Re: Old Perforators
By Matthew Caulfield
You asked about perforators. I said that three of the original dozen or so Wurlitzer perforators survive. That is not strictly true. There are the remains of three in the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum. One is currently operational. A second one isn't, but could be cleaned up, equipped with drive motor, and made operational. The third has been cannibalized for parts and isn't expected to be used. It's a wide-jaw machine, capable of punching the style 180 roll (112 notes, 14-1/8 inches wide).
Don Rand has a number of production perforators, of which he uses only one or two. He bought the Rollo-Mexico machine, another from QRS, and (I think) the Acme perforator which Eddie Freyer, late of Flemington, N.J., owned and operated in cutting A, G, or O rolls, or whatever Eddie used to produce. Don's ex-partner, Ed Openshaw, now owns the old BAB perforators and the masters that didn't stay in Virginia City with the Bovey family.
The perforators in the Herschell museum can be viewed. Your best understanding of their design and features is obtained by watching one operate, which can probably be arranged.
See the July-August issue of the Amica Bulletin (vol. 32, no. 4) which has text, lots of pictures, and portions of design patents for various perforators. If you haven't read that, you should treat yourself to a read. It includes an interview with Don Rand, and other roll-related goodies; for example, the obituary of John W. Tussing, who evidence now shows was Wurlitzer's chief arranger in its late years.
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(Message sent Mon 9 Dec 1996, 18:53:13 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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