nedt
New Member
Posts: 19 
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Post by nedt on May 8, 2017 19:51:17 GMT -5
I just recently acquired an Amberola 50 with a Diamond C reproducer.. As some other people have stated.. When I lower the reproducer onto the cylinder, the mandrel quickly drags to a stop!! I have lubricated all of the bearing points on the top and bottom of the machine, and I have adjusted the bearings on the governor, feed screw, and one of the gears under the machine to allow the slightest of play. I also lubed and slightly loosened the mandrel collar to give it some slight play. Still, the reproducer hits the record and slows to a stop.
I tried loosening (and tightening) the main screw on the reproducer as well...
I removed the carriage arm assembly with the reproducer inside and installed it on an Amberola 30 and the cylinder played fine on the 30..
Is there anything else that i should check? Could it be that the mainsprings are not giving enough power and maybe they need greasing, replaced? Even after cranking upwards of 30 plus times, it does not seem like the mandrel turns as fast as other amberolas I have had..
Any help would be appreciated..
AT
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Post by phonoboy on May 10, 2017 9:17:58 GMT -5
If everything moves freely, I would suspect the issue is the spring. Old grease dose gum up.
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Post by nefaurora on May 10, 2017 16:44:05 GMT -5
Check the Metal Collar with the set screw on the end of the mandrel shaft. There has to be some play between the mandrel and the collar...If not, It will cause a lot of drag causing a cylinder to stop. Also, Make sure that your cylinders and Diamond needle are clean and free or any dirt or lint. Only clean celluloid 4 minute cylinders with Isopropl Alcohol, Never use any water! Never get the center plaster wet from anything...even alcohol. Your Amberola 50 has a very strong Double Spring assembly meaning it has two mainsprings just like the Amberola 75, and not just one mainspring like the Amberola 30, so I heavily doubt that you have a spring problem unless something is broken inside the spring case. It sounds to me that something just needs either more cleaning or some more adjustment or both. See this nice video below from The Victrola Guy (Benjamin J.): www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEgI36F4BvE&t=4s ) Tony K. Edison Collector/Restorer |
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nedt
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by nedt on May 12, 2017 22:46:41 GMT -5
Thank you both.. I did loosen the collar on the mandrel and same thing happens.. actually the tiny set screw on that collar is stripped, so I can't remove it, but I was able to loosen it so that the mandrel as a little play to move..
Are both spring barrels supposed to turn slowly when the motor is running or only the spring barrel on the left side next to the gears?
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Post by lucius1958 on May 13, 2017 3:48:42 GMT -5
If you haven't thoroughly cleaned the entire works, I suggest you do so.
Another point of possible drag is the feed screw and half nut. Make sure both are clean and properly lubricated, and check to see whether their contact needs to be adjusted. Too much pressure can also cause the motor to slow down.
BillS
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nedt
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by nedt on May 13, 2017 6:29:46 GMT -5
Yes, I have tried it all.. will go back over everything again...
Are both spring barrels supposed to turn slowly when the motor is running or only the spring barrel on the left side next to the gears?
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Post by nefaurora on May 14, 2017 12:42:29 GMT -5
What happens when you do a full wind on an Amberola 50 or Amberola 75 double spring motor is that both mainspring casings move at the same time whether the machine is in winding mode or playing mode. The 2 mainspring casings do not move at the same speed though. The outer right end mainspring casing moves a bit faster than the inner left mainspring casing. ...But as I said, both mainspring cases are moving at the same time.
Any more Amberola 50 questions?
:0)
Tony K.
Edison Collector/Restorer
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nedt
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by nedt on May 18, 2017 15:55:04 GMT -5
What happens when you do a full wind on an Amberola 50 or Amberola 75 double spring motor is that both mainspring casings move at the same time whether the machine is in winding mode or playing mode. The 2 mainspring casings do not move at the same speed though. The outer right end mainspring casing moves a bit faster than the inner left mainspring casing. ...But as I said, both mainspring cases are moving at the same time. Any more Amberola 50 questions? :0) Tony K. Edison Collector/Restorer |
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nedt
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by nedt on May 18, 2017 15:58:45 GMT -5
What happens when you do a full wind on an Amberola 50 or Amberola 75 double spring motor is that both mainspring casings move at the same time whether the machine is in winding mode or playing mode. The 2 mainspring casings do not move at the same speed though. The outer right end mainspring casing moves a bit faster than the inner left mainspring casing. ...But as I said, both mainspring cases are moving at the same time. Any more Amberola 50 questions? :0) Tony K. Edison Collector/Restorer Thank you Tony K.. I will post a video shortly, but it only appears that one spring is turning while the motor is running. The spring on the left when facing the machine. Again I will try to post a video shortly |
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Post by nefaurora on May 20, 2017 12:00:01 GMT -5
Well, It sounds like you have a serious mainspring problem. If I were you, I'd check Ebay for an Amberola 50 or Amberola 75 parts machine and take the entire Double Spring assembly from that and transplant it into your machine. That's what would be the easiest thing to do. Or, You could disassemble your double mainspring casing, and buy a new mainspring from Ron Sitko, APSCO or Great Lakes Antique Phonograph Co.
Tony K.
Edison Collector/Restorer
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nedt
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by nedt on May 22, 2017 21:12:20 GMT -5
Well, It sounds like you have a serious mainspring problem. If I were you, I'd check Ebay for an Amberola 50 or Amberola 75 parts machine and take the entire Double Spring assembly from that and transplant it into your machine. That's what would be the easiest thing to do. Or, You could disassemble your double mainspring casing, and buy a new mainspring from Ron Sitki, APSCO or Great Lakes Antique Phonograph Co. Tony K. Edison Collector/Restorer After playing with the half nut screw, on a full wind I was able to get a couple of cylinders to play, so now I am thinking it may not be the spring.. But I do need to know what are the proper steps in removing the mandrel? My Mandrel collar set screw was badly stripped so I had to cut it to get it off.. I also noticed one or two bad teeth on the mandrel shaft gear which is causing a slight clanking sound. I just want to take the mandrel off completely to replace these parts. I cannot seem to get it to nudge at all. Thank you.. |
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Post by cdbpdx on May 23, 2017 2:40:57 GMT -5
The spring barrel on the crank side of the motor should be anchored when it is unwinding, it will not turn. Both spring barrels will turn during winding.
What happens is that folks will wind up the motor then put it away for 50-60 years. The metal of the springs becomes fatigued and will have only a fraction of the energy they started out with. I would suggest replacing both springs.
Cliff
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Post by billcahill on May 23, 2017 23:34:39 GMT -5
If the machine is playing two records on a winding, that's not terrible. The collar keeps the mandrel from coming off the shaft. Warning, You Must run machine until motor is completely unwound. You could do a lot of damage, and, injure yourself.
These machines have two double springs that stabilize the mandrel.
All three machines play well for what they are.
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