Yesterday and Before

Photo Hunt 94- Old-fashioned

The picture was taken during our trip to Mahsuri Tomb in Langkawi Island, Malaysia, November 2006.

This old machine was used to flatten the rubber in rubber processing.

I think the last time I saw this type of machine in action was forty years ago.

Comments

[Zawi]

The sight of those machines brought about memories when I had to help my parents flatten the coagulated rubber into sheets and later put to dry in the sun. When the water stop oozing out, the rubber sheets are hang to further dry up on poles the way clothes are hang to dry.
Rubber buyer will deduct the weight of the rubber based on his estimate of the water content.

[Dragonstar]

Old fashioned and educational - thank you.

[anasalwa]

Zawi,
Thank you for your comment. I think I had a few opportunities to watch the folks working at the machine when I visited a long distance relative in Sungai Petani many years ago. The thing I remember most was the strong smell of raw rubber. It hung in the air.
Would you care to write about the process, from the time the rubber in liquid form brought home from the estate until they were put under the sun?
Thank you for reading my blog and left a comment.

Dragonstar,
Unlike you mother's precious old sewing machine, this machine we don't see anymore. Thank you for your comment.

[Zawi]

Anasalwa,
I will do a post as soon as I get some new pictures of the processes. I think there is a plce where do still use that machine not far from my home.
Thanks for the suggestion. It should be an educational one for the younger generations. The use of the machine is decreasing because rubber can be sold in anyform now even as cup lump and still fetches a good price as some form of SMR rubber needs cup lumps to make them.
The machine is called rubber mangle.