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Post by dernst on Apr 17, 2021 10:08:05 GMT -5
My wife inherited an S19 Edison Disc Phonograph many years ago. It is in very rough condition so we are finally going to have the cabinet professionally restored.
However, I am planning to remove the mechanicals before we have it restored. I searched a bit on youtube and this forum for info on how to do this but have not found anything useful.
Does anyone have a link to a disassembly of an S19? Or maybe some drawings?
Wish me luck!
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Post by lucius1958 on Apr 17, 2021 20:26:54 GMT -5
I removed the mechanism from my C-250 when I was transporting it home; so an S-19 should not be too difficult.
First off, remove the crank and its escutcheon, and the reproducer; removing the turntable as well may help. Then unscrew the stay from the lid, to provide more room to remove the motor.
Unscrew the frame around the motor plate, and remove the grille. Underneath the motor plate, unbolt the sleeve that holds the lift lever to the pivot shaft, and unbolt the arm that holds the mute ball. This will detach the horn from the rest of the motor.
Then, unbolt the motor plate from its brackets: 2 on one side, and 1 on the other. Hold your free hand under the brackets to catch the nuts. You should now be able to (carefully) lift the motor out of the cabinet: you may have to angle it a bit, so the feed screw doesn't catch on the horn rack. Of course, you'll have the mute ball and its arm dangling from the motor as well; but an extra pair of hands can help with that.
Then remove the horn and shaft. If you want to remove the lid stay, unscrew the piece holding it to the case. Your cabinet should be ready to send off.
BillS
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Post by dernst on Apr 18, 2021 8:23:56 GMT -5
Great! Thank you for the instructions. I'll start the disassembly today.
BTW, the grill is already missing. But it looks like a grill is supposed to be removable from what I can tell. Is that the case? I want to make sure the restorers know this so that when they make a new grill it will be easily removable.
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Post by lucius1958 on Apr 18, 2021 21:01:08 GMT -5
Yes, the grille is easily removable: the bottom fits into a slot in the case.
BillS
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Post by dernst on Apr 19, 2021 19:47:19 GMT -5
I confirmed that it is easy to remove. I found the grille frame and tested it out on my unit. BTW, it was very easy to remove the hardware. Thank you for the insight.
I also have been looking into getting the reproducer repaired. After inspection its clear that the diaphragm needs work. The silk line is broken off. I'm sure that diaphragm will need replacing/restoring as well. The piece of metal attaching the lower weight to the upper is also broken.
I found a person that will restore the entire reproducer but I not sure if he will replace the diaphragm yet. I saw that there was a foam one made about 10 years ago that was for sale on ebay, but it looks like those are no longer available.
What do folks suggest with regards to getting the reproducer restored?
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Post by lucius1958 on Apr 19, 2021 19:58:29 GMT -5
Wyatt Markus is the man to go to for reproducer work. He will restore it as good as new - if not better - for a reasonable cost.
BillS
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Post by dernst on Apr 20, 2021 15:54:45 GMT -5
Great! I actually had contacted Wyatt earlier for a quote. Glad that you recommend him.
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Post by dernst on Apr 20, 2021 18:44:25 GMT -5
Is there a way to estimate when a particular Edison S-19 was manufactured? I see on the brass plate a number of SM - 106700. I assume the 106700 may be the serial number.
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Post by lucius1958 on Apr 20, 2021 20:08:00 GMT -5
Unfortunately, there's not too much data around for manufacturing dates on DD Phonographs...
BillS
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Post by dernst on Apr 22, 2021 16:56:43 GMT -5
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Post by lucius1958 on Apr 22, 2021 20:17:48 GMT -5
That's a data sheet on the C-250/C-19 "Chippendale" model: I don't know whether anyone has compiled any data on the S-19 "Sheraton". BillS
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Post by dernst on Apr 23, 2021 12:35:33 GMT -5
Ah, I did not pay attention! S-C whats the difference... ;-)
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Post by dernst on Apr 25, 2021 9:19:20 GMT -5
I removed the amplifier (cone) and now plan to clean the rest of the mechanicals. What is customarily done with regards to cleaning? Should I dismantle the spring case to clean and oil? It probably hasnt been touched for 30 some years (probably more).
How are the oil tubes cleaned?
And where can I get some of that Edison grease and oil? What is recommended to use instead?
Any tips are be appreciated!
BTW, Wyatt has already repaired and sent the reproducer back to me. Its in the mail.
At some point I'll want to try the phonograph out. I have a bunch of old edison records. It looks like they are very flat. But they need to be cleaned. What is the best way to do this?
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Post by lucius1958 on Apr 25, 2021 20:41:58 GMT -5
A good cleaning and re-lubricating is always recommended for any old phonograph. Naphtha, and an old toothbrush, is a good method. I find that some long pipe cleaners (you can find them in smoke shops) are good tools to use for the oil tubes: don't forget to replace any felt wicks that might be missing.
As for the spring barrel: if it's running OK, and you don't hear any thumps from the spring, it's not absolutely necessary to dismantle it. Diamond Disc springs can be tricky to tackle: I serviced the spring on my BC-34, and swore off spring work on DDs after that. If you want, you can send the spring out for servicing; or, if it seems OK, but you want to put some more grease in there, you can just unscrew the grease port on the barrel, and squirt a little extra in.
The original Edison grease was a mixture of Vaseline and graphite; but this tends to harden with age. Most restorers prefer modern lithium or molybdenum grease: for oil, sewing machine oil - NOT "3-in-1", which has a tendency to get gummy over time (I had hell's own time working on a Triumph, where someone had used that stuff - I had to resort to a blowtorch to get some parts free!)
For cleaning Diamond Discs, NEVER use water! Use alcohol (either 80% isopropyl or denatured) and a toothbrush or a painter's pad, then dry them with a soft cloth.
Hope you'll have your S-19 singing again soon!
BillS
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