|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Feb 3, 2009 17:59:32 GMT -5
It IS ALIVE!!! After a couple hours of lubricating, adjusting, and tuning, I FINALLY have the machine playing. The cylinder is still playable...not great, but it plays!
I am rather angry with Wyatt's Musical Americana. The spring barrel I sent them for a replacement spring does not have the center rivet hooking up with the spring. Instead of a nice spiral, the spring is bent at angles to somehow attach to the rivet. Sigh. I'm going to have to remove the spring from the housing and somehow bend it so the rivet can attach properly. Nothing else seems to be working in this department except to remove it and try to make it fit. Furthermore, there were bits of cardboard and other large bits of fiber material inside the barrel. I don't know what to say, but I'm not happy with them right now. I can call them and complain, and what good will that do?
Anyways, an Edison Standard D parts box I got on ebay had a functional spring barrel, so I used that and a gear from that motor to get mine up and running. Now the only thing I need is a case lid for this Model B. The D parts box is hopefully going to help restore two other Ds I just got on ebay...the leftovers will probably end back up on ebay in the near future.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 30, 2009 15:35:23 GMT -5
Well, I figure I can use it to test my system out (not all of the recording is damaged) and at worst sell it. It cost me around $20 shipped...not great, but if I can make a tiny bit back and sell it to someone who wants it as a display item, etc. then no loss to me.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 30, 2009 13:38:39 GMT -5
Hi Martin,
When I stripped it down to the raw iron, the serial number stamped in the bedplate matches the number on the data plate, 517,777. As for the first record, I bought a two-minute record on ebay that arrived today, 8297, "Tipperary March." Unfortunately, the cylinder has discoloring in the wax that looks like browning dirt. It won't come off. If it is mold residue, there is no telling if this cylinder will play at all, sadly. Granted, I want one to at least "tune" the motor, so this will hopefully do the job.
I'm going to leave this machine as only a 2-minute machine, so it may be more of a conversation piece than a dedicated player. I bought a Standard D parts model on ebay, so that will be my dedicated 2/4 player. A nice Amberola down the road might be in order. Problem is, I like to target shoot, collect Soviet uniform patches, and now tinker on these. There is only so much money to go around, and outside of ebay, I haven't seen any player for sale at the local NC flea markets.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 30, 2009 12:12:40 GMT -5
I wanted to find serial number info...and yes, this is a marriage of parts, so I matched the decal because that's what the original case had, nothing more.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 30, 2009 11:44:12 GMT -5
Dang, I didn't know there was a difference. I got the decal from Wyatt's: www.wyattsmusical.com/decal.pdfI figured a decal was a decal. When it arrived I was disappointed it didn't match the one on the case, but never knew anything that they were different all together.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 30, 2009 9:19:14 GMT -5
Many thanks. I just ordered bedplate screws and the support brace to finish the little installs. Hopefully my crank and reproducer will arrive next week and I can try it out. Fingers are crossed the motor won't need too much more work.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 29, 2009 22:42:56 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. Dean Not a problem I have a whole bunch of places I've bookmarked and compared prices. I needed to buy other items from Wyatt, so I just sent in the spring barrel for the new spring, and they mailed it back with the parts I ordered.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 29, 2009 22:41:32 GMT -5
Just flipped through all of your photos...you are doing really nice work on the motor. I wish I had a workshop! I'm in an apartment and do everything on my tiny deck, or at my computer desk. I envy your bedplate...it really is in phenomenal condition. The grease on the one I started with was simply too much. If I have to repaint a bedplate again, I'm out to find the hardest, toughest paint on the market!
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 29, 2009 22:34:35 GMT -5
I sent mine off to Wyatt's Musical Americana: www.wyattsmusical.com/I also have purchased other parts from them...they are a bit cheaper than ebay.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 29, 2009 22:20:50 GMT -5
It is helps Dean, I just swallowed my pride and mailed off my spring barrel to have a replacement put it. I pulled out the original broken spring and it was such a PITA that I opted to pay for someone who knew what they were doing to replace it. I'm still glad I did this.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 29, 2009 22:18:02 GMT -5
Hi Dean, Many thanks. I don't had a case lid...this has been built entirely up from just the bedplate. A case lid is my next "big" purchase. I picked up a nice repro Model C reproducer for around $90 shipped.
The motor was purchased as a whole for $45. The spring was bad. I wussed out and sent it off for $50 to had a new one installed. Call me a chicken, but I felt I'd rather have a pro do this for me.
Cheers, Frank
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 29, 2009 21:32:54 GMT -5
As for the naked shots, I wanted to do a "test fit" to make sure everything worked and if I need to grind/file/polish anything to fit. I also had assembled all the parts, and well, wanted to do a mock up and see how it functioned
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 29, 2009 21:31:25 GMT -5
Thanks...the case was bought first the frame, then the box...nothing here matches at all originally. I actually just did a refinish of the case today, installed the motor, and installed a leather belt. Now I'm waiting on a crank and my C reproducer. I didn't know the green was particular...I interpreted this as dirt and a chemical reaction between the bedplate and the bed frame! What is sad is that the repro decal I bought from Wyatt's doesn't match at all to the original. I tried to avoid doing anything to it but it just fell apart with the denatured alcohol...sigh. Yikes Anyways, here are the finished photos of it: I could not for the love of god get the one screw to install for the metal device that mounts to the inside of the box, for a hinge to the bed frame. I think the original screw may have broken off. For that matter, I am missing this flat metal slide hinge anyways. I may eventually install one, but for now I'm content to let it be. I REALLY need to get a nice top now.
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 28, 2009 22:57:43 GMT -5
Hello To All, I have more or less built my Edison Standard B from nothing more than a bedplate with a few parts. I managed to score a complete motor with a bum mainspring, and have part by part put this together. In short, this was not the greatest way to learn, cost-wise, but spaced out over the years it has been a fun project and I've learned a few things along the way. My biggest hitch came trying to use the original shellac lacquer. For the love of God I could not get it to look right or not chip like mad, so I turned to industrial spray paint. I know...it's not right, but I've reached a point where it in my opinion is tolerable, and I may gently rub it with 0000 steel wool to dull it down. I stripped off the original finish as that grease would not come off no matter what I tried, and when it was finally removing, it was taking all the lacquer with it End result was to strip it down, even out the metal in places, and try again... Here are pictures from my build up. The only guides I have used are photographs of machines I find online and Reiss's The Compleat Talking Machine. I just acquired two Standard Ds I intend to fix up. One needs a good cleaning, the other will be another bit by bit rebuild. Anyways, I'm excited to find this forum and look forward to learning more and more. Frank Note, I haven't cleaned or relacquered the case, nor is the bedplate mounted to the frame. I somehow have to redrill the holes for the frame as only two screw holes line up. There are around six layers of heavy red primer on the bedplate, followed by four or five of black gloss, then several layers of clear acrylic. The stripes and god-awful grass tufts (I know they look horrible) were applied by hand. The decal I think turned out nice at least!
|
|
|
Post by tarheeltinkerer on Jan 28, 2009 22:48:00 GMT -5
Hello to All,
A friend encouraged me to take up something while I was fighting through depression and knowing I like antiques and music he suggested to "build yourself a phonograph." Well, this was back in June 2006. I have been working on an Edison Standard B off and on (in between getting back to health and finishing my Masters in history) since then. I'm at the point where I need to clean up the case and mount the motor. I'll post pics in another thread, but I am excited to find a phonograph forum and look forward to all the accumulated knowledge on it!
Cheers, Frank Raleigh, NC
|
|