Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1930-1949)

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108 B. H. THOMPSON Vol 43, No. 2 trate; the desired rod size is obtained, cut and bent to shape with the assistance of heat. The question immediately rises: why is nitrate chosen for the handle of a bag? The answer is because of its resistance to water, perspiration from the hand, toughness, and ease of fabrication. It is also used in the fabrication of eye shades, blotters, printed calendars, clock dials and crystals. Next in line is the cellulose acetate which is a resin made up similarly to nitrate, except that the treatment of cotton linters is with acetic acid and acetic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst such as sulfuric acid, instead of a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acid. It was commercially available about 1906 and was used in small quantities for the manufacture of noninflammable photographic film. During World War I it was used in the manufacture of airplanes as "dope" coatings. It is also used today in the motion picture industry in a similar way. The outstanding characteristic of this plastic, compared with cellulose nitrate, is that it is chemically stronger and has higher dielectric strength. Water resistance is not so good as that found in the nitrate, but this has been overcome by some manufacturers by the increase of acetyl content. Again, the imitation of natural products, such as mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell, and ivory, may be produced. The housing for an antenna used on a "prop" plane was made of an acetate. The material came to us in a flat sheet, was placed in an oven at the desired temperature, heated, removed, and stretched over a form. It was made in 2 pieces which were butted and, by capillary attraction of a suitable solvent, cemented together. The weld on this particular piece is probably stronger than the original sheet. Hatboxes are also made of an acetate, drawn in a similar manner as the fabrication of the antenna housing. A plaque of a flying duck shows its possibilities for dyeing to any desired color. It also shows the possibilities of fabrication. The material is approximately 15 thousandths of an inch in thickness, and has been drawn to better than three-fourths of an inch in less than a 2-in. space, indicating clearly that the material is ideal for motion picture uses. Cellulose acetate butyrate is made up in a manner similar to the acetate in that it uses a mixture of butyric and acetic acids and the anhydrides. This plastic was developed for the purpose of obtaining a more water-resisting resin, and its outstanding properties are, in addition to water resistance, weathering characteristics. This material is used on special films used in the motion picture industry,