Dean
New Member
Posts: 23
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Post by Dean on Jan 19, 2009 21:55:57 GMT -5
Hello all. I am new to the board and have a million questions. I inherited an Edison Home Phonograph ( last patent May 22,1906) ( Model C reproducer ) 2 min. machine with no conversion kit. Should there be a model letter with it the machine? or is that it. Edison Home Phonograph? I am slowly realizing that there are some parts missing. Should there be a belt tensioner? I have seen it on some machines but can't for the life of me fiqure out, if there was one, where the tensioner arm and spring were attached. Also missing the lifter arm. It looks like the screw to attach the lifter arm broke off in the hole. Any suggestions on getting the broken bits out? Drilling just scares the heck out of me. Now the moral dilema. Do I refinish or clean. The case took it on the chin, decal's gone, lid damaged etc. There is no question on that. The top of the motor works are in pretty good shape. ( pinstripping and signature logo intact, so I will only clean that. My question is on the underside and motorworks. There is significant rust there, but still seems to operate. ( Don't have cylinders so I can't prove it out) If I take the rust off, the paint goes with it. If I leave it, it looks like heck and probably won't run as smoothly. Ok that's it. Sorry for rambling. Dean
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kevan
Junior Member
Over Hill and Dale
Posts: 87
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Post by kevan on Jan 20, 2009 0:12:15 GMT -5
Welcome Dean Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Are you able to show us this machine with pictures? kevan
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Dean
New Member
Posts: 23
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Post by Dean on Jan 20, 2009 12:41:02 GMT -5
Thanks Kevan. I plan on getting pictures online this week as soon as I figure out how. I understand photobucket is the way to go. Dean.
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kevan
Junior Member
Over Hill and Dale
Posts: 87
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Post by kevan on Jan 20, 2009 18:12:35 GMT -5
yes Dean
Photobucket is easy and if you want to share video just use YouTube. Can't wait to see your machine. There is alot of great help here and great resources for parts.
Kevan
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Post by matty on Jan 20, 2009 21:02:24 GMT -5
Hi Dean. Welcome to TOEPDB! My camera is hopeless at close-ups, but this should give you an idea of what to look for. The belt is tensioned by a small brass roller which the 'white" arrow is pointing to. If this roller is still there, make sure it spins freely as they often sieze up due to verdigres on the brass against the steel pin. The leather belts do stretch over time, so you may need to replace it. The position of the speed control knob can be an indication of which model you have. My Home is a model B, and the "red" arrow is pointing to the knurled wheel which regulates the speed. The Model A will have the speed control knob on the top side of the bedplate, and can be adjusted without gaining access to the motor. Both the Model A & B had a swing gate at the end of the mandrel, which was opened to place a cylinder on the machine. This swing gate was removed on the Model C's & all models after that. The Model C's etc will have the model indicated on the ID tag, so if yours doesn't it will either be a Model A or B. If the cabinet decal is missing, I would suggest refinishing the cabinet. No decal would indicate to me that either the finish is in terrible shape, or it has been stripped & refinished in the past. I would definately leave the top side of the bedplate as is, but if the underside has significant rust, I'd remove any flaking paint & rust, then treat the areas with a rust converter & paint them.
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Dean
New Member
Posts: 23
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Post by Dean on Jan 21, 2009 3:03:07 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. guys. I'll be posting pictures before the end of the week. Thanks for the picture of the motorworks. It looks very much like mine with exception of that darn belt tenioning pulley. I still can't figure it out. I'm probably staring right at the screw and just don't realize it. Any suggestions on getting a broken screw out other than drilling? I don't want to mess up the threads. Thanks for your help. Dean
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Post by matty on Jan 21, 2009 6:23:55 GMT -5
The brass roller is attached to an arm that disappears behind the belt pulley wheel, so you'd have to remove it to see where it attached. George Vollema should be able to supply you with a new one. www.victroladoctor.com/As for the lift screw, you may have no choice but to drill it out & use a screw extractor? I guess you could try a little WD40 or similar product and see if you could turn the screw somehow, but drilling might be the only option. If you don't feel confident doing it yourself, I think George could also help out here too.
