Follow my progress.

[Self-lather]

Ive started a new blog to document the process of creating my Emory Cook press. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out:

http://www.experimentalrecordlab.com/

Not much here yet, but more to come soon.

-Thomas

[fraggle]

cool man.
just an idea i know its an experiment but i guess if you would find a press with at least two or better 4 shafts the result would be much better i guess. because of the force being nit just in the center if you know what i mean. good luck mate

[Angus McCarthy]

You know I was wondering, are there any surviving microfusion presses that we know of, possibly in the Caribbean somewhere?

[Self-lather]

cool man.
just an idea i know its an experiment but i guess if you would find a press with at least two or better 4 shafts the result would be much better i guess. because of the force being nit just in the center if you know what i mean. good luck mate

Definitely. I'll be experimenting with getting the pressure evenly distributed. I have a couple ideas for this, but not sure how I'm going to do it yet.

-Thomas

[Self-lather]

You know I was wondering, are there any surviving microfusion presses that we know of, possibly in the Caribbean somewhere?

I've searched the Internet in hopes of finding one, but I've never been able to come up with any still in operation or not. I know all his stuff was donated to the Smithsonian at one point, but the collection is mostly his recordings, and none of his equipment is listed.

It'd be an awesome restoration project if we could find one.

-Thomas

[SUNBEARS]

I might be heading down this road..

Hey @Self-Lather.. any revelations?

Thanks!

Cheers,
J

[ROLANDJAYS]

a year ago I tried melting some vinyl to press a blank record, just to see if I could do it.
I had a hard time controlling the temp, too hot and vinyl gets bubbly and then dry.
and then I didn't cool it quick enough. so it stuck to my surface.
it emits a lot of gasses too.

[Sillitoe]

Markrob got some pretty great results. http://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2185&p=11381&hilit=Emory+Cook+press#p11381
http://lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2593&p=14724&hilit=Record+Press#p14724

[rsimms3]

I asked about recent experiences in Mark's thread without a response. Maybe folks will share some in this thread instead. I've read the patent and a few articles on the process, really interesting stuff. Spoke with my father who is mechanically inclined and our discussion lead to concerns about ability to provide even pressure on the plates holding the stampers. I believe the Cook press used either guides or four different cylinders to apply pressure on the four corners holding the plate where Mark was using a single hydraulic jack.

I believe this is a picture of the Cook press, it looks like it has springs on the corners:

[Self-lather]

I'm still doing lots of experimenting with it, but its been on hold for a few months. I've got a solid 4 column press and some heated platens I fabricated. I've made a bunch of stuff, detroyed a lot of stamps, and am still slowly getting there.

You can see some of the stuff that was featured in an art show last year in Atlanta:

[ROLANDJAYS]

I made these book molds a while ago .

[socialroots]

impressive work you do ,true artist fe sure!

[Self-lather]

I made these book molds a while ago .

Those looks rad. How have they tested out? Are they heated using separate platens like the Emory Cook press, or is it more like a traditional press using a water pump?

This is getting me hyped on Emory Cook again, I really need to get back on this project...

-Thomas