it up at low heat with a solid chunk of beeswax swimming in it while steering it until it melts. While still hot, it is completely liquid. It will solidify after it cools down. To be on the safe side, do not try this on a gas hob, with flameble oils. If you have to use a gas hob, use a bigger pot filled with water and put the smaller pot with the oil and beeswax in the pot of water.

Sunkingrecords, when I am not experimenting I am using tungsten cone styli from Farmerjohn. They are pretty good and last very long.

When I am rolling my own, I am either using gramophone needles, steel rods or HSS drill blanks, which I spin on a sort of home made lathe while grinding them to form a cone at the tip at slightly less than a 90 degree angle with a small enough tip radius for microgroove embossing. If you want low noise, after grinding, you should polish them on a flat piece of steel, stainless steel or glass with carborundum paste of different grids. This paste can be easily obtained from car part stores or mechanical engineering suppliers as it is commonly used in metal working and engine maintenance. It is the paste they use to grind in new valves in the head of a car/truck engine. Car part stores often sell valve grinding kits including the paste or even the paste alone. There is probably other materials you can also use for this, but I'm still trying things out. I am getting good results with my own needles but they don't last very long. Generally the less you heat them up during grinding, the more they will last. Another idea is to start with mild steel rods which are easy to shape, then hardening them, and then polishing them, but you would need some basic metallurgy knowledge for this.

[sunkingrecords]

Sunkingrecords, when I am not experimenting I am using tungsten cone styli from Farmerjohn. They are pretty good and last very long.

When I am rolling my own, I am either using gramophone needles, steel rods or HSS drill blanks, which I spin on a sort of home made lathe while grinding them to form a cone at the tip at slightly less than a 90 degree angle with a small enough tip radius for microgroove embossing. If you want low noise, after grinding, you should polish them on a flat piece of steel, stainless steel or glass with carborundum paste of different grids. This paste can be easily obtained from car part stores or mechanical engineering suppliers as it is commonly used in metal working and engine maintenance. It is the paste they use to grind in new valves in the head of a car/truck engine. Car part stores often sell valve grinding kits including the paste or even the paste alone. There is probably other materials you can also use for this, but I'm still trying things out. I am getting good results with my own needles but they don't last very long. Generally the less you heat them up during grinding, the more they will last. Another idea is to start with mild steel rods which are easy to shape, then hardening them, and then polishing them, but you would need some basic metallurgy knowledge for this.

Thanks! I'll keep it in mind for when I have a working cutterhead

Regards