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Post by lucius1958 on Aug 30, 2014 3:25:14 GMT -5
As a compromise, a Home model A might work: the motor is (I believe) a bit more powerful than the Standard; it has an external speed control; and it is not as heavy or expensive as a Triumph.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Aug 25, 2014 2:54:22 GMT -5
Yes, a good cleaning and lubrication should get the motor back up to decent playing condition.
BTW, those buttons on the left were intended to help users cue up the reproducer for 10 or 12 inch discs. Edison had intended to issue 12 inch Diamond Discs from the start (hence the 12 inch turntable); but technical problems prevented this for a long time. The buttons were introduced in 1922, when the 12 inch discs were again being proposed; but it was not until the introduction of the Long Play records in 1926 that those buttons could be put to practical use… BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Aug 25, 2014 2:39:10 GMT -5
Congratulations on your C-250!
I would second everything George has said, and would also recommend that you give the entire motor a good cleaning before re-lubricating (there's a product called "Krud Kutter" that I have found useful).
If you want to clean the cabinet, non-pumice 'Gojo' is an excellent product.
Another detail you might want to check is the reproducer. You'll probably want to replace the gaskets at least; and be sure to check the stylus with a high-powered magnifier, to check whether there is any damage or wear.
(BTW, I think you'll enjoy that 'Swing Along!' disc: I have a copy, and it's quite good)…
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Aug 9, 2014 21:55:06 GMT -5
Some further advice:
You might want to give the motor and top works a good cleaning and re-lubricating as well (including the mainspring), to ensure proper performance; replace the gaskets in the reproducer and check the stylus for wear; and possibly replace the belt if needed.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Aug 9, 2014 21:43:42 GMT -5
Hi! First time posting and have been trying to research an Edison Home Phonograph we just bought. Works but will need a litle cosmetic help. Horn needs some loving. Just a good clean up to the whole thing. Just wondering when this might have been produced? We got 34 of the cylinders with it. Also, just for fun although how much it's worth doesn't really matter to us. We just think it's an awesome piece of history...how much does one that works and is slightly refurbished (which we will do...I've been a wood worker all my life and an artist...not going to refinish just clean and glue the base back together...horn is probably going to be repainted original colors) is worth? Thanks! I'm thinking we'll be asking lots more questions and if anyone is interested, we're looking for others to purchase! THANKS!! Marc and Rosie P.S. Horn has Pat Aug 22 05 on it with a logo of TCoT on it in 2 places. Does the small opening of the horn go in the Reproducer or on the outside? We are also needing a crane for it as it didn't come with one. Is there a specific one that we need to get? Want it to be the right one. I'll leave the dating of your Home to our resident expert: I assume it's a Model B, from the serial number… probably about 1905/6? Your horn was made by the Tea Tray Company, a major manufacturer of after-market horns. You will need to get a rubber connector to fit between the small end of the horn and the reproducer neck (fits on the outside of both). I hope you share some "before and after" photos! BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Aug 7, 2014 2:05:38 GMT -5
Beautiful condition! Is the finish original or restored?
By the way, a little more info, based on what I have read from George L. Frow:
The Amberola 80 was introduced in 1928, using surplus cabinets from the S-19 Diamond Disc Phonographs (which had been discontinued around August 1927: Frow quotes the remaining stock at about 11,000), and fitted with mechanisms from the Amberola 50 and 75.
I do not know how many of these were built (I don't have Frow's book on the cylinder phonographs), but probably several thousand, of which many seem to have been shipped to the UK and Australasia: whether shipments continued into 1929, again I do not know.
Incidentally, where did you find this machine?
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Aug 4, 2014 0:12:46 GMT -5
Well: the "80" is a fairly rare model, coming as it did toward the end of cylinder phonograph production, and sold mainly to British markets….
That said, the standard response to "what is it worth?" is generally "whatever the buyer is willing to pay"…
Do you have any photos of the machine in question?
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Jul 29, 2014 1:47:53 GMT -5
Looks OK: at least there seems to be no sign of chipping on the cutting stylus.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Jul 27, 2014 3:01:30 GMT -5
Note: as the site on patent plates shows, the dates given only go up to 1905.
It may be likely that you are misreading a '5' (or far more likely a '3') for an '8'…
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Jul 26, 2014 2:22:37 GMT -5
In its stated condition, I would say $95 is a decent price…
If you look around, there are dealers who can provide suitable reproduction cranes for a Standard at decent prices.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Jul 25, 2014 3:08:47 GMT -5
If the patent date goes up to 1908, your Standard is probably a model D or later (I assume it doesn't have an endgate).
The horn is not, as far as I can tell, a factory-issue Edison: those would usually have an identifying decal on them. But frequently people bought after-market horns for their machines, so it's perfectly reasonable for the Standard.
If you have a crane for the machine, then all you need is a piece of soft rubber tubing to connect the horn to the reproducer: a good number of dealers will provide one for minimal cost.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Jul 19, 2014 3:09:34 GMT -5
It would help if you quoted a price.
The machine is a BC-34, a fairly commonly found model, and appears to have been refinished….
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Jul 19, 2014 3:03:15 GMT -5
Is there a hole visible between the governor bearing and the lower pulley? That's where the pivot for the belt tensioner should be…
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Jul 11, 2014 2:45:11 GMT -5
Yes, you can play 2 minute celluloid cylinders with an H reproducer: but a C would probably be better.
However, I would not recommend using an H on 2 minute wax cylinders.
If you have an arm with a horizontal carriage that will fit a Diamond reproducer, the Diamond B is the one to use. The A and C were designed for use in Amberola phonographs, and have necks which point backwards.
With a Diamond B, unless your machine has a Cygnet horn and crane, it would be best to use a 45 degree adaptor between the reproducer neck and horn: otherwise, the angle is too extreme.
BillS
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Post by lucius1958 on Jul 9, 2014 0:22:16 GMT -5
I am awaiting the return of the reproducer from my BC-34.
When I first examined it, the finish appeared to me to be a very dingy nickel plate: in attempting to polish it, I inadvertently rubbed it down to bare brass (mea culpa).
Since then, I have learned that the original finish was a bluish-grey gunmetal. I have been searching online for a solution which will replicate this patina; but the one site so far that offers a compound that will work on brass only sells the stuff in amounts of a gallon, at least.
Can anyone suggest an easy and economical way to replicate this finish? Would the bluing compounds used by gunsmiths produce an acceptable result?
BillS
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