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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 29, 2015 1:45:07 GMT -5
Very nice!
Moving the machine depends on what resources you have: when I acquired my C-250, all I had was my own muscle, a few screwdrivers, a couple of cardboard boxes, and a Toyota Corolla.
It will be easiest to handle if you get to work on it.
Remove the drawers ( it's preferable to move any records therein to a separate box) by pulling them out and carefully tilting them upward, until you can get them out of the case. These can be stowed in your trunk. Remove the grille as well.
Remove the reproducer, and put it in a safe place, with plenty of cushioning around it. Remove the turntable as well, as described elsewhere.
Unscrew and remove the wooden frame around the motor plate; then unbolt the motor & plate from its mounts (Catch the nuts as they come loose, and store them in an appropriate container).
If you have a big enough box handy, you can lift the motor and horn assembly out of the cabinet and stow them there: the alternative is to unbolt the lift lever assembly from the horn pivot tube (you'll need a wrench - or at least a good pair of pliers - for this). You can either stow the horn in another box, or leave it in the cabinet.
With the drawers and the motor out, the cabinet should now be light enough to lift into your vehicle (with a little help): If you do not have a large van, I can attest that a C-250 cabinet, minus the casters, will *just* fit into the back seat of a Corolla.
If you have a hand truck at home, that will be a great help in transporting the case from your car to your designated destination.
I hope these little details may be of use.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 28, 2015 2:48:20 GMT -5
To be frank, I do not notice any significant distortion in that clip. True, the sound file may not accurately reflect what one hears in person, and my hearing is not the best...
The resistance you feel when the horn is raised is possibly due to the collar with the leaf spring pressing harder on the underside of the bedplate. If you loosen the screw and lower the collar a fraction, the resistance should ease up.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 27, 2015 0:32:25 GMT -5
A new diaphragm may not be entirely necessary: unless there is indication that it has warped, or that the stylus link has deteriorated, the Diamond diaphragms tend to survive fairly well.
You will certainly need new gaskets, however; and you should check the stylus for wear with a high power magnifier. (If you need to replace the stylus, there is a new source of supply from the Bruce Company [q.v.], which is far superior to the previous Expert Stylus products).
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 27, 2015 0:19:10 GMT -5
You're welcome: I wish you good fortune on this project!
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 24, 2015 2:12:30 GMT -5
Alas, I do not have the resources to do extensive work on a motor these days.
You might, however, try the Talking Machine Forum (TMF), which is a far livelier place, and to which many of this board's members (and some great phonographic mavens) also belong. You are far more likely to find a solution there.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 23, 2015 3:05:02 GMT -5
You speak of the spring barrel being 'relaxed': if you try wiggling it, does it move at all? If you try twisting the spring barrel in its normal direction (downwards if you're in front of it), does the rest of the gear train turn?
As for winding: did you notice that you had increasing resistance until the crank stopped; or was there any sudden lack of resistance? It's always hard to make a diagnosis from a distance: if you can manage to post some photos, and perhaps a short video, it might make things a little easier.
If you want to try releasing the pawl, I would suggest that you first remove the top works from the bedplate, then remove the bedplate from its frame. That way, you have easier access to the pawl. (Note: I have not had to try this operation myself, so I do not know how well it will work. I know that the motor casting on which the pawl is mounted may be a bit of an obstacle).
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 21, 2015 21:32:47 GMT -5
Acetone would work as a degreaser for the pulley and belts.
By 'everything', do you mean the spring barrel turns as well?
BTW, do you have a copy of "The Compleat Talking Machine"? It gives many excellent troubleshooting tips.
A quick (though rather drastic) way of unwinding a mainspring would be to use a screwdriver to VERY CAREFULLY disengage the winding pawl from the ratchet. You would have to have a VERY FIRM hold on the crank, though, in order to unwind the spring in a controlled manner, without it doing any damage to the motor or yourself...
One last idea: did you replace the mainspring yourself? It might have been installed the wrong way round...
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 21, 2015 3:15:40 GMT -5
The end bearings are on either end of the mandrel shaft: on the endgate, and to the left of the gear cover. There's a set screw and adjustment screw on each.
When you tested the motor, did you try turning it from the gear closest to the spring barrel, or by turning the mandrel?
Have you replaced the belt? If the belt is too tight, it may prevent the motor from turning.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 20, 2015 1:17:49 GMT -5
OK:
First: what model Home do you have? If it is a fairly late model, without the endgate, have you replaced the mandrel bearing? If an earlier model, have you checked the adjustment of the end bearings? Have you checked the belt tension?
You have had the mainspring replaced, and the pinion: presumably, the motor was already wound down when you had them replaced. Did you install the mainspring yourself? Did you check whether it was installed right way round? Did you try winding the motor up a little way, and checking whether it worked?
Have you checked the adjustment of the governor bearings?
There are a number of things that might contribute to this problem...
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 17, 2015 2:41:50 GMT -5
It's hard to tell (given that the attached photos are so small) what their actual condition is; but if you have cleaned them thoroughly, and they still have major surface noise, they are probably beyond redemption.
There was a period (from mid-1916 through 1918 or so) that Edison discs suffered in quality: a shortage of phenol (a crucial ingredient), and lapses in quality control meant that many record pressings came out with less than acceptable sound quality.
Add to that the sub-standard conditions in which some of these discs were stored, and a susceptibility to mold damage, many DDs of this period may be unplayable. In fact, some collectors avoid the etched-label discs entirely, preferring to focus on the later paper labels.
However, there are some gems to be found on the earlier discs: the pre-1916 "transfer" DDs (if they have not suffered from splits), and even some wartime pressings, may be good buys. You just have to examine them carefully close up, to determine their condition.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 12, 2015 23:29:19 GMT -5
A C reproducer will work fine on 2 minute Indestructibles: I just mentioned some opinions I have heard elsewhere. Generally, all 2 minute cylinder reproducers used sapphire styli, anyway, so you are probably OK.
Surface noise is one indication of a worn cylinder; or it may be that it may have become scratched, scuffed or dirty from careless storage. With wax cylinders, mold is often a problem.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 12, 2015 2:07:57 GMT -5
It's definitely an Indestructible: you'll see the patent date of July 29, 1902.
I don't think Indestructibles were as prone to swelling as Blue Amberols: it might be that one end is slightly out of round. If you have a cylinder reamer, some gentle work might remove the high spots that are preventing it from fitting on the mandrel properly.
As long as it plays through to the end, I should not worry too much about it. Some have suggested that frequent playing of celluloid cylinders might tend to wear the stylus slightly faster: but if you play mostly wax, it should not be a problem.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 3, 2015 4:03:05 GMT -5
Yes, you can.
It's generally considered best to remove, clean, and re-grease the mainspring. However, DD springs are rather tough to work with (ask anyone who's had to handle them): but if it is already running smoothly, without thumping, you can get away with winding the spring up, squeezing some moly or lithium grease into the barrel, and replacing the screw. You can then let the motor run down, wind it up again, and repeat a few times, to let the new grease get distributed around.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 2, 2015 3:48:34 GMT -5
Just checked my C-250: the 'Oil' notice you mention has an arrow pointing toward the spindle itself.
The wooden part inside the cabinet is a cradle used to hold the reproducer when the phonograph was being shipped.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Mar 2, 2015 3:32:41 GMT -5
On DD machines, the 'tone arm' and horn are a single unit, pivoted at the front (with the exception of the early table models). Have you checked under the grille to see whether the horn is free to move, or whether something is obstructing it? That is about the only thing I can think of at the moment that would cause this.
BillS
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