The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (February 1894)

The Optical Magic Lantern J ournal and Photographic Enlarger. 29 I quite believe. That perfection is not yet achieved I must also admit, but that saturators can be used with as much safety as any other form of limelight I am positive. From my last four years’ experience, during which I have had no mishap whatever, and with as brilliant results, if not better than can be obtained with the best jet made, and oxygen and hydrogen gas used in the usual way, I regret that I cannot fully explain my latest saturator as I intend to patent this, but hope shortly to introduce it to your notice. I send herewith to the Editor (Mr. J. Hay Taylor) a few of the saturators I have made at various times, with short description attached to each. They are out of date now, but if he thinks well to try either or describe them he is at perfect liberty to do so. The wording of Messrs. Morgan’s letter in Deceinber issue is very objectionable, as they may have the same experience that I have had, and find two different inventors sometimes invent the same article and use it in public without the knowledge of the other, and never having seen each others productions they prove as much alike as two peas in a pod, and without copyiug. At some future date I may give you my opinion on the management of saturators. Let me say in conclusion that there is no danger with any weN-made saturator that is fully stuffed, if used with ordinary caution (not fear, which leads to mnistakes), and ether of a specific gravity of from Q:717 to 0-917. The main points, I find, must be rapid evaporatiox.and saturation of the oxygen with ether or other hydrocarbon. I have never been able to get saturators in the lantern too hot. I find that the hotter they are the better they work. (Mr. Timberlake has sent some saturators to our office, where they can be seen by anyone interested. We shall show them at the Lantern Society on the 12th inst.—Eprror.) 70: To Keep a Lime Jet Firm. ° By C. F. Wriurams. To fasten a jet on its upright rod by means of the clamping screw provided for the purpose would at first sight appear to be a simple matter, but for all that, one often experiences difficulty in preventing the jet slipping down on the rod by reason of the clainping screw uot holding sufficiently well or else because the rod happens to be little out of the round when the slightest side movement of the jet causes it to slip. Some time ago, I came across a good and simple method of preventing this, in some articles by Mr. Samuel Highley F.G.S. It simply consists in filing away the front portion of the tray-rod so as to leave two sharpedges. These edges bite the inner surface of the clamping tube and thus prevent slipping either sideways or downwards. Anyone possessed of a file, a few minutes of spare time, and a little common sense, can quickly adapt his jet so that it will be held firmly. ; The accompanying sketch willmake the matter quite clear. The front surface of the rod after filing should be quite flat and the edges clean and sharp. When the jet is clampel to a rod of x this nature it will be found to hold with great rigidity. —!0:—— How to Enlarge with an Ordinary Magic Lantern. By tue Doctor. So many possessors of a standard sized lantern, that is to say with condensers 3} or better still 4 inches in diameter, are also photographers, that .a few hints on utilising their lanterns for enlarging may not come amiss. At first sight it will probably appear, especially to those who have not tried it, to be a very simple matter. Nevertheless, several unsuccessful attempts have come to the writer’s notice and he set himself the task of practically overcoming the various difficulties. It will be advisable in the first place to make a special wooden block or carrier to protect the negative when placing it in the stage, as the ordinary carriers are of course incapable of holding anything over 31 in. square, and the negative being unprotected by a cover glass is very liable to be scratched if inserted by itself. Where the stage has an open top, portions of quite large negatives—say whole-plate or 10 x 8 imay be enlarged from, while all lanterns will take a quarter-plate, and nearly alladS x 4. If the stage will only just admit the width of the negative without any frame, the plate may be protected by a very thin clear cover glass fastened on by two or three morsels of gummed paper at the corners. Care must also be taken that the negative is securely held so that no movement can take place while the exposure is going on. If the ordinary springs are too weak to do this, a slip of thin wood may be inserted at each side to give the necessary pressure. The negative should of course be placed so that the film side is turned towards