The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I picked this up at a car boot sale, I didn't know what it was then, I still don't, but at £5 I cant go wrong!
it might be homemade but I have no idea.
it has what appears to be a victor induction motor
a pine case, dovetail joints.
the knob on the right is obviously a replacement, if the actual function (on/off/volume) is original I have no idea!
on the bottom of the motor, there is a orange wire, is that a ground wire?, when I plug it in, I don't want to blow up the whole house.
I haven't plugged it in yet for two reasons, I don't know if this motor will blow up with our 240v or if it was made for that and it still has its old British, two pin Bakelite plug on it which I am yet to change
what's your opinion's on it?

Sounds really interesting, will you post pictures soon?

Homemade or not that is a cute little machine.
See if you can find a data plate on the motor, it should tell you the required voltage.
That orange wire looks like it could be a ground for the motor case. Do I see a diagram near the switch?

the label is a diagram of the motor, it says it is a hmv motor, I hadn't read it when I thought it was a victor, so this is a hmv 24A motor, I don't know much about these induction motors though!

the tracking on this needed some serious adjustment!, it is probably not the "original" tonearm be cause the needle was about 1" behind where it should be, im not sure if I should find the "original" hmv arm or try to adjust this one and leaving the holes, anyone have a hmv one?

Any chance the outside might have been leatherette covered and it was bad so they removed it and kept the wood case?

larryh wrote:Any chance the outside might have been leatherette covered and it was bad so they removed it and kept the wood case?

I don't believe there ever was a covering, there is no evidence of it

Kirtley,
I was looking at the pictures of your machine.
It looks like the movement of the original tone arm activated the switch under the turntable to start and stop it. The switch with the knob looks like it was added later.

howardpgh wrote:Kirtley,
I was looking at the pictures of your machine.
It looks like the movement of the original tone arm activated the switch under the turntable to start and stop it. The switch with the knob looks like it was added later.

yes you are correct