[78-L] I couldn't resist... hope for cookie bites

[Rod Brown]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2011 19:21:33 -0400
Subject: Re: [78-L] I couldn't resist..
Not only did it sell..it got two bids, even without my disclosing that it
had an Al Bowlly vocal. (Actually it once had two Al Bowlly vocals, but
that's life, Peanut.)

On 10/2/2011 2:11 PM, David Lennick wrote:

> http://www.ebay.ca/itm/**200659065362<http://www.ebay.ca/itm/200659065362>
>
> Half off!
>
> dl
>
>

I'm sure I'm not the only one to try bridging cookie bites with
'prosthetics' of one kind or another. Although I have never tried the
technique with a bite as large as the one pictured in David's auction, it is
often possible to recover most of the audio from a bitten record. Though it
may seem quite the fool's errand, here's what has worked for one fool:

(quick disclaimer--This can be hard on styli; one might want to use an older
one.)

Find a piece of heavy paper or cardboard having similar thickness to that of
the record. A somewhat glossy surface would be nice, but isn't vital. With
the record lying on a flat surface, slip a suitably sized piece of cardboard
under the bite.

Use a fine-tipped pencil or pen to draw the missing shape onto the
cardboard.

Remove the cardboard from under the record. Use an x-acto knife to cut the
needed shape from the cardboard. Neatness, or at least accuracy, counts. The
shape of the cardboard bridge will probably need some fine tuning with an
emery board or jeweler's file.

Once you have a close-fitting bridge, tape it into place on one side of the
record, leaving the untaped side potentially playable.

If you have a good fit in all respects, you now have a fighting chance of
playing this record into a computer. They often play with surprisingly
little supervision. Where some extra control is needed, you will be able to
restrain the tone arm, or coax it along, using a pigeon feather, or some
other gentle implement.

Once the bridged grooves have been captured as ones and zeroes, it's no
trick to finesse them using your software of choice. Only a small percentage
of each groove is missing, so once the tidying work is done, the record will
usually sound pretty coherent and good.

The same cardboard bridge may need further adjustments before it fits as
well into the other side of the record. Start from square one if need be.

Hoping this is helpful,
Rod