"Speer Carbon" ... What is it?

[rcornell]

I found a Speer Carbon company. It looks like they (now Helwig) produce Carbon Brushes for motors? Not sure.

 

[Sorthious]

Actually, Walter O. Helwig started at Speer Carbon but left out on his own in 1928 and started Helwig Carbon. Speer Carbon was found in 1899, was bought by Airco in 1961, renamed Airco Carbon, and, ultimately, filed bancruptcy in 2001. As for what it is I have no clue. It reminds me of a Carbon Pencil for drawing.

 

[rcornell]

Actually, Walter O. Helwig started at Speer Carbon but left out on his own in 1928 and started Helwig Carbon. Speer Carbon was found in 1899, was bought by Airco in 1961, renamed Airco Carbon, and, ultimately, filed bancruptcy in 2001. As for what it is I have no clue. It reminds me of a Carbon Pencil for drawing.

That is kind of what it looks like, but I assume there is metal inside. I wrote to the Helwig company.... we will see if my email gets to the right person who might be interested enough to respond.

 

[Voriax]

Could be an electrode for arc light.

Voriax

 

[Ron 71]

Could it be a welding tip, maybe from a wire feed welder?

 

[$MELTER-1]

Could it be a welding tip, maybe from a wire feed welder?

Doesn't have anything to do with welding equipment

 

[AirmetTango]

Could be an electrode for arc light.

Voriax

Definitely carbon rods for an old carbon arc light:

 

[davemill]

I found a Speer Carbon company. It looks like they (now Helwig) produce Carbon Brushes for motors? Not sure.

@rcornell what are the words on that piece? Something that ends with “ecto”

Arc lamps and film projectors used cylinder electrodes of uniform diameter, they look like copper coated pencils.

 

[rcornell]

@rcornell what are the words on that piece? Something that ends with “ecto”

Arc lamps and film projectors used cylinder electrodes of uniform diameter, they look like copper coated pencils.

I can't make out the letters before "ecto". Could be "projecto" for sure. There is an image in the first YouTube video above that someone shared that seems to show something very similar to mine (with tapered ends) ... around minute 1:50 or so. Did you mean carbon coated pencils?

 

[hoser]

It does look like the carbon arc light electrode for sure. Very cool find. I have never seen one. Closest thing to that is the carbon air arc rods we used at the shop.

 

[rcornell]

@rcornell what are the words on that piece? Something that ends with “ecto”

Arc lamps and film projectors used cylinder electrodes of uniform diameter, they look like copper coated pencils.

I just took a closer look with a loupe and it is "directo"

 

[$MELTER-1]

I can't make out the letters before "ecto". Could be "projecto" for sure. There is an image in the first YouTube video above that someone shared that seems to show something very similar to mine (with tapered ends) ... around minute 1:50 or so. Did you mean carbon coated pencils?

Maybe perfecto

 

[AirmetTango]

I just took a closer look with a loupe and it is "directo"

That’s the missing piece for the ID! Found it…it’s specifically for the carbon arc lamp for an old projector. See page 14 in this linked document:

Old Projector Advertisments

Also this YouTube video gives a great rundown of the whole projector process (carbon rods are shown specifically starting at the 1:45 mark and again at the 4:47 mark:

 

[rcornell]

That’s the missing piece for the ID! Found it…it’s specifically for the carbon arc lamp for an old projector. See page 14 in this linked document:

Old Projector Advertisments

View attachment 600899


Also this YouTube video gives a great rundown of the whole projector process (carbon rods are shown specifically starting at the 1:45 mark and again at the 4:47 mark:

Awesome! Thanks for ID'ing!! I had looked at that "ecto" portion before, but hadn't figured it out. Thanks to everyone!

 

[Sorthious]

Great work on the ID @AirmetTango !! It's great to be able to track the provenance of an item, and reveal a bit of it's history!