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kevan
Junior Member
Over Hill and Dale
Posts: 87
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Post by kevan on Jan 21, 2009 18:02:56 GMT -5
Shane funny you should mention an extractor, I just picked one up on monday. I bought another Gem and the screw that holds the middle gear in place is broken. Here in Canada they call them an EASY OUT I hope it goes as planned. You simply drill a 5/16 hole in the middle of the broken screw, then tap the easy out in ( IT HAS REVERSE THREADS) than the screw your trying to remove. I think I'll try to tap the gear out of the hole to relieve the presure of the the screw I'm extracting and it should come right out. Order another from croakinfrog and away we go.
Dean if you need a clearer picture just ask my camera is very good for close ups and I have a Edison Banner Home B.
Kevan
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Post by maroongem on Jan 21, 2009 19:09:11 GMT -5
Dean & Kevan,
Before you try to remove the broken screw with an easy out, you might want to use a spot drill before you use the 5/16ths drill(or what ever size drill you use) as it makes a starter hole and prevents the drill from "walking" and possibly damaging the threads.
Bill
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kevan
Junior Member
Over Hill and Dale
Posts: 87
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Post by kevan on Jan 22, 2009 6:46:18 GMT -5
Bill Good Idea I will look for a spot drill today Mine has broken off nice and flat so it should help alot. Bill! did you see my little test with a speed o meter for measuring RPM's I tryed it on my diamond disc and it works great and I'm now biulding one for a cylinder player. Look in the general disscusion catagory on this board. I am just thrill to death about this little discovery and it is very accuret to 0.01. The best thing is you can set your rpm's after the needle is down and watch through the whole record for consistancy.
kevan
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Post by maroongem on Jan 22, 2009 18:13:51 GMT -5
Hi Kevan,
Yes, I saw that neat little gaget that you purchased! Have you pitted it against a standard strobe to see how accurate it is (compared to the strobe, that is)? I like the premise of it. 5/16 sounds rather large (.3125 in diameter) and I'll have to check my Edison pulley set screws but I think they can be no larger than 1/4 (.250) unless someone put in a larger screw.
Bill
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kevan
Junior Member
Over Hill and Dale
Posts: 87
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Post by kevan on Jan 22, 2009 21:19:58 GMT -5
Your right Bill I mean 5/64" Gezz..... I'm getting old I can't see close up or far away.
I don't have a stobe I can only test with an auto setting of a new turntable and it reads right on the money. It also has 12 other function. At the end of an afternoon of playing record it can tell me how many km. the records would have traveled if rolled on there edge. HA HA
Kev
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Dean
New Member
Posts: 23
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Post by Dean on Jan 22, 2009 22:37:09 GMT -5
s393.photobucket.com/albums/pp18/Dean52_2009/Edison%20Home%20Phonograph/Ah Jeez. I know that didn't work just by looking at it. I was trying to paste the link to photo bucket. Please let me know if it actually did work. Back to the mysterious belt tensioning pulley. I need more help with that. More pictures of where it attaches if possible. Also regarding mention of the spot drill on removing my broken screw, great suggestion and thank you. Not sure if I can get a bit that small. ( see picture of broken lift arm screw) By the way, you people are an amazing bunch. Nice to know that there some good folks out there. Thanks again.
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Dean
New Member
Posts: 23
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Post by Dean on Jan 22, 2009 23:56:26 GMT -5
I am dying to tell the story of how my poor old phonograph got in this condition. ( See prevuious post with photo link. ) I'm not sure if it's appropriate to ramble on,... in this board. What's the rule? Dean
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Post by matty on Jan 23, 2009 4:31:18 GMT -5
Go for it Dean. I think as long as it doesn't involve sex, drugs, politics or religion, it's pretty safe The bedplate is in great condition, and should clean up very well indeed.
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