Wet playing -- someone told me about doing this, maybe Steve Smolian but it could have been Art
Shifrin. They constructed a special "pan" with raised edges less in height than the distance from
the needle to the tonearm. The pan would then keep the fluid somewhat within the space taken up by
the record while the record was spinning, rather than flinging it off the edges. I forgot if they
played the record at full speed or a much slower speed (that would be my guess, given the mess that
78RPM of flying fluid would make). I forgot what they used for wetting fluid, might have been
distilled water or something more exotic.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nathan Coy" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 3:00 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Wet playback of discs.


> Steve,
>
> Thanks for the reply, clarification, and feedback.
>
> I'm not using wet playback (I generally tend to avoid it), although I know
> of quite experienced and successful engineers using it, and have been shown
> by at least one of them their method that was water based.
>
> Cutting fluid on a lathe is for lubricant and heat dissipation right?
>
> I just know wet playback that is at least partially water based is in use
> or at least has been by a portion of the folks doing transfer work, and I
> wanted to breach the topic a bit from this point of view as opposed to the
> lubricant point of view (even if both work?). Even possibly hear if the
> folks using it might notice a bigger benefit in low humidity conditions
> (winter, etc) when applying this technique or notice this characteristic in
> the future.
>
> Nathan
>
>
> On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 11:42 AM, Steve Greene <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>
>> Nathan,
>> I'd be concerned the water would act like "cutting fluid" on a lathe. I'd
>> try it first on something where it wouldn't be a tragedy if it was damaged.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> Steve Greene
>> Audiovisual Archivist
>> Office of Presidential Libraries
>> National Archives and Records Administration
>> (301) 837-1772
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 2:10 PM, Nathan Coy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> > So I've been thinking about the somewhat controversial topic of wet
>> > playback as I'm working in dry conditions currently. What I am thinking
>> is
>> > it usually is talked about in terms of lubrication (or it seems to me). I
>> > am thinking what if it creates increased localized humidity around the
>> > disc as the water evaporates reducing static charge and thus static
>> > discharge from disc to stylus (and also aids in conduction of static
>> charge
>> > to the surrounding air). This doesn't really apply to the use of
>> non-water
>> > wet playback clearly (unless water is a component, in which maybe it
>> > does?). Has this possibility been discussed in the past (as a somewhat
>> noob
>> > here)? I'd be curious on respectful thoughts or experience on this.
>> >
>> > While in no way a citable source in a paper this speaks to it a little:
>> >
>> >
>> http://electrostaticsolutions.blogspot.com/2005/01/are-air-temperature-and-humidity.html
>> >
>> > The blog entry also suggests that adding something such as photo flow
>> > would prevent beading would be useful (not photo flow by name, but
>> > mentions "no droplets). Which the addition was mentioned in a post by Mr.
>> > Pomeroy in the arsclist archives from 2008 (but I've heard it mentioned
>> in
>> > many other venues also in different use situations).
>> >
>> > Hope the holidays is treating everyone well.
>> >
>> > Nathan Coy
>> >
>>
>
>