Oct. 21st, 2004

Quick Note

Oct. 21st, 2004 11:46 am
ltmurnau: (deutsche)
One week until wife and kiddy are back. Why must one always take the bitter with the sweet? Though I am not exactly sure how I mean that. I've been fairly happy and busy these last few weeks, missing Aki but dreading getting through the rest of this year. Or longer.

I called them last night to make sure everyone was OK, since Typhoon Tokage has killed 54 people so far. Lots of awkward silences on the line but yes, all they got was some heavy rain - the good island of Shikoku took the punch for them, as it always did and does for that area.

Halloween also means Day of the Dead, and the other night I made up two new molds for casting. One is a bat, suitable for pin (or chain if I can figure out an attachment), and one is a skeleton playing bagpipes. We'll see if the molds and new metal pick up enough detail. Pictures will follow. I'd like to make some ATCs to fit the theme, too.
ltmurnau: (Default)
In the thrift store at lunch [livejournal.com profile] dzherzhinski pointed out to me a wonderful little book on the shelf - Lee's Priceless Recipes. This is a reprint of a book of practical knowledge compiled in 1895, containing "tried formulas and simple methods for Farmers, House-keepers, Mechanics, Manufacturers, Druggists, Chemists, Perfumers, Barbers, Chiropodists, Dyers, Bakers, Paper-Hangers, Metal-Workers, Hunters, Trappers, Stockment, Taxidermists, and all People in Every Department of Human Endeavor."

There's enough in here to start a hundred projects, and from time to time I shall type out an entry for the Edification of The Public (the whole book is 370 pages long and apparently has 3,000 separate items in it, so let's not quibble about piracy). Here's one on how to make and use a hectograph, one of my favourite subjects:


Copying Pad for Taking Transfers of Writing.
White gelatine 4 ounces, water 8 ounces, glycerine 8 ounces, gum dextrine 2 ounces. Always use these same proportions for any amount. Melt the gelatine in the water at a gentle heat, add to it the glycerine, in which the gum dextrine has been thoroughly incorporated. Now stir all together, until thoroughly mixed, and then pour into pans of the desired size, to the depth of 1/2 inch.

RECIPE FOR INK TO BE USED.
Violet aniline 40 grains, gum arabic 12 grains, alcohol 1/4 ounce, water 1/2 ounce; dissolve the gum in the water and alcohol, then add the aniline. Shake in a bottle from time to time, until the aniline is dissolved.

TO WORK THE COPYING PAD.
Write with the ink on any good paper, press the written surface on the pad, and allow it to remain two minutes; then take off and the writing will remain, from which impressions may be taken by laying on plain paper and smoothing with the hand. As soon as the last impression is taken, be sure and wash off with a wet sponge.


Notes:
Many of the chemical names used in the book are old and unfamiliar ones - for example, "blue vitriol" means copper sulfate, and "spirits of hartshorn" means ammonia. So, I am not exactly sure what gum dextrine is, but sugar is called for in other copying pad recipes I've seen, so substitute that. Aniline violet is also called methyl violet or gentian violet, and used to be used as an antiseptic or disinfectant as well as a dye and an indicator solution (so you might be able to find it at science supply houses).

Oh, and 1 grain = 1/480 ounce = 0.06 grams.

Profile

ltmurnau: (Default)
ltmurnau

November 2024

S M T W T F S
     12
3456789
1011121314 1516
17181920212223
24252627282930

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 1st, 2025 12:47 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios