flown wax spinsters

[Dr3d Sl3d]

These cicrular, flat, flown "blanks" one cuts the bunched-and-spaced spiral groove onto were originally made of what R. K. Morrison describes as a "metallic soap." Each studio, or cutter, had a unique recipe (...a little more of this, or a wee bit less of that...) based on the same generally-used ingredients: [Pb] Lead litharge; Montan Wax; Stearin; Parrafin; Ozokerite; Barium Sulfate; and Soda Ash.

Imagine sung by a nose-pinned nostril'd singer, for old-tyme record effect, the song:

I'm gonna ladle my own hot wax Spinsters,
De-bubbled, and spread flat with a torch...
'ere it cool, cut on a spool...
A Potter's wheel 'neath a jewel,
modulated by a feedback-integrated,
equalized-network tool...
"...t'weren't no Ferrari; I painted your Porsche"

Saùde,
Dr3d Sl3d

[Fonotec]

Robert K. Morrison's book, Disk Recording 1930 - 1960 has pictures of the process of pouring heated 'metallic wax' onto a griddle and using a torch to spread it out to make blanks.

Flown_Wax.jpg (277.62 KiB) Viewed 23180 times

[BCousin]

Yup, those are stills from the RCA Victor 78 rpm factory tour done in the 1940s:

"RCA Victor Command Performance"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beMV5wcf0js&t=44s

- Bob