Hi all! Things are chugging along with our Optical Disc Lab project, with the help of a few generous donors so far! If you’re reading this and are interested in helping us out just for the love of keeping this format alive, feel free to get in touch directly!
In the meantime, the existing stock of discs is dwindling, and as yet there’s still no timeline or absolute guarantee that these will be back in production anytime soon, so if you’re missing any of these titles, follow the links to buy them! 100% of Pea’s personal royalties from these disc sales are currently going toward funding our Optical Disc Lab!
| 001073 | RADIOAKTIVOX (OPTIGAN), 08003 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001074 | MOD ROCK (OPTIGAN), 09004 | 1 |
| 001075 | SOLO FRENCH HORN (ORCHESTRON), 09005 | 3 |
| 001076 | SAXOPHONE (ORCHESTRON), 09006 | 4 |
| 001077 | MARIMBA (ORCHESTRON), 09007 | 5 |
| 001078 | MINIMALISM (OPTIGAN), 09008 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001079 | PIANOSCAPE (OPTIGAN), 10009 | 2 |
| 001080 | SURF ROCK (OPTIGAN), 10010 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001081 | STRING ENSEMBLE (ORCHESTRON), 10011 | 5 |
| 001082 | VIOLIN (ORCHESTRON), 10012 | 5 |
| 001083 | PIPE ORGAN (ORCHESTRON), 10013 | 4 |
| 001084 | TREMOLO ELECTRIC GUITAR (ORCHESTRON), 10014 | 4 |
| 001085 | PIANO (ORCHESTRON), 10015 | 5 |
| 001086 | SITAR (OPTIGAN), 10016 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001087 | ORGAN (ORCHESTRON), 10017 | 4 |
| 001088 | SYMPHONIC STRINGS (OPTIGAN), 10018 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001089 | CHAMBER STRINGS (OPTIGAN), 10019 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001090 | SOLO FEMALE VOICE (ORCHESTRON), 10020 | 4 |
| 001091 | VOCAL CHOIR (ORCHESTRON), 10021 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001092 | VIBRAPHONE (ORCHESTRON), 11024 | 5 |
| 001093 | FLUTE (ORCHESTRON), 11025 | 5 |
| 001094 | CELLO (ORCHESTRON), 11026 | 4 |
| 001095 | VIBRASCAPE (OPTIGAN), 11027 | 1 |
| 001096 | TALENTMAKER BOSSA NOVA (OPTIGAN), 11028 | 3 |
| 001097 | TALENTMAKER COCKTAIL PIANO (OPTIGAN), 12029 | 3 |
| 001098 | TALENTMAKER GUITAR 4/4 (OPTIGAN), 12030 | 3 |
| 001099 | TALENTMAKER HAWAII 3/4 (OPTIGAN), 12031 | 1 |
| 001100 | SOLO TRUMPET (ORCHESTRON), 12035 | 4 |
| 001101 | SOLO TROMBONE (ORCHESTRON), 12036 | 5 |
| 001102 | WURLISCAPE (OPTIGAN), 13038 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001103 | BRASS ENSEMBLE (ORCHESTRON), 13039 | 4 |
| 001104 | TALENTMAKER BEGUINE (OPTIGAN), 14040 | 3 |
| 001105 | TALENTMAKER COUNTY FAIR 4-4 (OPTIGAN), 14041 | 3 |
| 001106 | TALENTMAKER MARCHING BAND (OPTIGAN), 14042 | 3 |
| 001107 | TALENTMAKER WALTZ GUITAR (OPTIGAN), 14043 | 3 |
| 001108 | BASS CLARINET (ORCHESTRON), 14045 | 5 |
| 001109 | HARMONIUM (ORCHESTRON), 15047 | 4 |
| 001110 | GLITCHEDELICA (OPTIGAN), 15048 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001111 | FOLK GUITAR & FLUTE (OPTIGAN), 15050 | 1 |
| 001112 | CELLESTE (OPTIGAN), 15051 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001113 | LATIN GUITAR & TRUMPET (OPTIGAN), 15052 | 4 |
| 001114 | GUITARSCAPE (OPTIGAN), 16054 | 1 |
| 001115 | DREHORGEL (ORCHESTRON), 16056 | 4 |
| 001116 | DARKSOPHONE (OPTIGAN), 17059 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001117 | SINGING RHYTHM (OPTIGAN), 18060 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001118 | SAMBA (OPTIGAN), 18062 | 2 |
| 001121 | OSCILLATIONS (PANOPTIGON), 19063 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001190 | PIPE ORGAN II (PANOPTIGON), 19064 | 3 |
| 001226 | GRAND PIANO (PANOPTIGON), 19066 | 2 |
| 001284 | FUZZ ROCK (OPTIGAN), 20067 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001285 | COUNTRY FOLK IN 6/8 (OPTIGAN), 20068 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001286 | GAMELESQUE (OPTIGAN), 20069 | SOLD OUT! |
| 001287 | SPIKE’S JOINT (OPTIGAN), 20071 | SOLD OUT! |
Here’s a project status update from Robert Becker:
We’re nearing the end of the first phase of the project to make discs in-house, which is focused on sourcing the equipment we need:
- Contact frame with vacuum pump
- Exposure light source with timer
- Photo plotter
- Film processor
- Punch fixture and punches
Additionally there’s lots of smaller stuff like a sink, paper cutter, and table.
All of this stuff is at my lab or is in process.
The next major expenses are plumbing, electrical, and venting. Initial estimates are about $5000 for all of this from one contractor, but he retired last month. This means I will probably have to have separate tradesmen quote on each part independently, which could be more expensive.
The last part is building the darkroom and the door. I envision the darkroom as a kind of booth that fits within my lab. I will probably build the structure using thin steel framing covered with hardboard.
I’m attempting to build my own door based on those cylindrical darkroom doors you may have seen.
The benefit of this kind of door is that you can go in and out of the darkroom without letting in light. It also takes up very little space, which is at a premium for me.
New ones are expensive (over $2000). Used ones are hard to find. Shipping them is very expensive.
My design uses a pallet turntable for the base, hardboard for the cylinder walls, and plywood circles for the end caps. My door should cost hundreds, not thousands of dollars.
Here are some pictures of the equipment:
Photo plotter:
Contact frame:
Film Processor:
Punch fixture:
