PSN-L Email List Message

Subject: Re: Smokeing paper
From: "Office of Emperor Norton, Bummer and Lazarus" SFQUAKE06@...........
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 22:14:47 -0700



  Hello Chris:

  Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.
  I had heard somewhere (Scientific American?) that you bubbled natural =
gas through benzene and used a flame that was starved for oxygen to get =
a good
  quality of soot.  Seems to be a little complicated to try and do that. =
 I like to keep it simple.  Also heard that you can use kerosene.
  Paraffin?  Is that the same thing as methanol?  Are you English?  The =
paraffin that I know of is the stuff that you use in making candles and =
canning fruit--- it's a solid.
  =20
  Thanks for the info.
  =20
  Dave      (California)
       =20




  In a message dated 10/03/02, SFQUAKE06@........... writes:=20


    Can anyone please describe to me the art of smoking paper? No, I do =
not mean that kind!  I mean the kind that was used with the old =
mechanical seismic systems.


  Hi Dave,=20

        You clamp the paper tightly onto the drum so that it is well in =
contact all over. Then you make up a wick for a paraffin burner, usually =
in a bit of copper / brass tube soldered through the lid of an 8 oz tin. =
Put paraffin in the bottom of the tin and dip in the wick. Light the =
wick when it gets wet. Adjust the length of the wick with pliers to give =
a good smoky flame and rotate the paper on the drum in the smoke till it =
is black all over. You can 'write' on the trace with a pointed scriber =
or similar.=20
        To permanantly fix the eventual trace, carefully remove the =
paper from the drum and spray THE BACK with hair lacquer so that it is =
saturated. If you spray the front, you won't have a trace left. You may =
want to give the front a spray coat after the paper has dried =
thoroughly. Remember that the spray lacquer may be highly inflammable - =
keep well away from any flame. Don't forget to put your wife's hair =
lacquer back exactly where you found it, when you have finished with it. =
(How do I know? We still 'smoke' barograph traces this way.)=20

        Regards,=20

        Chris Chapman=20







 
Hello Chris:
 
Thanks for taking the time to answer my=20 question.
I had heard somewhere (Scientific American?) that = you=20 bubbled natural gas through benzene and used a flame that was starved = for=20 oxygen to get a good
quality of soot.  Seems to be a little = complicated to=20 try and do that.  I like to keep it simple.  Also heard that = you can=20 use kerosene.
Paraffin?  Is that the same thing as = methanol? =20 Are you English?  The paraffin that I know of is the stuff that = you use=20 in making candles and canning fruit--- it's a solid.
 
Thanks for the info.
 
Dave      = (California)
     
 
 
 
 
In a = message dated=20 10/03/02, SFQUAKE06@...........=20 writes:

Can anyone please describe to me the art of smoking = paper? No, I=20 do not mean that kind!  I mean the kind that was used with the = old=20 mechanical seismic systems.

Hi Dave,=20

      You clamp the paper = tightly onto=20 the drum so that it is well in contact all over. Then you make up a = wick for a=20 paraffin burner, usually in a bit of copper / brass tube soldered = through the=20 lid of an 8 oz tin. Put paraffin in the bottom of the tin and dip in = the wick.=20 Light the wick when it gets wet. Adjust the length of the wick with = pliers to=20 give a good smoky flame and rotate the paper on the drum in the smoke = till it=20 is black all over. You can 'write' on the trace with a pointed scriber = or=20 similar.
      To permanantly fix = the=20 eventual trace, carefully remove the paper from the drum and spray THE = BACK=20 with hair lacquer so that it is saturated. If you spray the front, you = won't=20 have a trace left. You may want to give the front a spray coat after = the paper=20 has dried thoroughly. Remember that the spray lacquer may be highly=20 inflammable - keep well away from any flame. Don't forget to put your = wife's=20 hair lacquer back exactly where you found it, when you have finished = with it.=20 (How do I know? We still 'smoke' barograph traces this way.)=20

      Regards,=20

      Chris Chapman
=20

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