We process a significant number of dictation discs (mostly Edison
Voicewriter, Gray Audograph, and Soundscriber), and have never
witnessed any chemical deterioration.  As Mike Biel notes, these
are vinyl and not nitrocellulose (aka "lacquer" or "acetate").


Eric Jacobs
The Audio Archive, Inc.
tel: 408-221-2128
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://www.theaudioarchive.com/



On 12/19/13 1:21 PM, "Steve Greene" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I had always heard that they were acetate, but you're probably right. I
>don't think I've every seen a Voicewriter, Audograph or Soundscriber with
>vinegar syndrome.
>
>Steve
>
>Steve Greene
>Audiovisual Archivist
>Office of Presidential Libraries
>National Archives and Records Administration
>(301) 837-1772
>
>
>On Thu, Dec 19, 2013 at 1:43 PM, Michael Biel <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> The Edison Voicewriter Discs, and probably most of the others like the
>> Gray and Soundscriber, and Dictabelts, are vinyl, not acetate.
>>
>>
>> Mike Biel [log in to unmask]
>>
>>   -------- Original Message --------
>>  Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Wet playback of discs.
>>  From: Steve Greene <[log in to unmask]>
>>  Date: Thu, December 19, 2013 8:52 am
>>  To: [log in to unmask]
>>
>>  Years ago, I played around with cleaning Edison Voicewriter discs (red
>>  acetate dictation discs about the size of 45) by immersing them in
>>  deionized water and Photo-Flo. After an hour, I gently scrubbed them
>> along
>>  the grooves with a soft sable brush and decades old fingerprints lifted
>> off
>>  like translucent scabs). After drying 24 hours on acid-free blotter
>> paper,
>>  I was able to make a good playback pass. Not sure I'd have the gumption
>> to
>>  try something like that today, knowing what we know now about the
>> effects
>>  of humidity on acetate.
>>
>>  Steve
>>
>>  Steve Greene
>>  Audiovisual Archivist
>>  Office of Presidential Libraries
>>  National Archives and Records Administration
>>  (301) 837-1772
>>
>>
>>  On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 4:44 PM, [log in to unmask] <
>>  [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>  > I have had the same experience with lacquers. Play them wet, then see
>> if
>>  > there is not a glob of your record clinging to your stylus. The
>> record will
>>  > never play properly again unless you wet it, and thus remove more of
>> the
>>  > lacquer. So you lose record and stylus.
>>  >
>>  > I have often wondered if there is some liquid that can be used for
>> playing
>>  > a lacquer or shellac 78 to reduce surface noise without damage to
>> either
>>  > record or stylus.
>>  >
>>  > IIRC, Seth once said at a conference presentation that he had applied
>>  > pinch roller cleaner to a problem transcription and the results he
>>  > demonstrated proved his point. However, that was to a problem point
>> on the
>>  > record, so I don't know if it was intended to reduce surface noise as
>> much
>>  > as clean that problem area.
>>  >
>>  > joe salerno
>>  >
>>  >
>>  > On 12/18/2013 3:05 PM, Michael Biel wrote:
>>  >
>>  >> You cannot play shellac records wet, or even damp. Shellac discs
>> will
>>  >> eventually dissolve in water, and by playing them wet you are
>> allowing
>>  >>
>>  >> the stylus to gouge out some nice soft shellac. Once played wet a
>>  >> shellac record will never play properly dry again.
>>  >>
>>  >> Mike Biel [log in to unmask]
>>  >>
>>  >
>>
>