The following pages were scanned from a National Carbon Projector
Bulletin from 1964
Published for Motion picture projectors, the process is the same
for Searchlight carbons
The bulletin will give you an idea of the costly process involved
in making these carbons for searchlights
Note: NATIONAL CARBON HAD STOPPED MAKING CARBONS FOREVER
IN 2002
There were three reasons for National's decision. Declining sales (the
arc carbon business was small compared to other product sales, loosing
money), a few of the key Engineers that had the background and
knowledge
have since retired (one passed away a few years ago after retirement
but
he had been consulting up to just before his death), and the equipment
was getting old, some dating back to pre WWII. Too bad. At one time
that
was the biggest selling product being produced at the plant employing
over
1200 people. At the end, there were about 200. Arc carbons had been
made
at that plant since 1892.
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