Awl --
History Channel, Modern Marvels, "Money".
In use today are 1906 French "reducing lathes", which takes the image for coins off a 1-2 foot epoxy-resin model, and reduces it to the coin-size die. Nary a semiconductor/pyooter chip or tube, all electromechanical.
Extraordinary craftsmanship, even artistry. And precision.
Perty neat, inneresting show.
Havnt seen that programme yet here in the UK. The French reducing engine is called a Janvier. I could have bought one about the same age from a die maker in Birmingham UK when he retired. It was complete with all tooling etc and went to the Birmingham mint for $12,000.00 some 10yrs ago. There good for coin die making but mainly produce positives which are then hardened and pressed into the die material to make the minting negatives.
However there is another way of producing these negative dies. this requires a large negative pattern which goes onto a 3d pantograph die sinking engraving. But all manually guided. These are made by Deckel in Germany of Taylor Hobdson in the UK. All the dies I have comissioned were made this way. they enable deep imaging to be produced which is difficult to do on the French machine.
As its my 40th year as a metal craftsman!!, im comissioning a die of a winged angel carrying a winged cherub carrying a burning torch. This comes fron a plaster positive I found at a flea market some 2 yrs ago. I think its a Wedgwood original and am currently investigating its classical story. Any ideas?
Exciting times. Ted Frater Minter Dorset UK.
Every once in awhile you read a posting that makes it worthwhile to sort through the chaff of this newsgroup. Interesting stuff! Please post or www or blog as you progress (with pictures).
-C
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