I'd have to go with Steve's conclusion that if moisture got a foothold anywhere in the surface, the freezing would cause it expand and break the disc or wax cylinder. Especially if the records were never touched. Unfortunately, I don't believe dessicant would have helped in a severly cold atmosphere as the moisture has to be part of a warm atmospheric environment to work.
Bob Hodge
Robert Hodge, Senior Engineer Belfer Audio Archive Syracuse University 222 Waverly Ave . Syracuse N.Y. 13244-2010
315-443- 7971 FAX-315-443-4866
>>> thorenstd124@xxxxxxxxx 2/14/2007 9:53 PM >>> Hi Bob,
<sarcasm>Do tell</sarcasm>.I had a terrible experience a few years back,where my 78s were in an unheated room for most of one winter.I came back in the spring,and lost at least a dozen to breakage,and I never touched them.Among them,one of the records from my Siemens Von Karajan set,my Ray Charles "Kissa Me Baby",on Swing Time,and my Argentine Decca "El Rocko",by Bill Haley.Do they expand and contract or something ?
Roger
Robert Hodge <rjhodge@xxxxxxx> wrote: Hello Barbara,
I have worked with large collections of shellac discs stored in unheated outbuildings. As long as critters are kept out of them and they remain dry, they never audibly degrade !! At least that's my experience.
Of course, cold shellac or wax is extremely prone to breakage due to brittleness !! Double that for wax amberol cylinders !!
The dessicant would be a good idea for wax cylinders. But then I wouldn't store wax cylinders or shellac anywhere where I myself could not live !!
Bob Hodge
>>> mrichter@xxxxxxx 2/13/2007 3:17 PM >>> Language Archives wrote: > I have to pack up my archive for storage in the University library while > construction happens around my space. I was asked about the need to put > (advisability of putting) desiccant in with the recordings. I don't know > for certain how long they will be in boxes--we may unpack them for > access on the other end, and while they think construction will end in > August, who knows!
I suspect that it will be important to know two things: what sort of material (cylinders, 78s, lacquers, LPs, ??); what sort of storage environment.
Mike -- mrichter@xxxxxxx http://www.mrichter.com/
Robert Hodge, Senior Engineer Belfer Audio Archive Syracuse University 222 Waverly Ave . Syracuse N.Y. 13244-2010
315-443- 7971 FAX-315-443-4866
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