|
Post by refseries on Sept 3, 2013 4:42:19 GMT -5
Sadly phonographs are like peanuts. You can't stop at one!
Good hunting
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Aug 31, 2013 3:45:17 GMT -5
BillS is absolutely right. The Amberolas should never be used to play wax cylinders. It will destroy them! The two minutes will obviously track incorrectly but more importantly the heavier weight used on the Diamond reproducers will neatly remove any recording from a fragile wax Amberol.
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Aug 30, 2013 4:37:37 GMT -5
Dear Timo
You don't want the machine dripping with oil but regular lubrication will keep it running smoothly. basically you need to oil all 'metal to metal' bearings. These include both ends of the mandrel shaft and feedscrew, and the intermediate gear shaft. Also run a little oil along the feedscrew itself. You will need to take off the gear and feedscrew covers with a small screwdriver.
Oil all bearings in the motor, including the winding ratchet. Also drip a little oil on the shaft of the regulator and on the little felt pads on the Y 'yoke' which maintain the speed of the regulator. For oiling motors I use a nail polish bottle which has been cleaned and filled with oil - the little brush inside is perfect for phonographs. You may need to raid your wife/girlfriend/daughters' make up cupboard to get one!
Sometimes the gear on the end of the regulator shaft can be noisy, and it helps to put a little Vaseline or silicon grease on this. Just smear a little on wioth your finger, run the machine, and wipe off the excess.
The spring grease can dry up, which can make it 'crash' when playing. This can be cured completely by taking the spring barrel out of the machine, removing the spring, cleaning it and regreasing, but this is quite a heavy job and it is worth looking at other approaches first. I have found that if you pack the spring barrel with some fresh lithium grease while it is still in the machine this works its way into the spring and smooths things out without starting a dockyard job.
This all sounds like a lengthy business but only takes half an hour, after which your machine will run merrily for another year or so. Good luck
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Aug 29, 2013 4:32:03 GMT -5
Dear Keith
Often a reproducer goes faint because the gaskets have failed and sound is escaping. Try sucking the end of the reproducer - if there is no vacuum, the gaskets need replacing. Many people sell new gaskets inexpensively (APSCO, eBay, Ron Sitko) and while fiddly it is a great job to do as you get instant results.
You have to undo the small screws holding the stylus bar, the hinge and the limit stop. You will need a watchmakers' screwdriver and if your eyes are as tired as mine an eyeglass. These screws can be a bit stuck after time, but benefit from a drop of penetrating oil first. The dismantling process is fairly self evident but take care not to break off the tiny screw under the hinge block as these are really hard to get out once broken.
Clean everything thoroughly and reassemble. Do not get oil on the new gaskets as some rubber ones instantly deform if you do. When you tighten up the diaphragm ring do not overtighten it or the sound will be harsh. Just tighten it until it first becomes airtight.
Have a look at the stylus with the eyeglass. If it is chipped, replace it. You can get a stylus on a bar, or send your bar to Paul Hodgson at Expert Stylus and they will fit a new one. I usually do this as their service is superb.
Good luck - you will enjoy this job!
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Aug 29, 2013 4:20:52 GMT -5
Dear Helmut This is a common problem with Home/Standard model D and up, but you can fix it yourself with a bit of care. As Keith (there seem to be two of us!) says the bearings seize over time and need to be freed or changed. First get the thing turning. This can often be acheived by soaking the bearing in penetrating oil/WD40/diesel and working it backwards and forwards by turning the mandrel. You will get very oily. After a while you will be able to turn the mandrel enough to get full rotation stiffly - I have a Standard F which eventually freed up enough for it not to need a new bearing. If you are unlucky you will need to take the mandrel shaft out - you will need to undo the feed screw, top pulley, etc. Be careful not to lose the tiny screws which hold the feed screw clip on. Pull out the mandrel and shaft. The old bearing needs to come out. It will be a tight fit, but probably will crumble with a bit of tapping with a probe/old screwdrive and a small hammer. Do not hit it too hard as you don't want to crack the cast iron casing. In extreme cases you can saw through the bearing and prize it out. All this sounds worse than it is! Fitting the new bearing is easy. You can get them from APSCO on www.antiquephono.com/. They come predrilled for the oilway, and simply slide in. I soak them in oil for a couple of days before fitting but this probably isn't necessary. Then refit the mandrel assembly and the job is done. Good luck! Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Jul 15, 2013 12:51:25 GMT -5
Chris
You might try taking it to a garage, particularly one which works on older cars. Broken studs are the stock in trade of motor repair people and they will have your boroken shaft out in a jiffy.
