How Flashbulbs are Made

Woman wearing shades.

Woman wearing shades.

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
Curved Wall

A
Curved Wall

  • 3
  • 0
  • 61
Crossing beams

A
Crossing beams

  • 9
  • 1
  • 83
Shadow 2

A
Shadow 2

  • 4
  • 0
  • 60
Shadow 1

A
Shadow 1

  • 3
  • 0
  • 57

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
198,837
Messages
2,781,633
Members
99,722
Latest member
Backfocus
Recent bookmarks
0

Brian Schmidt

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2015
Messages
81
Location
USA
Format
Medium Format
Hello.

Does anybody have an idea how the flashbulbs were sealed without setting them off? Seems like, especially with the AG and similar, that the red hot glass would be so close to the wool that it would just go off. How did they make this work?

Brian
 

DWThomas

Subscriber
Joined
Jun 13, 2006
Messages
4,605
Location
SE Pennsylvania
Format
Multi Format
I believe the foil in the bulbs was actually ignited by some sort of oxidizer/metallic compound that was fired by the electrical current though a supporting wire. The compound probably burns at twice the temperature of melting glass, so the foil ribbons would likely not be bothered by the glass fusing if it was done in a typical controlled industrial process.

(All semi-informed speculation, mind you ...)
 

AgX

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
29,973
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
Good question.

Dave is right. The metal does need quite some initial energy to start burning. You can see that in real fires too.
That energy is delivered by a tiny amount of "explosive" splattering around.
(It could be though that the first models indeed were directly ignited but that would necessitate direct contact with that heating wire and also introduced a cooling effect.)

The bulb is not red hot, only the foot part is locally heated. The process is similar to making incandescant lamp bulbs.

But yes, with the AG3 bulb and its even smaller descendants the bulb got really small.
 
Last edited:

desertrat

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
228
Location
Boise, ID
Format
Multi Format
This company still makes flashbulbs. Some interesting information at their site on the current uses of flashbulbs. For some niche applications, they are still the best.

http://www.meggaflash.com/
 
OP
OP

Brian Schmidt

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2015
Messages
81
Location
USA
Format
Medium Format
Hello.

Seems that there wasn't much of a problem with them going off upon sealing. IanC sent me a link to an article showing their manufacture and they didn't seem to take this into consideration due to the high ign. heat of the primer.

Have a good day,

Brian
 

Ian C

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
1,251
Format
Large Format
The article Flashbulbs in the Making by Jack Price in the April 1938 issue of Popular Photography begins on page 24 and then continues on page 86 in the following Google Books file explaining the manufacture of flash bulbs as it was done then.

https://books.google.com/books?id=R...DAS#v=onepage&q=flashbulb manufacture&f=false

If you click onto “View All” you’ll get two links, one to the beginning of the article on page 24, and a second to the conclusion of the article on page 86.
 
Last edited:

AgX

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
29,973
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
There are severe mistakes in the article, concerning the lacquering and the leakage.
Seemingly the author did not understand the working of the bulb himself.

(The stated inventor is the one of the stated model, but not of the flashbulb as such.)
 
Last edited:
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom