Re: [ARSCLIST] Using desiccant with audio recordings

[David Lennick <dlennick@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'll echo Bob's comments..I've stored 78s in unheated garages for 20 years. the 
only damage that has ever occurred has been when boxes of 78s were on the 
concrete and snow or moisture seeped in, when there was a leaky roof at one 
point, or when a feral cat managed to sneak in and knock one pile of 78s over.

Bob and I are both familiar with a radio station collection that was stored for 
several years in a shed, on a low lying property in Syracuse, where many of the 
elements were at play through cracks in the wall, broken windows etc. Some 78s 
in one area suffered heat damage (the sleeves appeared to be burnt into the 
discs) but there was very little other degradation. I took a few thousand 
records out of that place. Vinyl, shellac and laminated pressings are all in 
good shape and have been used for CD reissues.

dl

Roger and Allison Kulp wrote:
> 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