The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (August 1899)

The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. 95 Starting a Lime Cylinder Factory. CORRESPONDENT asks us the following question, which was intended for our Notes and Queries column; but the question being one of interest, we prefer replying to it at such length as ED would preclude its insertion in the 2 column usually devoted to Answers :— He writes: “I understand that a good living is to be made by the manufacture of lime cylinders for the use of lanternists and theatrical limelight users. I am at present out of employment, but have some funds, and would like to engage in such manufactory. Will you kindly give me some idea as to the general apparatus required, keeping the idea of economy in the foreground ?” The business of making lime cylinders is somewhat cut up at present, there being several firms now engaged in their manufacture; but still the army of lanternists is rapidly growing, and it is to be hoped that there will be room for all. One good thing, especially for the manufacturer, is that limes are not everlasting. A good lantern will probably last a lifetime, whereas the limes have a very fleeting existence, several being used practically every time a triple is exhibited. It is therefore to be hoped that the business will be a profitable one, : although good canvassers and taking advertice ments, combined with a good quality of lime, . are absolutely essential to success, The lime can be obtained of excellent | quality in various parts of England and Ireland, and we think you should be able to obtain plenty of good quality even in your own county at some of the burners. Having ascertained the source of a good supply of material of both soft and hard variety, the next thing is to see about cutting up, turning, etc. It will be requisite to saw up the lumps of lime into pieces a little larger than the desired cylinder is to be. up is hard work and very destructive to the saws, which in consequence require frequent sharpening. Sawing can be done either with the hand saw or by means of several small circular saws running parallel at the required distance apart, but as economy seems an item, hand saws will do at least to commence with, At least one turning lathe will be necessary, and this need not by any means be a high-class machine. It will be requisite to fit two chucks, one to hold a spear-pointed drill as shown This sawing , ! the adjustment of the rest pv. at F E (a fluted drill is, however, vastly superior although more expensive), and the other to hold a rat-tail file as at HG. The lime having been rough sawn, it is well to chip off the corners with a chisel, after which this roughly shaped cylinder can be applied to the lathe fitted with the drill F x, by which a hole can be quickly drilled through its length. Several rough cylinders having undergone this process, the chuck fitted with the taper rat-tail tile is screwed on the lathe, and a lime slipped on until secure as at 1. A chisel is then held to the rotating cylinder, and it can be quickly turned into shape. A simple method of ensuring that each lime will be of exactly the same diameter is to fasten on the chisel a stop as shown at c, this will allow it to go only as far as the rest p will allow. Wear and tear of sharpening can of course be allowed for by Care must be taken that the limes are kept away from damp. The foregoing is perhaps the cheapest method of fitting up a factory. Had the cost not been an object we might have suggested apparatus of a superior kind, whereby many of the operations would have been automatic, Barrels for the rough lime will have to be obtained, and also benches, shelves, etc., will have to be put up, and a supply of jump-lid tins procured, but the total expended on apparatus, etc., need not exceed a ten pound note, although the fitting up of a high-class factory with labour saving devices would cost a higher figure. Money should of course be kept in hand for rent, wages, commissions, advertising, etc., and the rest depends on the quality of the lime and cylinders, and the business push of the manufacturer, and even then, we may add, it may take a long time to establish a paylng connection.