The British Library The British Library Birmingham Sound Reproducers Ltd DR33C portable disc cutting lathe: overview 5XNSAX1993XX-0004 5 nsa 1993 Once completed, the recording could be immediately played back using the lightweight pickup shown here on the left of the turntable. The lid contains a loudspeaker. Before the development of tape recording, sounds could only be recorded by being cut into discs or cylinders (which were largely obsolete by 1930). The wax blanks were fragile and difficult to transport. In 1934, however, the Englishman Cecil Watts invented a new recording system which meant that robust metal discs could be used. Each disc had a thin ‘acetate’ coating of cellulose nitrate lacquer which was just sufficient to cut the recording. This allowed portable disc cutting lathes to be developed. This model is postwar. Dimensions: Width: 320 mm Height: 500 mm Depth: 400 mm deep. image Disc cutters Birmingham Sound Reproducers Ltd 1947