In February 2013, Leandro Gonzalez of Stereodisk drove me to Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA to meet Desmond of Mastercraft Metal Finishing.
As many who hang out at Lathe Trolls know, Mastercraft has an eosteric specialty: They make the metal stampers which are used to press vinyl audiodiscs.
After an acetate-based master record is cut on a record lathe lathe, it is sent here, and then the magic begins. (After Mastercraft creates these stampers, they are sent to any number of pressing plants around the world, and vinyl records are produced. But that’s the next step…Mastercraft doesn’t press records.)
As of 2014, they’ve been in business for 30 years, and I do believe Desmond’s run at Capitol Records preceded that for a significant duration. I’d love to follow this video up with a proper interview of Desmond’s career and get that story straight.
Desmond, Walter and Izzy took time out from their day to show us how the process works. Enjoy!
(Our man Serif will be pleased that Desmond confirms in the video that the proper name for this process is electroforming, not electroplating. Touche.)
http://www.MastercraftRecordPlating.com/
Mastercraft Metal Finishing
801 Magnolia Ave.
Elizabeth NJ, 07201
Phone: (908) 354-4404
Fax: (908) 354-4405