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Uninked Ribbon Fabric: Undyed Raw Silk Weighted in Stannic Chloride (Beall, US 1,263,019, 1918)
Silk makes the thinnest, lint-free typewriter ribbon and the sharpest type. Beall used undyed raw silk, which soaks up more ink than dyed silk, and weighted it in a tin solution so the light ribbon gains body, wears longer and runs through the guides without wrinkling.
Result: a thin, close silk ribbon fabric, ready for inking.
Source: Beall, US 1,263,019 (1918). Not given: weave count, width, strength of the tin solution, soaking time. Picture drawn by Youblob.
Intermediate
1 day
Instructions
1
1
Weave undyed raw silk thin and close
Weave undyed raw silk thin and close
Weave pure undyed raw silk into a thin, close web at ribbon width. Weave count and width: not given.
Materials for this step:
Silk Yarn1 as requiredTools needed:
Power Loom2
2
Weight it in a tin solution
Weight it in a tin solution
Immerse the woven ribbon in a solution of stannic chloride. It adds weight and wear, at a slight cost in ink taken up. Beall allows doing this to the silk before weaving. Strength and time: not given.
Materials for this step:
Stannic Chloride1 as requiredTools needed:
Water
Flat Drying Tray3
3
Dry it smooth
Dry it smooth
Dry the ribbon flat: both faces should be smooth and free from lint. It is then ready to be impregnated with ribbon ink.
Tools needed:
Flat Drying TrayThis blueprint makes
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