Edison Business Phonograph Model C Pulley?

[groundhog]

Hello all-
I'm working on a barn find (actually air-cooled VW swapmeet find) Edison Business Phonograph. It is a model C, electric, with the banner decal. There are a handful of missing/damaged bits-
-large potmetal pulley is falling apart and seized to shaft
-cylinder for piston under start/stop switch is broken off and gone
-lid hinge/prop gone except lower case nub

Other less critical stuff- missing the note bracket and pencil holder, listening tubes and horn.

Is it worth getting an aluminum pulley machined or is there an available replacement/interchange that doesn't change the running speed, etc?

At some point I'll be looking for ediphone/dictaphone blanks and making a horn and tubes. I have a couple reproducers that should work.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/164007133 ... on_generic

[Uncle Vanya]

Excuse me, duplicate post

[Uncle Vanya]

The pot metal pulley would have to be machined or cast and machined at some considerable expense.


Pity. I need exactly that motor and switch to complete my Alva, a scarce electric motor version of the Triumph entertainment phonograph.

My machine had a later motor substituted when it was last "restored" in 1974. I remember the then owner complaining about the $50.00 cost to have the original motor rebuilt, so he instead installed an Ekonowatt motor salvaged from a 1930's vintage Ediphone.

[groundhog]

I have a friend who just finished rebuilding an antique lathe.. I'll probably give him a ring. How sensitive is the weighting, etc? Could I just make one out of any material the same width and diameter?

If the thing had been less complete/in worse shape I probably would have been willing to part it out. As is, I feel like I need to get it running to restore my faith in my ability to fix these things. My Home and Triumph are both still in pieces in boxes, stalled by backwards springs or something else I screwed up.

[Uncle Vanya]

The weight is not at all sensitive. The only important thing is the diameter, the width, and the dimensions of the hole for the shaft.

Oh, by the way, I value these parts HIGHLY, for this Alva has been a thorn in my side since I bought it in 1994. They would to me be worth a nice working Home or Standard and a slightly later (black metal case) Ediphone in good order, along with some Ediphone cylinders.

Post some pictures of your problem machines. I'm quite certain that any trouble will be simply corrected after you become a bit more familiar with them. You sound as if you are a pretty knowledgeable mechanic, after all.

[phonodesbois]

Please share your findings as I also have the pulley issue on my Edison Business model D!
Thanks,
Jeff

[NEFaurora]

A few years ago I owned an Edison Business Machines Standard Phonograph Model "D" (1907). The original Pot Metal wheel was intact, but really cracked.. And not too useable..so I had a new one made from a guy on here named "Boston Mike". He made me two excellent replacement wheels out of CNC aircraft aluminum. They were excellent. He charged me $175.00 a piece to make them. I repaired the machine and got it going, but it was really not a practical phonograph for entertainment listening, so I sold it on eBay. It was rare and in good shape though. I made a YouTube video of it before I sold it though. It"s out on YouTube if you do a search. You can also find the same Pot Metal Wheel in much better shape on newer 1920's Ediphone machines. Edison used the same Pot Metal pulleys for like 15 years on the Ediphone machines.

Hope this helps..

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

[groundhog]

Thanks for the replies!
I need to at least finish cleaning it up and reassemble it with some manner of pulley to see how much I like it. I feel a sort of responsibility since I was the one to drag it back from oblivion and clean out the mouse crud. Also, I admit I like having things around that not many others do and having been something of an Edison fan since 4th grade it's kind of a kick to have an early machine that represents his hope for the primary application of his inventions.

On Ediphone pulleys, they have fewer holes, right? I did pick up a rusted out Ediphone some ten years ago of which I kept only the motor and a few shafts, etc. (did I keep that pulley or was it rotten too.. hm?) so the thought of swapping in that Ekonowatt is also there but a machine is only original once, right? I guess I just have to see how it looks reassembled. Should be nearing that point in the next week or so.

Right now the three bottom boards are waiting to dry from being clamped down and hide-glued back together, will re-glue the box tomorrow.
Is the collar on the end of the mandrel what is keeping me from getting the shaft out? I just realized there was another set screw there and that one is really unwilling to budge, Will have to hit it with heat tomorrow I guess