Hope it helps!
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Jul 15, 2013 12:47:32 GMT -5
I use a crude but effective check - gently suck the end of the reproducer. If it holds the vacuum, the gaskets are ok and on the maxim of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" you can happily use the reproducer right away. If not, they are gone and need replacing. The procedure tastes disgusting, but works.
Having said that I have found all sorts of odd rubbish in reproducer which have not been cleaned for years, and being a compulsive fiddler I tend to clean newly acquired reproducers and routinely replace the gaskets. They do go hard, which doesn't enhance the sound, and always sound better after I have 'fixed' them. Well, almost always...
Cheers
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Jul 15, 2013 12:35:08 GMT -5
You could do worse than consult Expert Stylus, who have done a great job of putting new styli on most of my reproducers. They can be found on www.78tours.com/Expert_Stylus_Company.htm and I have found them the most willing and helpful guys ever. Hope it helps Keith PS - Not knowing who my leaders are, I have never troubled myself by asking permission to put up posts here or anywhere else! K
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Jul 15, 2013 12:29:31 GMT -5
If you want to bring the plate back to something close to original Eric Reiss has a good step-by-step guide in his book 'The Compleat Talking Machine', copies of which can be found at sales, second hand book sites, or Amazon. Having said that, like George P, I leave mine as they are!
Cheers
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Jul 15, 2013 12:22:15 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Jul 6, 2013 7:44:34 GMT -5
To add to George's good advice above I have always understood that Edison 14 inch 'Witch's Hat' horns have the text "PAT. APL'D FOR" on the conical tin section near the brass bell. I have not found such marks on other types of Edison horn.
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on May 21, 2013 5:12:01 GMT -5
Dear Charlie
As George says, your Puck is far from extinct. Jean-Paul can supply the bits you need. You might want to get the belt cord over the tensioner, rather than under it as in your photos, as the cord is rather fine and will slip. Pucks are very tricky to use, and take some trial and error to make them play. Tim's advice regarding getting the machine level is very accurate!
Good luck
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on May 3, 2013 6:00:22 GMT -5
Keith
Sorry, I may have given some wrong information. The last one I did was a Model D with a crumbling pot metal bearing, which I took out and the replacement APSCO bearing slid in very easily - in fact I wondered if it was too loose, but it worked very well so I left it alone.
I am currently sorting out a Standard F which had a seized mandrel bearing. This has a steel bearing, and after I freed it today I dug out the APSCO bearing to see if I should make the change. The APSCO has a 'belt' round the middle, like you describe. The outside diameter of the APSCO is 10.6mm for the body and 11.6mm for the 'belt'. I checked the steel bearing outer (it protrudes from the mount so I can get my micrometer on it) and it is 10.7mm, so the belt will stop me using the APSCO. As luck would have it I have been able to loosen the steel bearing on the mandrel shaft so don't need to replace the bearing, which is great news as I have no idea how to get the steel one out without damaging the bedplate, but I now can see your problem. Perhaps there are two sizes of mount bore? Certainly my earlier Model D took the APSCO without any difficulty, and it looks like this F bedpalte (which is a rebadged D) would not take the spare bearing which I have. On looking at the machine I did earlier again I can see that there is a step round the middle of the bearing, ie it is not a smooth cylinder. memory failure!
I suggest you go back to APSCO as you plan to do. They are helpful people and might either have the answer or be able to turn down a bearing to fit your mount.
Sorry for the confusion!
Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on May 1, 2013 4:22:44 GMT -5
Well done! These are very good. I have been playing with recording for a while and have made some tone arms for use on Edison Standard and Home machines. They are a bit amateur but work fairly well, and have been used for many of the CLPGS Reference Series recordings. If anyone wants to have a go at making them I have done some basic drawings which can be found at sdrv.ms/18nSKPR under 'Phonograph carriage'. Good luck, and let me know how you get on! Cheers Keith
|
|
|
Post by refseries on Apr 28, 2013 5:08:41 GMT -5
I have never seen one like this. I get mine from APSCO and they are simple cylinders, with a hole drilled for the retaining screw/oilway. One suggestion might be that yours are designed to deform slightly as they are inserted to hold the bearing tightly, but unless the bearing material is soft I would be careful about this. What is your bearing made from?
Keith
|
|