A problem with my new Edison Standard

[iainp]

Hi all, I'm so pleased to have stumbled across this forum!

I bought 20 Gold Moulded cylinders at the weekend and bought an Edison Standard today to play them. The guy who sold it to me showed me how to set it up and everything seemed to work but now I have it home there a problem: when I play a cylinder it slows right down after just half a minute, even when the machine is fully wound. When I lift the stylus/reproducer it speeds up again but when I place it back on the cylinder the same thing happens. I've checked that the stylus is the only part touching the groove in case it was part of the reproducer touching the surface of the cylinder but everything looks fine. Any idea what's gone wrong? Many thanks, Iain

[maroongem]

Iain,

Welcome to the board! It sounds like the half nut that engages the feedscrew is either improperly adjusted or the feedscrew and half nut need a good cleaning due to old lubrication that has become gummy. A word of caution when cleaning the feedscrew though, the thread is quite fine so use a soft toothbrush to scrub the old lubrication out of the threads after a good soak in mineral spirits (white spirit) or other type of petroleum based solvent.

Bill

[andersun]

Lubricate the carriage bar and carriage slide with light oil. Clock oil or electric motor oil will do. After lubricating, slide the carriage back and forth to spread oil. If your Standard has a little metal wheel in front attached to carriage (early Standards) , make sure it spins freely.

Also make sure the belt is properly tensioned. It might be sliding when you put the carriage down.

[iainp]

Thanks very much for the advice. I'll try what you suggest though, I'm not sure what the feedscrew and feednut are...! The belt seems fine and the carriage seems really smooth too. I've posted a very short video here of the problem. I'd really appreciate it if you could take a look. youtu.be/zqQxFrF-cSQ
The really weird thing is that mechanism seems so strong and it runs for ages and you can even press on it as it rotates and it carries on turning, yet the weight of the stylus makes it grind to a halt. I can't understand it.

[andersun]

Comments;

1. Your reproducer is not seated in all the way. Should be flush with carriage. That is not what is causing the trouble but should be corrected. Loosen screw on carriage next to reproducer and seat reproducer all the way in.

2. Here is a pic of the feed screw nut bar (in red circle). You should be able to lessen the tension of it to the worm gear (feed screw) which is directly under the rusty piece of metal (feed screw cover) towards the back. To adjust, hold the carriage and lightly pull on the lower part of the feed-screw nut which is in the red circle and try running the machine. Keep adjusting it by pushing or pulling until machine runs properly.

Attachments:

[andersun]

If you need to know all the names of the parts on your machine, download the catalog pages 4-8 (Edison Standard Phonograph) at the following link:

www.wyattsmusical.com/CoverINDEX.html

[andersun]

This worries me... (see pic). It looks like your stylus bar is hitting the cylinder before your stylus does. This happens when your wire connection between the stylus bar and reproducer diaphragm is to short.

Attachments:

[iainp]

Thanks, this is so useful. I'll let you know how I get on, hopefully tomorrow.

[maroongem]

Another area that should be polished is the knife edge, which the push/pull button rolls on when the carriage is fully lowered so the half nut engages the feedscrew. You can do this with 0000 steel wool and do not lubricate after it is smooth. I'm not a fan of lubricating any of the friction points on the top end of the machine as oil mixed with dust over a period of time causes drag and eventual slowing of the playback.
In looking at the screen shot of the stylus, it doesn't appear that it is fully lowered upon the cylinder, and if the bar was hitting the record surface before the sapphire, you would have grooves cut into the wax damaging the cylinder.
The half nut that is attached to the carriage should barely touch the feedscrew when fully lowered. There is an adjustment screw that raises and lowers the half nut which is attached to a section of spring steel. A matchbook cover or a feeler gauge of .013 thick between the knife edge and the push/pull rod that rolls along the surface when lowered is a good starting gauge and the half nut is just kissing the feedscrew.

Bill

[andersun]

Nov 23, 2012 22:46:20 GMT -5 maroongem said:

There is an adjustment screw that raises and lowers the half nut which is attached to a section of spring steel.
Bill

Bill,
I didn't think the Standard Model B had a feed nut adjustment screw. Are you sure about that? I know the Model A's didn't have them.

[maroongem]

Oops! My Bad. You are absolutely correct Steve. I was thinking of the HOME, TRIUMPH type of halfnut and spring. The only adjustment
the STANDARD halfnut has is the ability to slide forward and back once you loosen the screws that hold the spring to the carriage or in some instances the halfnut as the holes are elliptical. This would allow you to have the thread on the feedscrew and halfnut mate properly.

Bill

[iainp]

Thanks, I've managed (actually, my brother managed) to sort the problem with your help.
It did indeed turn out to be too much tension in the feed screw nut bar. Basically, the mechanism was engaging too early when the 'arm' was lowered towards the cylinder. We've also cleaned the various running surfaces too and it seems to be fine at the moment. I'm very grateful for all the support, and looking forward to playing some cylinders! I'm off to Portsmouth this morning, a 100 miles drive from Hatfield (UK), to collect 30 cylinders I won on ebay last night. A bargain at £30 I think, though I believe they are not in the best of condition. I'll let you know how I get on.